Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Support Group for Democrats Leaving the State
This week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a lawsuit targeting a group accused of aiding Texas House Democrats who left the state to circumvent local votes.
On Thursday, Paxton’s office issued a press release, stating that they had embarked on another investigation, highlighting that funding from George Soros allegedly supported the Political Action Committee behind the Democrats’ abrupt departure.
In the release, Paxton stated, “The governor fully supports using all necessary tools to uncover potential legal violations related to quorum participation, business dealings, and voting refusals.”
Established at the Texas Majority PAC in December 2022, the group faced accusations from campaign staff linked to former Congressman Beto O’Rourke of “attempting to undermine the will of Texas voters” by allegedly coordinating illegal funding and possibly bribing members of the Texas House.
Paxton’s team labeled TMP as an “extremist group” with a “large, radical donor base.”
He remarked, “If Texas legislators yield to the Soros-funded initiative instead of the will of the voters, it amounts to bribery through backdoor financial deals to shirk their legislative duties.” Paxton expressed concern that the actions of the Texas Majority PAC might involve using resources funded by Soros to facilitate unlawful exits from public office. He indicated that serious consequences could follow if these allegations are substantiated in the investigation.
Earlier this week, Paxton also initiated an inquiry into the actions of O’Rourke and similar organizations, denouncing what he termed “illegal activities” related to the House Democrats.
Paxton’s office claimed the group could be violating laws concerning campaign contributions and expenditures, potentially engaging in actions that amount to bribery.
Consequently, Paxton has requested an investigation into both TMP and Powered, requiring these groups to provide relevant documentation.
In response, O’Rourke took to social media, condemning Paxton’s investigation with a statement, suggesting that the attorney general, who faced his own bribery accusations, was targeting those trying to defend their constituents’ rights.
O’Rourke added a call to action, urging people to stop these “thugs” from undermining the country.
Paxton, earlier this year, was acquitted of 16 impeachment articles related to his conduct.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also adopted a strong stance against the Democrats, calling for potential arrests of absent representatives and urging the state Supreme Court to disqualify those who abandoned their positions.
Governor Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate the Democrats for alleged violations, including bribery, reiterating full support for employing various governmental tools to examine any potential legal infractions related to quorum refusals and voting.
Neither TMP nor Powered has responded to requests for comments on the matter.
