Senator Urges Texas Supreme Court to Hear Abbott’s Emergency Petition

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today filed an amicus brief in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s emergency petition in the Texas Supreme Court seeking to remove from office an absconding legislator who fled the state to thwart the legislative process and argued the Court has the jurisdiction to hear the Governor’s petition:

Sen. Cornyn wrote, “I write in support of Governor Abbott’s emergency petition for writ of quo warranto. Having fled the state to prevent a quorum in the Texas Legislature, Respondent and other absconding legislators are blocking official legislative business. Under this Court’s precedent, an original writ of quo warranto to the Texas Supreme Court is an appropriate remedy, and Governor Abbott is a proper petitioner.”

“Governor Abbott filed this petition for writ of quo warranto after the Texas Attorney General delayed taking action to remove the absconding legislators,” he continued.

“The Texas legislators who have absconded to other states must be held accountable and a quorum restored so that official government business can proceed. The Supreme Court of Texas is a superior forum to expeditiously resolve the issues surrounding these absconding legislators now, and this Court should do so pursuant to the Governor’s request. Therefore, I urge the Court to grant Governor Abbott’s emergency petition of writ of quo warranto to that end,” concluded the Senator.

Full text of the amicus brief can be viewed here.

Background:

Earlier this week, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel encouraging federal cooperation with Texas Governor Greg Abbott and state law enforcement to investigate potential criminal acts, including bribery, and hold accountable legislators who have fled the state in a shameful attempt to stall the legislative process in the Texas House of Representatives. The full text of the letter is available here.

On Wednesday, Sen. Cornyn announced the FBI had granted his request for the federal government to assist Texas law enforcement in locating members of the Texas House of Representatives who have fled the state.