Senate GOP Pushes for Investigation into Funding Tactics
Senate Republicans are urging the Justice Department to investigate a political action committee linked to Beto O’Rourke and George Soros. They believe this group is financing Texas Democrats’ exit from the state during special sessions.
Senator John Cornyn from Texas has reached out to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling for an inquiry to determine if the O’Rourke People’s Political Action Committee (PAC) and a Soros-affiliated PAC have breached federal laws related to public corruption and election funding while facilitating Texas Democrats’ departures.
“I am writing today to advocate for an investigation into entities funding this charade,” Cornyn stated in a letter he sent, which was later shared with Fox News Digital. “Reports indicate that the PAC associated with Beto O’Rourke and major contributors like George Soros are backing lawmakers as well as other campaign groups.”
Texas Democrats departed to thwart a special session aimed at redrawing the state’s electoral map, aiming to deny a quorum necessary to move forward with legislative processes.
Cornyn had earlier requested FBI Director Kash Patel’s assistance in locating the lawmakers. More recently, he noted that O’Rourke’s PAC has significantly supported approximately 50 Democrats who have relocated to states like New York and Illinois, covering fines the lawmakers face for skipping legislative responsibilities.
The Soros-aligned PAC is reportedly collaborating with a national funding group to provide further financial assistance to lawmakers.
Cornyn articulated concerns that if lawmakers were compensated to impede official procedures, it could potentially amount to an honest services fraud case. He also pointed out that by traveling across state lines, lawmakers might breach federal travel regulations “if their intentions were to bypass federal or state laws.”
He added, “It seems clear that Texas’ bribery and corruption laws might have been violated.” Furthermore, Cornyn expressed that O’Rourke’s organization could be contravening federal campaign finance laws by misallocating funds for personal expenses such as food, lodging, and travel unrelated to campaigning.
Cornyn requested collaboration with the Federal Election Commission to vet the financial sources and the spending patterns of these special interest groups and PACs, ensuring compliance with federal regulations.
This ongoing situation has also drawn attention from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He echoed Cornyn’s calls for scrutiny while battling for the Senate Republican nomination. Recently, Paxton raised accusations against a Texas District Judge for potentially violating a court order that prohibited fundraising aimed at aiding Texas Democrats’ agendas related to redistricting.
Cornyn remarked that the lawmakers’ absences not only disrupted redistricting efforts but also hampered initiatives designed to assist victims of recent Texas floods. “The special session concludes in just a few days, at that point, no aid for flood victims or other essential matters will be addressed,” he said, expressing frustration over the responsibilities being neglected by those in leadership roles.
