UPDATE - FBI will help locate Texas Democrats who fled state over redistricting: Republican senator

ADDS REP. BUCY'S REACTION, CHANGES DECK

By Rabia Iclal Turan and Yasin Gungor

WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL (AA) - Texas Sen. John Cornyn announced Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel has approved his request for federal agents to assist Texas authorities in locating Democratic 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,” Cornyn noted.

- Texas Democrat slams FBI involvement

Texas Rep. John Bucy III criticized the decision to involve federal law enforcement in tracking down Democrats who fled the state to break a quorum.

He called the move "authoritarian overreach" in a statement, adding: "Using federal law enforcement to track down political opposition is the tactic of a collapsing regime," The Hill reported.

Bucy defiantly told the FBI to "come and take it," The Hill added.

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 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott filing an emergency petition Tuesday to the state’s Supreme Court seeking to remove Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office.