A group of Democrats from Texas was forced to briefly evacuate their hotel near Chicago on Wednesday after a bomb scare.
Police in St. Charles performed a "thorough search" of the hotel around 7:15 a.m and found nothing.
"In response to the threat, 400 people were immediately evacuated and the area was secured as bomb squad units conducted their investigation," the police said in a statement. "Following clearance from authorities, all guests and staff have safely returned to the premises."
More than 50 Democrats fled Texas this week to block a contentious redistricting plan that would give Republicans an advantage.
Leading Democrats including former President Barack Obama, who has ties to Chicago, have condemned the Texas plan as a threat to democracy.
Republicans have accused Democrats of hypocrisy, pointing to gerrymandered maps that favor Democrats heavily, especially in Illinois. Democrats in the state control 14 out of its 17 House districts.
While it is not clear if the bomb scare was targeted, Democrats painted it as a politically motivated threat to democracy.
“This morning, a threat was made against the safety of the members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred and unintimidated,” the state's Democrats said in the statement.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) blamed the bomb scare on a right-wing podcaster "who took a video of where they're staying, posted it, put a map up to point to exactly what hotel they're at."
He said police are "going to seek out, hunt down and arrest the perpetrators."
The Texas Democrats have said they will run out the clock on a two-week special session, leading the state's Republican leaders to threaten drastic consequences.
The controversy has led to some jockeying among the state's top Republicans, including Governor Greg Abbott and attorney general Ken Paxton, who clashed over who has the authority to seek the removal of the absentee Democrats, as well as Senator John Cornyn, who is being challenged by Paxton in a GOP primary.
Abbott and Cornyn have both said the FBI is working to track down the Texas Democrats, and Abbott has asked the state Supreme Court to expel Rep. Gene Wu, the "ringleader" of the House boycott. He has also said Democrats could face bribery charges for benefits received relating to their travel.
"Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats. They will be taken directly to the Texas Capitol,” Abbott wrote on X.
“Those who received benefits for skipping a vote face removal from office and potential bribery charges,” he continued. “In Texas, there are consequences for your actions."
