‘Time to Lock Him Up’: Texas AG Threatens Beto O’Rourke With Arrest for Supporting Democrats

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) filed a motion for contempt against former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) Tuesday, accusing him of violating a temporary restraining order blocking him from fundraising to help cover the cost of Democrats’ quorum break. 

Paxton’s filing comes as he and other Republicans are pursuing numerous legal actions against Texas Democrats, hoping threats will return a group of House members who are staying out of state as part of an attempt to stop a GOP redistricting plan that could add five more Republican seats in Congress. 

Paxton on Friday won a temporary restraining order against O’Rourke, issued by Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey, an elected Republican who was initially appointed to the post by Gov. Greg Abbott (R). 

In her order, Fahey blocked O’Rourke from raising funds for non-political purposes, including to fund “out-of-state travel, hotel, or dining accommodations or services to unexcused Texas legislators during any special legislative session called by the Texas Governor” or “payments of fines provided by Texas House rules for unexcused legislative absences.” 

Paxton alleged in a press release O’Rourke was operating a “misleading and fraudulent scheme to raise personal funds for rogue runaway lawmakers breaking quorum while advertising it as political fundraising.”

Paxton said O’Rourke could be fined up to $500 and jailed for up to six months if found guilty of violating a temporary restraining order.

“Imprisonment is absolutely necessary to persuade him to obey the lawful restraining order issued by the Tarrant County court,” Paxton’s press release said.

Announcing the contempt filing, Paxton said Tuesday in a social media post: “It’s time to lock him up.”

O’Rourke and his organization Powered by People held rallies in Fort Worth and Abilene over the weekend supporting quorum-breaking Democrats. He posted his organization’s fundraising link on social media Saturday, calling on his followers to “donate here to have the backs of our Texas Democrats in this fight.”

A hearing in the case is set for Aug. 19 in Fort Worth.

Paxton, Abbott and other Republicans also are seeking to remove quorum-breaking Texas House Democrats from office and declare their seats vacant, as well as enforce civil arrest warrants against them in Illinois and California.