Amid a heated redistricting battle in Texas, Democratic lawmakers holding out in Illinois were reminded of the rising tensions back home. Earlier today, following a bomb threat made to their hotel, the group was promptly evacuated. The St. Charles Police Department received the report of the threat and acted swiftly, bringing in both police and fire departments as well as the Kane County Sheriff's Office bomb squad to survey the scene at the Q Center hotel just outside Chicago. Although no device was discovered, their investigation led to the temporary evacuation of some 400 individuals, as reported by ABC News.
The action was taken after inflammatory dialogue from Texas officials was said to have escalated the situation. "Early this morning, a bomb threat forced us to evacuate our hotel. Thankfully, no one was harmed. But this is the kind of danger that comes from reckless rhetoric. When the Attorney General tells people to 'hunt us down,' it's not just politics -- it's a threat to our safety," state Rep. Ann Johnson said in a statement obtained by ABC News. The Texas Democrats, who had left Texas to obstruct the passage of a new redistricting map heavily favoring Republicans, have been met with civil arrest warrants and called upon by President Donald Trump to return to the state with the assistance of the FBI.
Despite the threat and the ongoing pressure from their political adversaries, Texas Democrats staying at the hotel assured the public of their safety and ensured their intention to stand firm. "We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred. We are grateful for Governor Pritzker, local, and state law enforcement for their quick action to ensure our safety," the Texas House Democratic Caucus, including Chair Rep. Gene Wu, Mexican American Legislative Caucus Chair Rep. Ramón Romero, and Texas Legislative Black Caucus Chair Rep. Barbara Gervin Hawkins, shared in a joint statement, as per a report by Click2Houston.
Governor Greg Abbott's spokesperson conveyed that while Abbott denounces violence or threats thereof, he deemed the Democrats' claims of inflammatory calls for their return as "absurd." "First and foremost, violence -- or even the threat of it -- is unacceptable and the Governor condemns it without reservation. But to suggest that calling on Democrats to return to Texas and do their jobs is somehow 'inflammatory' is absurd," Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, told ABC News, while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has voiced his support for the Texas Democrats and reiterated a commitment to addressing threats of violence.
