Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cast doubt on the possibility of prosecuting Democratic lawmakers who left the state to block the GOP's redistricting push.
Speaking with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Paxton said he would "have to go through a court process" and potentially file lawsuits in "districts that are not friendly to Republicans."
"So it's a challenge because every district would be different. We'd have to go sue in every legislator's home district," Paxton added.
Democrats, in contrast, said Abbott's threat was all "smoke and mirrors." Speaking from Albany, New York, she claimed "there is no felony in the Texas penal code for what he says. So respectfully, he's making up some s--t."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered on Monday the arrest of Democratic lawmakers who left the state. State House lawmakers passed a motion allowing the Speaker of the House to issue civil warrants for the arrest of those who did not attend the session.
The order directs the state's Department of Public Safety to "locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans."
Democrats who left the state went to Illinois, New York and Boston. Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the redistricting initiative mean that Republicans and Democrats are "at war." California Gov. Gavin Newsom made similar claims, and both have warned they will engage in similar redistricting moves if Texas' moves forward.
Abbott, however, said the threats are a "bunch of crazy bluster." "Democrats are freaking out because they are realizing Texas has the authority to redistrict and we'll do so in a way that's going to lead to these additional seats that will vote Republican and they will be serving in Congress in the next session. Democrats are engaging in rhetoric but I don't think they have the capability of living up to it and doing anything about it," he added.
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