Texas Judge Slaps Temporary Restraining Order on Beto O’Rourke’s Nonprofit Over Aid to Fleeing Democrats
A Texas court has temporarily shut down fundraising by Beto O’Rourke’s political nonprofit after state Attorney General Ken Paxton accused it of illegally bankrolling Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to derail Republican redistricting legislation.
On Friday evening, Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against O’Rourke—a former congressman, Senate candidate, and Democratic presidential contender—and his group, Powered by People, after siding with Paxton’s claim that their fundraising violated state law.
According to the ruling, O’Rourke’s organization engaged in “unlawful fundraising practices” that supported Democratic legislators who fled Texas in an attempt to block a GOP-backed map-drawing bill. The funds allegedly covered airfare, hotel rooms, transportation, logistical support, and even daily fines assessed to absent lawmakers.
“Defendants 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 [the law],” Judge Fahey wrote. She added that contributors were suffering “irreparable harm” because their donations were being used for personal expenses in violation of state rules.
The order—issued just hours after Paxton’s office filed for it—bars O’Rourke and his nonprofit from soliciting further donations or providing financial assistance to the absent Democrats while the case proceeds. Fahey, a Republican appointee of Governor Greg Abbott in 2019, moved quickly to halt the activity.
In a fiery statement following the ruling, O’Rourke accused Paxton of abusing his office to silence political opposition:
“They want to make examples out of those who fight so that others won’t. Now Paxton’s filed a restraining order to try to take us out of the fight. He wants to silence me and stop me from leading this organization. He wants to stop us from fighting Trump’s attempt to steal the five congressional seats he needs to hang on to power. But I’m not going anywhere.”
O’Rourke vowed to keep his commitment to a rally in Fort Worth the next day, describing the event as part of a campaign to “stop the power grab.”
Paxton responded on social media with a blunt retort:
“Cry more, lib. You lost in court because you’re breaking the law and deceiving Texans. We absolutely will make an example out of law breakers.”
Paxton also confirmed that his office had launched a separate investigation into the Texas Majority PAC, which he claims also provided significant funding for the Democrats’ escape from the state.
Meanwhile, O’Rourke counterpunched legally—filing his own lawsuit against Paxton in an El Paso court Friday. That suit accuses the attorney general of conducting a “fishing expedition” and seeks to block his investigation into Powered by People’s operations.
Paxton, unfazed, declared victory on X (formerly Twitter):
“BREAKING: I just defeated Beto O’Rourke in court. We secured a major victory stopping runaway Democrats from taking ‘Beto Bribes’ and preventing deceptive fundraising. They told me to ‘come and take it,’ so I did.”
The TRO will remain in effect until a follow-up hearing determines whether to extend, modify, or dissolve it. The case now heads into a tense legal and political battle that could test the limits of how far political groups may go in financially supporting lawmakers engaged in quorum-breaking protests.