Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a judge to hold former Congressman Beto O’Rourke in contempt, accusing him of violating a court order tied to the state’s bitter redistricting fight.
The dispute stems from a temporary restraining order issued earlier this month, which barred O’Rourke and his nonprofit, Powered by People, from fundraising to support Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas to block a Republican-backed congressional map.
Paxton alleges O’Rourke ignored that order, continuing to solicit donations online and at a rally in Fort Worth, where he allegedly directed supporters to give money to help sustain the quorum break.
O’Rourke’s legal team denies the accusation, saying the attorney general is misrepresenting the scope of the court’s order. They argue the restriction applied only to certain types of spending - namely lodging, travel, and related expenses for lawmakers who left the state - and did not prohibit all political fundraising. They also say Paxton has taken O’Rourke’s rally comments out of context.
The standoff comes as the Texas Legislature’s special session remains stalled, with Democratic House members still out of state. Paxton has asked the court to fine O’Rourke and potentially jail him for what he calls repeated defiance of the judge’s order. A hearing date has not yet been set.
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