Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed what he calls a “historic” lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to declare all 13 seats held by fleeing Democrats vacant after they skipped the state to block GOP-led redistricting.
“These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold,” Paxton said Friday.
“Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on.”
Paxton had warned earlier this week that he would seek judicial orders to vacate the seats if the Democrats failed to return by the Speaker’s deadline.
Tied to Soros-Funded PACs
The lawsuit comes just one day after Paxton launched an investigation into the Texas Majority PAC (TMP), a George Soros-funded group founded by former staffers of Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke.
Paxton says TMP played a “coordinating role” in illegal fundraising and possibly bribing Democrat House members to remain out of state. Earlier this week, Paxton also opened a criminal investigation into O’Rourke’s own PAC, which reportedly paid for the private jet that flew the lawmakers to Illinois.
High-Stakes Political Showdown
By suing to vacate all 13 seats, Paxton is taking the most aggressive legal step yet in the standoff, aiming to strip the Democrats of their power entirely.
The move ensures that even if the lawmakers remain out of state, Texas Republicans can move forward on the state’s legislative agenda — including redistricting.
Paxton’s lawsuit is the latest salvo in what he has framed as a fight to protect the rule of law and stop Democrat obstruction funded by left-wing billionaires.
