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Following reports that former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s nonprofit is driving people, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who funded Texas Democrats’ departure to help stop Republican district efforts, announced Wednesday that he would begin an investigation into the issue.
Texas House Democrats fled the state this week to try and stop Republicans’ efforts to redraw the state’s Capitol map. As a result, Texas Republicans approved the deprivation of private arrest warrants for absent lawmakers from the House of Representatives’ office of their ability to carry out official projects. Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott has since called on the Texas Department of Public Safety to help them arrest them. However, civil arrest warrants are only enforceable within state policies, and it is unclear how they will be implemented.
Meanwhile, amid the Battle of Partisans, a report from Texas Tribune on Tuesday claims that the O’Rourke nonprofit, founded in 2019, is called Powered by People.
Watch: Trump says the FBI might need to help Texas close out AWOL DEM lawmakers
The Texas Attorney General is opening an investigation into former Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke over allegations that he is helping state legislators seeking to stop GOP’s lifting efforts to fund their departure. (Getty Images)
The report follows the warning issued by Abbott, which indicates that fleeing state legislators may be on potentially felony territory if they solicit, accept or agree to funds “to support a violation of their legislative obligations or to skip the vote.”
“A Democrat co-sick person will be accountable to anyone who has taken Beto’s bribes and broke the law,” Paxton said in a press release Wednesday, releasing the investigation. “You can’t buy Texas.”
In Paxton’s announcement, he charged with charges by people who are one of the “top groups” providing financial aid to Texas House Democrats who left the state to thwart Republican rezoning efforts.
According to Paxton, financial aid could amount to violations of Texas’ bribery laws and other laws governing campaign finance, “forced civil servants and abuse of jobs.”
In response to the investigation, O’Rourke described Texas Republicans as “a thug” trying to steal our country and denounced Paxton for the bribery himself. In 2023, the Texas Senate acquitted Paxton of 16 perks each articles accusing him of corruption and bribery.
“The man who was blasted for bribery is on the way after those trying to stop theft of five council seats,” O’Rourke said in a statement in Fox News Digital. “I encourage texting the fight until 20377. Let’s stop these thugs before they steal our country.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into nonprofits related to Beto O’Rourke, citing potential violations of the state’s bribery and campaign finance laws. (Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
George Soros, Beto O’Rourke is behind the fundraising for Dem fleeing Texas via GOP Congress map
Remember, Paxton demands powered documents and communications by people regarding “potentially illegal activities,” and not be afraid of “offensive legal action” against Democrats who blocked Texas legislative lawsuits.
The Texas Tribune report said O’Rourke “works by phone” to encourage Texas legislators to leave the state to block GOP legislative efforts, citing individuals familiar with the discussion.
Powered by People also actively seeking donations on its website to support democratic efforts, pledging that “100% of your contributions will be spent supporting the Texas Democrats in the fight against Trump’s Power Glove.”
Meanwhile, the outlets have tried similar tactics in 2021 to block Republican reforms in Texas’s House Election Act, and have reportedly helped raise $600,000 to stay in the Texas home capital, according to a group of O’Rourke reportedly mounted.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pretzker (L) and Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fisher (R) will speak to reporters at a press conference at DuPage County Democratic Headquarters in Carol Stream, Illinois on August 3, 2025. Wu was with a group of Democrats Texas Senators who left the state early today, so he was unable to reach a quorum in a special session called to redeem the state. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
In a CNN interview Wednesday, O’Rourke was asked why he was helping Democrats escape from Texas.
“We were able to see a similar scenario this time. Is it worth it?” CNN anchor Pamela Brown asked, referring to O’Rourke’s 2021 efforts to obstruct Texas legislative procedures.
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“Absolutely,” replied O’Rourke. “If we fail, the integration of authoritarian power in America will be barely halted.”
However, Brown instead challenged O’Rourke to see if the funds might have been “more spent” to support vulnerable Texans.
“We’ve seen it in the past, but they run away, but inevitably they have to come back. You can’t just stay forever and the governor can continue calling these special sessions,” Brown said. “Do you think we can spend more and more money to help the people you mentioned?”
“I actually believe they can stay longer in Texas long enough to stop this steal,” O’Rourke replied.
Anders Hagstrom and Kristine Parks from Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
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