Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked a judge to jail Beto O’Rourke, alleging the former Democratic congressman violated a court order by raising funds to support dozens of Democratic state lawmakers who left Texas during a redistricting dispute.
The request follows a previous order from a Texas county judge earlier this month that barred O’Rourke and his nonprofit, Powered by People, from soliciting donations to finance the Democratic lawmakers’ departure. Paxton’s Aug. 12 filing in Tarrant County court claims O’Rourke defied the ban by seeking contributions through the Democrats’ ActBlue platform.
“He’s about to find out that running your mouth and ignoring the rule of law has consequences in Texas,” Paxton said in a statement issued with the filing. “It’s time to lock him up.”
The move marks the latest escalation between Republicans and Democrats in Texas amid a battle over GOP-led efforts to redraw congressional districts. Republicans aim to add five seats to their representation in Congress before the 2026 midterms, a plan Democrats call blatant gerrymandering.
In protest, Democratic legislators left the state, many going to states led by Democrats such as Illinois and New York, to prevent a quorum in Austin that would allow Republicans to pass the new maps.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the arrest of the absent lawmakers, while Paxton has asked the state Supreme Court to remove them from office, arguing they abandoned their duties.
In his filing, Paxton cited remarks O’Rourke made at an Aug. 9 event in Fort Worth: “There are no refs in this game, f— the rules.” Paxton claimed the statement disparaged the earlier court order.
O’Rourke responded on X by posting the full video of his speech, saying Paxton took his words out of context. In the full recording, O’Rourke was discussing Democratic efforts in states like California, New Jersey, Maryland, and Illinois to draw their own maps first.
“You may say to yourself, ‘Well, those aren’t the rules,'” O’Rourke said after describing the Democrats’ redistricting plans. “There are no refs in this game, f— the rules, we are going to win. Whatever it takes, we are going to take this to them in every way that we can.”
In his Aug. 12 post, O’Rourke accused the attorney general’s office of lying in its court filing. “We’re seeking maximum sanctions in response to his abuse of office,” he said. “Taking the fight directly to this corrupt, lying thug.”
Along with jail time, Paxton is seeking to have O’Rourke held in contempt and fined $500.
