Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) says that he will “seek judicial orders” stating that the state legislators who fled to Illinois — to stall a Republican-led effort to redraw the state’s congressional districts — had “vacated” their offices.

Paxton shared a copy of a Tuesday press release from his office on X, adding, “The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired.”

🚨BREAKING: I will seek judicial orders declaring that runaway Democrats who fail to appear by the Speaker’s deadline have vacated their office.

The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired. pic.twitter.com/yyPWavY38P

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) August 5, 2025

Paxton’s release argued that by breaking quorum and thus refusing to perform the duties they were elected to perform, the Democrats who left the state had effectively abandoned their offices — and his intent was to seek judicial relief on the matter should they not return.

“Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that the continued refusal to perform legislative duties by Texas House Democrats who broke quorum constitutes abandonment of office and that he will pursue a court ruling ensuring that their seats are declared vacant,” the release read.

Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows, according to the release, gave the rogue legislators until the end of the week — Friday, August 8 — to return and do their jobs. “Any lawmaker who has not been arrested and returned or fails to appear by the Speaker’s deadline will be subject to aggressive legal action by Attorney General Paxton.”

“Democrats have abandoned their offices by fleeing Texas, and a failure to respond to a call of the House constitutes a dereliction of their duty as elected officials,” Paxton explained. “Starting Friday, any rogue lawmakers refusing to return to the House will be held accountable for vacating their office. The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired.”

The rogue Texas Democrats broke quorum to stall the redistricting process because they did not have the votes to block it through legitimate means. They attempted a similar stunt in 2021 in protest against a Republican-backed election bill.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) defended self-described Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani during a CNBC appearance on Monday, claiming that raising taxes on the rich was the best way to make New York City “vibrant” and “workable” again.

Warren got into a heated exchange with “Squawk on the Street” host David Faber over Mamdani, New York City’s Democratic mayoral nominee, and his plan to make things in the city more “affordable” for the working class by heaping additional taxes on the wealthy and businesses.

WATCH:

ELIZABETH WARREN: What Zohran is saying is ‘I want people to be able to afford to live in NYC’

FABER: But raising taxes in order to do it?

WARREN: Oh my goodness! Oh dear! Are you worried that billionaires are going to go hungry? pic.twitter.com/9FHkAKSv4X

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 4, 2025

“What Zohran is saying is, ‘I want people to be able to afford to live in New York City.’ That’s what keeps it a vibrant city,” Warren insisted.

“Nobody disagrees with that, Senator. But raising taxes in order to do it? Why is that the answer?” Faber wanted to know.

Warren did not defend the plan to raise taxes, but instead asked, “Oh dear, are you worried that billionaires are going to go hungry?”

“No, I’m worried that they’re going to leave and spend their money elsewhere,” Faber pointed out.

Warren protested, claiming that people had threatened to leave over higher taxes, but made it clear that she didn’t believe they were likely to follow through on those threats.

“They’ve threatened to do that over and over—” she said

“And they have! And Goldman Sachs, when they create new jobs, they do it in Dallas. And Blackstone won’t build a new headquarters [in New York City]. I could go on and on,” Faber replied.

One day later — after Warren campaigned alongside Mamdani in New York and claimed he was exactly what the Democratic Party should look like — The New York Post responded with a brutal, front-page skewering of the pair.

“Today’s cover: Far left Sen. Warren gushes over NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — as other high-profile Dems stay silent,” the outlet’s post on X read. The headline, along with a front-page blurb, alluded to dishonest claims made in the past by both politicians.

Today’s cover: Far left Sen. Warren gushes over NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — as other high-profile Dems stay silent https://t.co/yT79CjKaE7 pic.twitter.com/dlMUGwF2xN

— New York Post (@nypost) August 5, 2025

“AFRICAN AMERICAN MEETS NATIVE AMERICAN,” the headline blared in all capital letters, followed by, “Mamdani and Warren in liars’ summit.”

Another blurb on the front page added insult to injury: “Most national Democrats have refused to endorse socialist Zohran Mamdani, but he does have one ally — Elizabeth Warren, who appeared by his side yesterday. The two share the belief that bigger government is the answer to everything — and that lying about your ethnicity on your college application is perfectly fine.”