Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is calling on Americans to “stand up” against the FBI if it seeks to track down 50 Texas Democratic legislators who fled the state to block a redistricting vote. She claims the Bureau’s involvement would be an “abuse of power” and a threat to democracy.
Key Facts:
- Hochul made her remarks Thursday on MSNBC’s *The Weeknight*.
- The comments centered on 50 Texas Democratic legislators who left the state to block a redistricting vote.
- Co-host Alicia Menendez noted there is no federal crime tied to their actions.
- Hochul said the FBI should focus on human trafficking, drug cartels, and terrorism instead.
- She urged people to resist efforts to “hunt down” elected officials.
The Rest of The Story:
During the MSNBC interview, Alicia Menendez posed a hypothetical about the FBI becoming involved in locating Texas Democrats who fled their state to avoid a redistricting vote. She emphasized that no federal crime was being committed.
Hochul responded by first expressing “a lot of respect for the FBI” but claimed their resources should be directed elsewhere. She listed human trafficking, breaking up drug cartels, and stopping terrorist threats in New York City as more pressing concerns.
She went on to argue that targeting state lawmakers who left their jurisdiction would be “an abuse of the power of the FBI.” She framed the matter as part of a larger battle over democracy, urging, “all people stand up and say, we’re not going to let you take away our democracy, and you’re not going to hunt down our elected officials.”
The Texas legislators’ walkout tactic has been used before in other states to delay or block legislation. It often draws political backlash and, at times, legal maneuvering to compel lawmakers’ return.
Commentary:
First, Governor Hochul does not have the authority to tell the FBI what cases it can or cannot pursue. The Bureau answers to federal law, not the governor of New York. Suggesting otherwise is political theater.
Does she truly expect state police or the NYPD to physically block federal agents? That would be a legal and constitutional disaster — and no law enforcement leader in New York is likely to attempt it. This is why her statements ring hollow.
Hochul’s framing of this as “saving democracy” is a tired playbook. When political allies avoid accountability or bend the rules to get their way, she calls it defending democracy. When opponents do it, it’s suddenly a constitutional crisis.
The truth is, the FBI’s mandate is broad, and while it often focuses on serious crimes like trafficking and terrorism, it can also assist in enforcing certain legal processes involving elected officials. Hochul is pretending otherwise to score political points.
Like many in her party, she shifts the rules to fit the moment, disregarding the long-term damage such selective respect for the law causes. This kind of rhetoric erodes public trust and encourages lawlessness when it benefits the politically connected.
Calling on “all people” to resist federal action against legislators who fled their duties is essentially an endorsement of obstruction. Legislators are elected to represent their constituents, not abandon the state to block votes they might lose.
Hochul’s approach resembles that of a self-styled strongman, willing to dismiss legal processes when they inconvenience her allies. It’s the behavior of a political operator, not a statesman.
If voters in New York keep rewarding this type of leadership, they can expect more of the same. The sad reality is, many still will — but one hopes that eventually the electorate will demand accountability over partisan loyalty.
The Bottom Line:
Governor Hochul’s comments about the FBI’s potential involvement in the Texas walkout case are more political posturing than legal reality. She has no authority to dictate the Bureau’s priorities, and her calls to “stand up” against federal action set a dangerous precedent.
While framed as a defense of democracy, her stance undermines the rule of law when it serves her side’s political interests.
