Texas Judge Blocks Ken Paxton From Prosecuting Beto O'Rourke Group

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has faced multiple legal setbacks after attempting to shut down Beto O'Rourke's political group, Powered by People, which has donated over $1 million to Texas Democrats involved in a quorum break to protest GOP redistricting efforts. An El Paso judge issued a temporary restraining order barring Paxton from prosecuting the nonprofit or revoking its business charter, ruling that Paxton's actions were an improper use of the legal system to target constitutionally protected political activity. Paxton accused the group of operating a deceptive fundraising scheme to support Democrats who fled the state to block redistricting, but the judge noted he did not provide sufficient details to support these allegations. O'Rourke condemned Paxton's efforts as politically motivated and vowed to continue organizing and fighting for Texans. Paxton has also sought to arrest O'Rourke for fundraising activities, and he framed his legal actions as a fight against what he called the 'Beto Bribe.' The legal conflict underscores broader tensions over redistricting battles in Texas ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with O'Rourke opposing Republican efforts to gain additional congressional seats.