BURSTTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is seeking former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s (D-Texas) arrest, alleging in a motion filed on Tuesday that the Texas Democrat was violating a temporary restraining order on offering financial support for lawmakers who fled the state.
The filing alleges that O’Rourke and his Powered By People group continued to raise money to cover the expenses of Texas Democrats who fled the state even after a judge temporarily blocked the group from soliciting money.
The filing called for a $500 fine “for each act of contempt” and for O’Rourke to be jailed “until he demonstrates a willingness to abide by the Court’s orders pending the outcome of this lawsuit.”
“Beto is about to find out that running your mouth and ignoring the rule of law has consequences in Texas. It's time to lock him up,” Paxton wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
The Hill has reached out to O’Rourke's spokesperson for comment.
Texas Republicans are trying to put maximum pressure on Democrats to return to the state as the GOP looks to pass an even friendlier House map ahead of 2026. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has said he’ll call a second special session if Democrats fail to show up on Friday.
Democrats incur a daily $500 fee for every day they remain out of state during the special session, while Republicans have issued warrants for their arrest. Democrats like O’Rourke have sought to financially help Texas lawmakers shoulder the financial costs of fleeing the state, though Paxton’s move underscores how Republicans are placing maximum pressure on the lawmakers to return to the state.
Texas Republicans have also said the FBI is involved in trying to find the Democrats who fled the state, though the bureau has declined to comment on the matter. It’s also not clear what jurisdiction the FBI could have in the matter.
Texas GOP leaders have also moved to vacate the seats of a group of lawmakers. It’s unclear how long Democrats will remain out of the state.