Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove 13 Democratic legislators who left the state

Ken Paxton formally asked the Texas Supreme Court to impeach Democratic lawmakers who left the state to boycott the special session to redraw congressional districts. Using the figure of "abandonment of office," the attorney general filed an initial lawsuit against 13 of the 54 Democratic state representatives who have yet to return to the Capitol.

Paxton, who is also seeking the Republican nomination to the Senate in 2026, had warned the Democrats that, should they fail to return by Friday, he would seek to remove them from their seats. He made good on this promise in the afternoon, just minutes after the Texas House of Representatives met briefly to note that they had not returned.

Among other expenses, the legislators involved must bear the cost of lodging, food, and fines of $500 per day, which accrue for each day they are absent from the special session. Most spent the week in a hotel in the city of Chicago.

Dustin Burrows, president of the local House of Representatives, added some additional penalties. Among them are a 30% deduction from each member's monthly office budget and a requirement to pick up their paychecks in person.

"The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant. These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold. Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on," Paxton said in a statement.

"I have asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare what has been clear from the beginning: that the runaway members have officially vacated their offices in the Texas House," he added.

Days earlier, Paxton had announced ongoing investigations against the Powered by People and Texas Majority PAC organizations for the "possible operation of an illegal financial influence scheme to bribe Democrats to break a quorum." Powered by People was founded in 2019 by Beto O'Rourke, who was a candidate for Senate in 2018, president in 2020, and governor in 2022.

In the petition made to the highest court in the Lone Star State, the Texas attorney general wrote the following: "When members of the Legislature disregard arrest warrants, refuse to perform their duties, and announce that they intend to prevent the Legislature from exercising its constitutional responsibilities, they have, through words and conduct, demonstrated an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices."