A Tarrant County judge has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) barring former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke’s political organization, Powered by People, from raising or spending funds to support Texas House Democrats who left the state during a contentious special legislative session.
The ruling, handed down Friday evening by Judge Megan Fahey, came at the request of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton’s office has alleged that Powered by People engaged in fundraising practices that violate state law by soliciting and using political contributions to cover certain personal expenses for the absent lawmakers. Those expenses reportedly include lodging, travel, meals, and fines imposed by the Texas House for failing to appear and preventing a quorum.
The dispute stems from an ongoing political standoff in Austin. During the special session, Democratic lawmakers left the state in an effort to block a Republican-backed redistricting proposal. Under Texas law, two-thirds of House members must be present for the chamber to conduct business, meaning the absence of the Democratic caucus halted progress on the bill.
According to court filings, Paxton’s office argues that the fundraising efforts of Powered by People constitute “false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices” under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The state maintains that donors are being led to believe their contributions are for lawful political activity, when in fact the funds are allegedly being used for expenses that violate state rules governing political contributions.
The TRO prohibits Powered by People from soliciting or distributing contributions for the purpose of assisting members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus with expenses incurred during their absence from the state. The order also blocks the organization from using any funds already raised for those purposes until a further court hearing is held.
In her ruling, Judge Fahey stated that “Defendants have and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and utilization of political funds in a manner that either directly violates or causes Texas Democratic Legislators to violate [state law].” The judge also noted that contributors “have and continue to suffer irreparable harm” because their donations are allegedly being used in a manner inconsistent with Texas election laws.
Powered by People is a political action committee founded by O’Rourke after his 2018 U.S. Senate campaign and subsequent 2020 presidential bid. The group focuses primarily on voter registration and mobilization efforts in Texas. A spokesperson for the organization told media outlets that the group’s donations were directed to the Texas House Democratic Caucus—not to individual lawmakers—and that the funds were intended to cover general costs associated with the caucus’s work, including lodging and transportation. The spokesperson also stated that the group believes its activities are lawful and will challenge the TRO in court.
Paxton, a Republican who has frequently clashed with O’Rourke and other prominent Texas Democrats, framed the court’s decision as a victory for transparency and compliance with state law. In a statement following the ruling, Paxton said his office would “aggressively pursue” enforcement actions to prevent what he described as “illegal financial schemes” designed to undermine the legislative process.
The Texas Democratic Caucus has not directly commented on the ruling but has previously defended its members’ decision to leave the state as a legitimate form of political protest. Several Democratic lawmakers have also criticized Paxton’s actions as politically motivated.
The TRO is set to remain in effect until at least the next court hearing, which will determine whether a longer-term injunction should be granted. Both sides are expected to present additional evidence and arguments at that time.
The case adds a legal dimension to an already heated political conflict in Texas over redistricting, voting access, and legislative procedure. While disputes over quorum-breaking are not new in Texas politics, the use of a restraining order to halt fundraising tied to such actions represents a notable escalation.
For now, Powered by People is legally barred from providing direct or indirect financial assistance to Democratic lawmakers for expenses linked to their absence, pending further judicial review.
