Judge Issues Restraining Order Against Texas Nonprofit For Helping AWOL Dems

A Texas judge on Friday ruled against Beto O’Rourke and his nonprofit in a case brought by state Attorney General Ken Paxton, accusing them of illegally raising funds to support Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block GOP redistricting legislation.

Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey issued a temporary restraining order Friday evening against O’Rourke, a former congressman and Democratic presidential candidate, and his group, Powered by People, over what she called “unlawful fundraising practices” tied to efforts to back Texas Democrats who left the state — including funding air travel, lodging, logistics and daily fines, Fox News reported.

“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],” Fahey wrote in her ruling. “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.”

Fahey’s order bars O’Rourke and his group from continuing to raise money or provide financial support to the fleeing Democrats. The ruling came just hours after Paxton’s office filed a petition for the restraining order.

Fahey, a Republican, was appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2019.

In a statement after the ruling, O’Rourke accused Paxton of trying to shut down his nonprofit “because our volunteers fight for voting rights and free elections,” calling it “the kind of work that threatens the hold that Paxton, Trump, and Abbott have on power in Texas.”

“They want to make examples out of those who fight so that others won’t,” O’Rourke said. “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. I plan on speaking at our rally to stop the power grab in Fort Worth tomorrow afternoon.”

“Cry more, lib,” Paxton said in response. “You lost in court because you’re breaking the law and deceiving Texans. We absolutely will make an example out of law breakers.”

Along with the Powered by People case, Paxton also launched an investigation into the Texas Majority PAC, which has also been accused of being a major funder of the Democrats who left the state.

O’Rourke filed his own lawsuit against Paxton in El Paso district court Friday, according to The Texas Tribune. O’Rourke accused Paxton of carrying out a “fishing expedition” and asked a judge to block the investigation into his nonprofit’s practices.

Paxton celebrated the decision with a post on X.

“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 Texas attorney general wrote.