Some of the Texas Democrats who left the state in protest of a redistricting bill were temporarily evacuated Wednesday from their Chicago-area hotel after a bomb threat, according to police and lawmakers.

The hotel is in St. Charles, Illinois, west of Chicago. The St. Charles Police Department said first responders arrived at the hotel around 7:15 a.m. They "conducted a thorough search and no device was found," police said.

"In response to the threat, 400 people were immediately evacuated and the area was secured as bomb squad units conducted their investigation," the department said in a statement. "Following clearance from authorities, all guests and staff have safely returned to the premises."

State Rep. Ann Johnson said in a statement that "a bomb threat forced us to evacuat

See Full Page