Beto O'Rourke and Texas Democrats voiced their opposition to the GOP's redistricting "grab for power" during a rally in Fort Worth
In the heart of Fort Worth, hundreds of supporters filled the Ridglea Theater to hear from former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke and Texas Democrats. The rally, dubbed "The People vs. The Power Grab," highlighted efforts by Texas House Democrats to prevent the passage of newly proposed congressional maps that could give President Donald Trump five new GOP-controlled seats in the 2026 midterm elections.
The legal battle is intensifying with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton seeking to revoke the charter of O'Rourke's organization, Powered by People, for allegedly running a deceptive fundraising scheme to support Democrats who fled Texas to block redistricting votes. Paxton has obtained a temporary restraining order halting O'Rourke's fundraising and expenditures for these Democrats, but O'Rourke publicly vowed to continue despite the order.
On August 8-9, a Texas court granted Paxton a temporary injunction blocking O'Rourke and Powered by People from fundraising for Texas Democrats who fled the state. However, O'Rourke disregarded the rules, prompting Paxton to file a motion for contempt on August 12. Paxton’s amended petition now seeks to revoke Powered by People’s charter and shut down the organization’s operations in Texas due to these alleged legal violations.
The rally was not without controversy. O'Rourke accused Paxton of trying to stop the rally and fundraising efforts in Fort Worth. Alisa Simmons, a Democrat on the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, has been a target of GOP redistricting. Simmons criticized Paxton's lawsuit as racially motivated, referring to it as a "racially motivated redistricting effort." She also questioned why the lawsuit was filed in Tarrant County, stating, "I mean, where else did y'all expect in Texas for the damn lawsuit against Beto to be filed? Because apparently we are the test ground, the proving ground for every racist idea that happens in Texas."
The GOP's efforts to redraw the lines have not gone unnoticed or unopposed. Bill Cameron, a supporter from rural Waxahachie, called the GOP's efforts to redraw the lines "extremely unethical." State Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, the House Democratic leader, joined the event via video call, thanking the crowd. U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey called on leaders in Democratic-led states to redraw their own districts to gain an advantage.
The battle is ongoing in Texas state court with Paxton taking increasingly strong actions to stop O'Rourke’s funding activities and punish alleged legal violations associated with supporting Democrats who fled Texas to block the redistricting vote. Governor Greg Abbott has criticized the move to break quorum by many in the state's minority party, pushing to oust them from the legislature. O'Rourke echoed Veasey's remarks, stating that they will win whatever it takes.
[1] https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/12/beto-orourke-ken-paxton-lawsuit-tarrant-county/ [2] https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/12/beto-orourke-ken-paxton-lawsuit-fundraising/ [3] https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/11/beto-orourke-ken-paxton-lawsuit-temporary-restraining-order/ [4] https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/12/beto-orourke-ken-paxton-lawsuit-contempt/ [5] https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/12/beto-orourke-ken-paxton-lawsuit-quo-warranto/
- The legal fight between Beto O'Rourke and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, regarding the alleged deceptive fundraising scheme of O'Rourke's organization, Powered by People, is a significant part of the general news and political landscape, falling under the category of policy-and-legislation and politics.
- The ongoing battle in Texas state court, involving the accusations against Beto O'Rourke's organization and Ken Paxton's efforts to revoke its charter, is not only a major news item in Texas but also has national implications for the future of political fundraising and redistricting efforts.
