FBI will help locate Texas Democrats who fled state over redistricting, says Republican senator

Texas Sen. John Cornyn announced Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel has approved his request to assist Texas authorities in locating Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state to stall a Republican-led redistricting effort.

"I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats," Cornyn said in a statement. He also thanked President Donald Trump and Patel for "swiftly acting" on his request.

"These legislators may be guilty of bribery or other public corruption offenses," warned Cornyn.

Most of the state's House Democratic lawmakers fled to Illinois during the weekend to block a vote on a congressional map that could give Republicans up to five additional seats in the US House of Representatives.

The walkout has triggered a wave of political and legal retaliation, including Gov. Greg Abbott filing an emergency petition on Tuesday to the state's Supreme Court seeking to remove Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office.