Texas Judge Halts Beto O’Rourke Fundraising for Quorum-Breaking Democrats

State AG Ken Paxton Secures Injunction Against ‘Powered by People’

A Tarrant County judge has issued a temporary injunction, preventing former Congressman Beto O’Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, from financially supporting Texas Democrats who fled the state to disrupt legislative proceedings.

Paxton’s Legal Offensive Succeeds

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon, accusing O’Rourke‘s organization of deceptive fundraising and illegal financial assistance to Democrats who boycotted a legislative session to prevent a vote on a new congressional map. Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey granted Paxton‘s request for the injunction less than four hours after the petition was filed.

The order bars O’Rourke and Powered by People from soliciting donations or disbursing funds for the absent lawmakers’ expenses. Judge Fahey, a Republican appointed by Governor Greg Abbott, agreed with Paxton‘s assertion that the group’s actions constituted false or misleading fundraising and that distributing funds to the Democrats either directly violated or caused them to violate state law and House rules.

O’Rourke Vows to Fight Ruling

In response to the injunction, O’Rourke denounced Paxton‘s actions as an attempt to intimidate those who advocate for democratic processes. He stated:

“Paxton is trying to shut down Powered by People, one of the largest voter registration organizations in the country, because our volunteers fight for voting rights and free elections, the kind of work that threatens the hold that Paxton, [President Donald] Trump and Abbott have on power in Texas.”

—Beto O’Rourke

Paxton responded to the ruling with a dismissive social media post, “Cry more, lib.”

O’Rourke has also initiated his own legal action against Paxton, alleging a “fishing expedition” and seeking to halt the Attorney General’s investigation into his organization’s fundraising practices.

Democrats Flee to Deny Quorum

The legal battle stems from a broader Republican effort to compel Democratic lawmakers back to the state. President Donald Trump has urged Texas to redraw its congressional map, aiming to create five additional GOP-friendly seats for the 2026 midterms. With the Republican-controlled Legislature advancing the map, Democrats employed a quorum-denial strategy by leaving Texas, thereby preventing a vote.

Typically, absent lawmakers face arrest warrants enforceable only within state borders. However, this instance has seen Republicans escalate their tactics, including pursuing lawsuits to cut off financial support, seeking to enforce Texas civil warrants in other states, investigating members for bribery, and petitioning the Texas Supreme Court to expel lawmakers who departed.

“The Beto Bribe buyouts that were bankrolling the runaway Democrats have been officially stopped. Today, I stopped his deceptive financial influence scheme that attempted to deceive donors and subvert our constitutional process. They told me to ‘come and take it,’ so I did.”

—Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General

The legal maneuvers come as Texas Republicans seek to solidify their control over the state’s political landscape. In 2023, Texas’s voter turnout for midterm elections reached approximately 57.5%, a slight increase from previous years, underscoring the high stakes in state political battles (Texas Secretary of State).