Paxton Targets Beto for Defying Court Order, Calls Fundraising ‘Beto Bribes'

Sarah Arnold | August 12, 2025 5:30 PM

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is turning up the heat on failed Democrat gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, pushing for jail time over what he says is a blatant disregard for the law. O’Rourke is accused of violating a court order prohibiting fundraising for Texas House Democrats who fled the state to block the redistricting process for U.S. congressional seats in the state.

Paxton announced that he is seeking to hold O’Rourke in contempt of court, claiming the former Democratic gubernatorial candidate ignored a judge’s order out of Tarrant County that barred him from fundraising on behalf of Texas House Democrats who fled the state to block conservative legislation. Paxton said O’Rourke “brazenly” defied the court’s ruling and should face consequences, including a $500 fine and potentially six months in jail.

“Beto told me to ‘come and take,’ so I did—and I beat him in court,” Paxton said. “Now he thinks he’s above the law. It’s time he learns that ignoring a legal order in Texas comes with a price.”

O’Rourke has built a long resume of unsuccessful campaigns, including failed bids for U.S. Senate in 2018, the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, and Texas governor in 2022. Despite repeated electoral defeats, Paxton argues that O'Rourke continues to act with impunity, calling his fundraising efforts “Beto Bribes” and warning that grandstanding won’t protect him from legal accountability.

Last week, Paxton secured a temporary restraining order from a Texas district court to block O’Rourke and his organization from raising money for Democrat lawmakers who fled the state in 2021 to stall GOP-backed legislation. The court’s order effectively halts what Paxton described as a coordinated effort to reward and fund the lawmakers’ political stunt. O'Rourke accused Paxton of trying to block both the event and fundraising efforts to support Democrat lawmakers who fled the state. O’Rourke claimed the Texas attorney general failed to stop them and urged supporters to donate anyway, saying defying Paxton was the best way to fight back. He emphasized that they wouldn't be deterred from raising money to help the lawmakers succeed.