Judge expands Paxton’s restraining order against O’Rourke over Texas Dems fundraising

A judge on Saturday expanded Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s (R) restraining order against former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) and his political organization, Powered by People, over its fundraising for state Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas amid the redistricting battle. 

A Tarrant County judge ruled that O’Rourke and his political group are barred from sending money out of the Lone Star State, coming after Paxton sought to revoke the charter of O’Rourke’s organization, which he accused of committing bribery. 

“The Court finds that harm is imminent to the State, and if the Court does not issue this 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,” 348th District Court Judge Megan Fahey said in a four-page Saturday order.

Fahey said that financial institutions and political fundraising platforms, like ActBlue, are barred from transferring O’Rourke’s or Powered by People’s donations “outside of Texas in support of the unlawful scheme.” 

O’Rourke has been in Paxton’s crosshairs as his PAC has been raising money for Texas state legislators who left the Lone Star State for nearly two weeks to prevent the new, GOP-friendly congressional maps from passing. On Friday afternoon, Texas Republicans gaveled in a second special session. Democrats are expected to return to Texas soon. 

Last week, a Texas judge granted a temporary restraining order against O’Rourke, a former presidential candidate, and his political organization after the Texas attorney general claimed that the PAC was misleading donors. 

O’Rourke said Saturday morning that Powered by People gave more than $1 million to Texas Democrats during a special session, including to the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, the Texas House Democratic Caucus and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. 

Paxton celebrated the judge’s decision, saying that in Texas, “lawless actions have consequences, and Beto’s finding that out the hard way.” 

“His fraudulent attempt to pad the pockets of the rogue cowards abandoning Texas has been stopped, and now the court has rightly frozen his ability to continue to send money outside of Texas,” Paxton said in a statement. “The cabal of Democrats who have colluded together to scam Texans and derail our Legislature will face the full force of the law, starting with Robert Francis O’Rourke.”