Officials in Texas are putting pressure on the Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block a vote for congressional redistricting. CBS News Texas' Trevor Sochocki reports.

Texas

Texas Republicans are attempting to advance a plan to redraw voting districts, but Democratic lawmakers have left the state to prevent a quorum and block the vote. The Democrats initially fled to Illinois and have since moved to California, making it difficult for Texas officials to compel their return.

Republican leaders, including the Texas Attorney General and House Speaker, are seeking assistance from officials in other states and have discussed involving the FBI, though the agency's role remains unclear and has been questioned by legal experts. Additionally, Republican leaders are withholding lawmakers' paychecks to pressure them to return to the Capitol.

Latest news on Texas Democrats who fled state

Today, Texas Republicans are trying once again to advance their plan to redraw voting districts. Discussions over redistricting are now taking place. In fact, in at least eight other states as well. The plan in Texas caused Democratic lawmakers to flee the state in an effort to prevent the vote. Last night, lawmakers and voters weighed in at a town hall. Things got heated, say the least. You have joined the Knight Riders. The plantation owners and seeking to make people of color. Lesser. Because we don't have a voice when your colleagues fled the state to avoid voting issues, critical Texans. They not protect democracy. They protect the seats. Alright, for more on this, I want to bring in CBS News Texas reporter Trevor Sohaki. Trevor, good to have you back on and we know you've been following this closely. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxson warned House Democrats need to return to the Capitol by Friday or else. So what's the latest on the efforts to bring them back? Well, Tom, it's really a game of whack-a-mole here for the Republicans trying to catch the Democrats that have left the state and bring them back in order to get that quorum that they need to pass these maps. This map that they're trying to get this new congressional map. Because the Democrats, as you know, they fled to Illinois 1st and some other neighboring states as well in the Northeast and now the Attorney General Ken Paxson as well as the House Speaker Dustin Burroughs, both Republicans here in Texas, and they're trying to get those Democrats that fled the state and bring them back. They're trying to get Illinois officials to enforce a Texas civil arrest warrant. However, just as that came down, we just found out that those Democrats are now going to California. Governor Gavin Newsom's office announced this. They said that those Democrats are now going from Illinois to California. And so the Republicans are now going to have to follow them. And so they're trying to get those Democrats that fled the state to bring them back. And so they're trying to get those Democrats that fled the state to bring them back. And so they're trying to have to follow them over to California and try and get them over there and bring them back to the state as well. The other thing that the Republicans here are trying to do to get the Democrats back into the state is use the FBI. Senator John Cornyn, he announced yesterday that the FBI will be involved in helping to get those Democrats that left the state, the Texas House Democrats, back into the state. Unclear as to what exactly the FBI is going to do here because it was the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers, that initially had the request that initially had the role of bringing those Democrats back in. But the Texas Department of Public Safety, they only can work within the state of Texas itself. That's their jurisdiction. And so the senator, along with President Trump, mentioned this as well, that the FBI may have to get involved. Now the FBI is confirmed to be getting involved, but it's still unclear. The FBI wouldn't confirm with us either as to what exactly their involvement will be. Will they grab these people off the streets and bring them back to Texas? That is still unclear. But a former U.S. attorney that we spoke with, he said that this is out of the FBI's jurisdiction. Take a listen. Entirely inappropriate for the FBI to do it, and it takes them away from their mission. And it's such a nakedly partisan enterprise that I fear it's going to hurt the FBI. I mean, this is the part, the point in which the FBI director has to look the president in the eye and say no. And if the FBI director can't do that, he's the wrong person for that job. And the final point of pain, the final pressure that the Republicans are putting on these Democrats who left, they are withholding their paychecks. This is exactly how they're trying to get these Democrats to come back into the state. Now, the House members, they get paid about $600 every month, and that paycheck comes usually via direct deposit on the first of the month. But now House Speaker Dustin Burroughs, he's saying that he's going to withhold that direct deposit. And if you want your paycheck, you have to go in person to the Capitol in Austin. Or, of course, they'll try and bring you in and get you to fill the quorum that they need, Tom. Yeah, it seems like a little bit or a lot of it of a staring contest. We'll just have to see who blinks first. Trevor Sohockey, we appreciate it. Thank you.

The U.S. Department of Justice issued subpoenas in its investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James. CBS News' Jake Rosen reports.

New York

Trump's DOJ subpoenas New York AG Letitia James

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Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

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Washington

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Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

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Global Tariffs

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State of Rio de Janeiro

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Fort Stewart

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Hiroshima

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Beijing

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Kyiv

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Jackson

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Beirut

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Breakdown