Former attorney general says FBI can't return Texas lawmakers who fled state [View all]

Source: The Hill

08/10/25 3:05 PM ET


Former Attorney General Eric Holder said Sunday the FBI does not have jurisdiction to return Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled their state.

“Texas lawmakers are digging in. You heard Governor Abbott there talking about the FBI, Senator Cornyn calling the FBI to help locate those Democratic lawmakers who fled the state. I wonder, do you think that the FBI has jurisdiction to intervene here and try to bring back those Democrats who are in other states?” NBC News’s Kristen Welker asked on “Meet the Press.”

“Short answer, no. I mean, you’re asking the FBI to get involved, to find these legislators who are in the process of trying to defend democracy in Texas,” Holder responded.

“And they’re not hard to find, but the question after that is, ‘Well, what’s the federal jurisdiction? What federal statute has potentially been violated? What’s the basis for any federal government interaction?’ And I would say that there is none,” he added.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/5445399-eric-holder-fbi-does-not-have-jurisdiction-texas-lawmakers/