Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a motion for contempt against Democrat Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, alleging that the former congressman defied a court order prohibiting him from fundraising for Texas statehouse Democrats who fled the state to block a redistricting vote. Paxton is asking a Tarrant County court to authorize O’Rourke’s arrest, which could result in a fine of up to $500 and as much as six months in jail.
Paxton obtained a temporary restraining order last week that barred O’Rourke and his group, Powered by People, from soliciting funds to aid the lawmakers who left Texas. The move was part of an effort to halt what Paxton called “Beto Bribes” aimed at supporting the Democrat walkout. “Robert Francis flagrantly and knowingly violated the court order… He’s about to find out that running your mouth and ignoring the rule of law has consequences in Texas,” Paxton said in a statement to Breitbart News.
According to Paxton’s filing, O’Rourke openly violated the order less than 24 hours after it was issued by urging rally attendees in Fort Worth to donate to his organization via text message in support of the fugitive lawmakers. During the event, O’Rourke told the crowd, “One of the worst things that we could do to Ken Paxton is to right now choose to donate.” Paxton’s office highlighted O’Rourke’s later remark, “f*ck the rules, we are going to win whatever it takes,” as further evidence of contempt for the court’s authority.
The restraining order came in response to O’Rourke’s fundraising campaign linked to the Democrats’ mid-decade redistricting protest. Paxton argued the effort was an attempt to subvert the state’s constitutional process and mislead donors. The Texas AG stressed that violating the judge’s order could carry both financial and criminal penalties.
O’Rourke, who has previously run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, the presidency, and the Texas governorship, has a prior criminal record, including a 1998 arrest for drunk driving. That charge was later dismissed following his completion of a diversion program. Paxton’s motion will now go before Judge Megan Fahey, who issued the original order, to determine whether O’Rourke will face jail time for contempt.
