Texas AG Paxton files motion of contempt against O’Rourke

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a motion for contempt against former U.S. Rep. Robert Francis (Beto) O’Rourke claiming he violated a temporary restraining order issued by a Tarrant County judge.

A Texas district court on Friday granted a request for a temporary restraining order against O’Rourke and his political action group, Powered by People, The Center Square reported. Both are raising money to support House Democrats leaving Texas in opposition to a Congressional redistricting bill they say is an attempt to gerrymander to give Republicans an advantage during the 2026 midterm elections. More than 50 Democrats left the state to prevent the Texas House from conducting official business.

The 20-page lawsuit states, “Robert Francis O’Rourke and his political influence operation, Powered by People, are traveling the state misleadingly raising political funds to pay for the personal expenses of Texas Democrats who have abandoned their offices and fled the state in the middle of a Special Legislative Session. Texas law prohibits, as a matter of public confidence and trust, personal fundraising for state officials.

“Nevertheless, Mr. O’Rourke and Powered by People are intentionally blurring the dichotomy between political and personal funds in a deceptive and confusing manner to take advantage of donors” by “directing consumers to political fundraising platforms, such as ActBlue, for the express political purpose of ‘fight[ing]’ Republicans and protecting Democratic seats from ‘corrupt republicans,’ meanwhile the funds are actually being used for lavish personal expenditures…”

Judge Megan Fahey issued a three-page ruling stating the court “finds that harm is imminent to the State, and if the Court does not issue the Temporary Restraining Order, the State will be irreparably injured. Specifically, Defendants’ fundraising conduct constitutes false, misleading, or deceptive acts under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, … because Defendants are raising and utilizing political contributions from Texas consumers to pay for the personal expenses of Texas legislators, in violation of Texas law. Because this conduct is unlawful and harms Texas consumers, restraining this conduct is in the public interest.”

Fahey also said O’Rourke and Powered by People “have and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and utilization of political funds in a manner that either directly violates or causes Texas Democratic Legislators to violate” Texas penal and election codes and House Rules of Procedure. “Consumers have and continue to suffer irreparable harm through these unlawful acts because they are making political contributions that are being used to fund personal expenses and violate State law.”

In response, O’Rourke said Paxton “wants to silence me and stop me from leading this organization. He wants to stop us from fighting [President Donald] Trump’s attempt to steal the five congressional seats he needs to hang on to power. But I’m not going anywhere.”

He also held a rally the next day in Fort Worth saying he would continue fundraising.

After the TRO was issued, O’Rourke said it didn’t stop him from raising money.

“Still here, still raising and rallying to stop the steal of 5 congressional seats in Texas,” he said. “Ironic that you’d accuse someone of bribery when you were impeached in Texas for taking bribes from Nate Paul,” he said to Paxton in a social media post. He’s referring to the Texas House impeaching Paxton on 20 charges, including for bribery, in 2023. Paxton was the first attorney general in Texas history to be impeached, and primarily by members of his own party. He was later acquitted by the Texas Senate along party lines.

O’Rourke also posted videos on social media of him speaking at rallies to raise money for the House Democratic cause in Kansas City and in Fort Worth. He also posted links to raise money, saying, “the gloves are off. Donate now.”

At the rally in Fort Worth, he said, “there are no refs in this game. F*** the rules.”

The videos, claims, and fundraising links are cited in the contempt petition.

Paxton said O’Rourke “is wrong on both counts. There is a referee – the Honorable Megan Fahey – and there are rules – namely, that a person violating a temporary restraining order can be fined up to $500 [a day] and jailed for up to six months.”

The petition asks the court to censor O’Rourke, fine him $500 a day for violating the TRO and “requests Defendant O’Rourke be confined to jail unless and until he demonstrates a willingness to abide by the Court’s orders pending the outcome of this lawsuit.”

“Given Robert Francis’s vulgar disdain for the rule of law and immense personal wealth, imprisonment is absolutely necessary to persuade him to obey the lawful restraining order issued by the Tarrant County court,” Paxton said. “Robert Francis flagrantly and knowingly violated the court order I secured that prevents him from raising funds and distributing any more Beto Bribes. He’s about to find out that running your mouth and ignoring the rule of law has consequences in Texas. It’s time to lock him up.”

In response, O’Rourke said Paxton is “lying about me to try to silence us. Here’s the full clip,” posting a video on social media. “I mean every word. We alerted the Court that the AG’s office blatantly lied in its filing. We’re seeking maximum sanctions in response to his abuse of office. Taking the fight directly to this corrupt, lying thug.”