Kash Patel is under fire for trying to use the FBI to help Republicans in Texas gain an upper hand in the upcoming elections. The move, described as “insane” and “completely illegal,” centers around a plan to track down Texas Democrats who left the state to block a GOP power grab.
Last week, Texas Democrats fled to Illinois to break quorum and stop Republicans from forcing through a new election map. That map would wipe out four Democrat-held seats and help Republicans keep control after the 2026 midterms.
Now, allies of Donald Trump—backed by Attorney General Pam Bondi—are pushing these new maps in Texas and other GOP-run states. Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton threatened to arrest any Democrats who refuse to return to Austin.
That threat hasn’t worked—so MAGA Senator John Cornyn jumped in. He asked the FBI to help find and return the missing lawmakers. The problem? There’s no legal basis for it. And it reeks of politics.
Marc Elias, a top constitutional lawyer, slammed the Republican ploy when speaking with YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen.
“The fact that Kash Patel is involved in this is [illustrative] of how absolutely bats— crazy the Republican Party has become; how absolutely lazy the legacy media has become; and how completely insane Texas Republicans are,” Elias said.
He made it clear: The FBI has zero authority here. No state or federal crime has been committed. The Democrats left in protest—something that’s legal under Texas law.
So why the push to involve federal agents? Elias said it’s about helping Cornyn look tougher than Paxton ahead of their 2026 primary battle.
“John Cornyn thinks that the way he can win his Senate primary against Ken Paxton is to say, ‘Well, Ken Paxton just tried to strip these people of their seats by going to the courts. I was tougher than that. I was for kidnapping,’” Elias said.
What’s happening in Texas isn’t just a political stunt—it’s a warning sign. Using federal law enforcement to chase down political opponents isn’t just extreme. It’s dangerous.
Watch the commentary below:
