Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, has triumphantly announced that the FBI has agreed to help him locate the Texas House Democrats who fled the state to break quorum, the Texas Tribune reports.
Cornyn claimed on a local radio show operatives from the federal agency’s San Antonio and Austin offices have been assigned to the mission, according to the Trib.
“I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas,” Cornyn said in a statement Thursday.
Cornyn had sent a letter to the FBI requesting its assistance, which also requested that the FBI investigate the lawmakers on allegations of bribery for accepting donations to fund their quorum break.
However, it’s unclear what role the FBI can actually play in bringing back the lawmakers, who fled the state to block Gov. Greg Abbott’s redistricting scheme. Abbott, a Trump loyalist, initiated the plan to help the president pick up five Republican congressional seats as the party faces the prospect of losing the U.S. House in the midterms.
Cornyn’s office didn’t provide additional information about the help the agency promised, according to the Tribune. Nor did the FBI comment by press time.
Further, helping “locate” the Texas Democrats appears to be a moot point, considering their whereabouts are common knowledge. The House Dems who decamped to Illinois are known to be staying at a hotel in the Chicago suburbs, for example.
The lawmakers also have been posting through the entire quorum break, indicating who they’re meeting with and where. That makes it hard to see what value FBI agents can offer beyond the abilities of a 13-year-old with an internet connection.
Cornyn’s grandstanding also begs the question what FBI agents would be empowered to do once they comb the ends of the earth for the departed lawmakers.
The state arrest warrant issued earlier this week for the lawmakers is civil, not criminal, meaning the FBI lacks apparent authority to make arrests in this case. Further, Texas state law enforcement officials lack authority to depart to other states to enforce the warrant.
Additionally, quorum breaks are enshrined in the Texas Constitution as a tool the minority party has at its disposal. Previous quorum breaks have been little more than performative. For this one to have an impact, Texas lawmakers would have to remain away from the capital until this special session ends Aug. 19.
Cornyn’s bold declaration that he’s secured FBI cooperation comes as Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton duke it out for the same distinction of solving Daddy Trump’s big problem. Coincidentally, all three are up for re-election in 2026, and Cornyn faces an especially tough GOP primary against Paxton, a die-hard Trump ally.
Who will be the hero to rig the midterm elections and save the Republicans from hearing from the people? Grab the popcorn.
As Texas Dems have said in press conferences after decamping to Illinois, Massachusetts and New York: “Come and take it.” It remains to be seen who will — and if anyone actually can.
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This article appears in Jul 23 – Aug 6, 2025.
