Texas DPS initiates tip line to find Democrats who left state amid redistricting fight

The Texas speaker of the House and the Texas Department of Public Safety have set up a toll-free hotline for Texans to report sightings of Democrats who are not in Austin at the Capitol. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows made the announcement Monday, during a short session in which not enough Democrats were present to have a quorum.

As Democrats remain steadfast in their efforts to stop a vote on a new congressional map that benefits Republicans, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he'll keep calling special sessions every 30 days until the work gets done.

But as the Democrats remained out of state and some held a press conference in Illinois with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Burrows was unequivocal about DPS efforts to find and bring back the Democrats who left.

"They are set up outside members' homes, conducting surveillance, knocking on doors, calling their phones multiple times a day," Burrows said. "So far, no one is home, but the search continues, and it will not stop."

RELATED: Texas House Democrats remain out of state as redistricting showdown continues

Republican state representatives Steve Toth and Briscoe Cain think it's time to get tougher.

"I want to see the governor move from an additional five seats to six seats," Toth told ABC13. "And then I want to see him. And then I want to see him and the attorney general remove 12 of them from office. "

"We're going to get things done," Cain said. "It's just a matter of when. And right now, it seems that Democrats are engaging in a form of lawfare. They realize it's going to happen, but they want to slow it down as much as possible in hopes that some court is going to save them. But it's not going to happen."

Democrats, however, said it's the Republicans who crossed a line by trying to appease President Donald Trump with a mid-decade redraw of the congressional map.

READ MORE: AG Paxton says he filed suit to oust 13 absent state Dems from office amid redistricting fight

"We are undeterred by the threats that are now being put on us," Houston Democrat Ann Johnson said. "And we are hoping again that the nation will see this is a critical issue of which everybody needs to step up and say it's time to start playing fair. You can no longer cheat."

"Texas Republicans are willing to disempower Texans to hold on to their positions," Austin Democrat James Talarico said. "Texas Democrats are willing to give up our positions to empower the people of Texas."

The House reconvenes Tuesday, but the session likely won't last much longer than the minutes between gavels Monday afternoon.

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