Senator Chewy Hinojosa moved that the committee issue a subpoena for the Justice Department attorney who authored the July 7 DOJ letter (referred to in the hearing as Miss Dillon). "My motion is that we, this body, this committee, subpoena issue a subpoena for miss Dillon to appear before this body," Hinojosa said during the hearing. The motion was seconded on the floor and prompted immediate debate about the committee’s authority and the timing of formal actions during regional hearings.

Chair Phil King said he had not invited the DOJ attorney and expressed concern about entering active litigation: "She has not, I have not invited her. I do not know her and have not had any contact with the DOJ before or since that letter was issued," King said. He also said he would prefer to consult legal counsel before issuing invitations or pursuing compulsory process.

Hinojosa and others argued the committee should seek direct answers from the letter’s author because the DOJ correspondence had triggered the special session’s inclusion of congressional redistricting. Senator Hinojosa pressed for immediate action; supporters noted the committee rules the body just adopted include a provision allowing the committee to compel witnesses by a two‑thirds vote. Senator Brian Hughes and others asked procedural questions — including whether the committee’s subpoena power extends to persons outside Texas — and the parliamentarian and rule SR5 were cited as limiting formal actions during regional hearings.

Outcome: the motion to subpoena was seconded and discussed but ultimately tabled/withdrawn for the present hearing so the chair and staff could consult legal counsel and confirm the proper procedure and timing. King asked that the committee consider issuing an invitation first; he said he would consult counsel and, if appropriate, pursue an invitation or other steps expeditiously. The transcript shows a formal motion and second were recorded, but no vote on a subpoena was taken during the regional hearing.

Ending: The committee moved on to public testimony after tabling the motion. King asked staff to consult the parliamentarian and legal counsel and said he expected to report back quickly, and he acknowledged concerns about an August 7 deadline referenced in the DOJ correspondence.