Politics
Alleged Bomb Threat Forces Evacuation at Suburban Hotel Housing Texas in Illinois Democrats
Empty chairs belonging to House Democrats remain empty during a session convocation in the State Capitol, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez)
Authorities are investigating after a bomb threat was allegedly made Wednesday at a suburban Chicago hotel housing Texas House Democrats who fled to Illinois in an effort to block a Republican redistricting effort in their home state.
The Texas representatives issued a joint statement Wednesday, claiming there had been a “security threat” made against them.
“We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred and unintimidated,” Texas Reps. Gene Wu, Ramón Romero and Barbara Gervin Hawkins said in the statement. “We are grateful for Governor Pritzker, local, and state law enforcement for their quick action to ensure our safety.”
Police in suburban St. Charles said in a statement its officers responded to a report of a potential bomb threat at a local hotel at around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, leading to the evacuation of some 400 people.
Police and a bomb squad from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office conducted a thorough search and no device was found, the department said.
The representatives had been scheduled to attend an event Wednesday with Illinois U.S. Sen Dick Durbin, but that has been postponed.
Gov. JB Pritzker in a social media post on Wednesday morning said he was aware of the threats.
“Threats of violence will be investigated and those responsible will be held accountable,” he said, adding that he has instructed Illinois State Police to “ensure we maintain public safety.”
An ISP spokesperson also confirmed the bomb threat Wednesday.
“ISP has been in contact with local law enforcement, which responded swiftly and cleared the building,” the department said. “As always, ISP is coordinating with our local partners and is committed to ensuring public safety. ISP continuously processes intelligence information through the Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center (STIC) and monitors for public safety threats.”
The Democrats’ walkout began earlier this week as members left Texas for Illinois, New York and Massachusetts in an effort to stall an effort by Republicans to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked the state’s highest court to remove the Democratic House leader from office, escalating efforts to end the holdout that is blocking redrawn U.S. House maps sought by President Donald Trump.
Bypassing lower courts, Abbott filed a rare emergency petition straight to the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court just three days into a walkout by Democrats. It hinges on a legal theory that even some Republicans have acknowledged is untested, arguing that absent legislators have effectively forfeited their seats by not returning to the Texas Capitol.
The move intensifies Republicans’ attempts to compel dozens of Democrats back to Texas, including signing civil arrest warrants and mobilizing state troopers. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn asked the FBI earlier Tuesday to help find and arrest Democrats, and Trump later told reporters that federal agents “may have to” get involved, though he did not elaborate.
Legal experts and even Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton say it would be difficult to enforce consequences against the Democratic lawmakers while they are safely camped out in sympathetic Democratic-controlled states and effectively out of reach of Texas law enforcement looking to bring them home.
Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate against Cornyn in the 2026 GOP primary, threw out some of the earliest calls for arrests. But even he has called enforcing the various threats “a challenge.”
“I think that’s a lot of bluster,” Texas state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who represents parts of Austin, said on “Chicago Tonight” Tuesday. “The voters elected us to be in office, and I don’t believe that the attorney general is basing his opinion on any fact. Our rules say it would take two-thirds of our legislature to kick us out and that would require some Democrats and we’re not going to do that.”
Abena Bediako and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
