Texas AG launches probe on whether O'Rourke group funded Democrats leaving state over redistricting

Texas GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a probe into whether a political group led by former Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke broke laws by allegedly funding Texas Democrats leaving the state over redistricting. 

Paxton said Tuesday that O'Rourke's group, Powered by People, might have violated bribery laws in Texas if it funded the Houser lawmakers, amid reports the group paid for such expenses as food and lodging.

They left the state so that House Republicans would not have the minimum number of members in the chamber to vote on their plan to redraw the state's congressional map to help the GOP gain congressional seats in the 2026 midterm elections. 

"Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,” Paxton said in a statement. “Texas cannot be bought. I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all of the documents and communications obtained throughout this investigation. These jet-setting runaways have already lost public trust by abandoning our state, and Texans deserve to know if they received illegal bribes to do it.” 

Paxton said that according to public reports, Powered by People is one of the top groups that allegedly "bankrolled" the Texas House Democrats.

He also said he will seek judicial orders declaring that state Democrats who do not return to the legislature by the state House speaker's deadline have vacated their offices.

Meanwhile, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the House's sergeant at arms to return the Democrats to the legislature under the authority of an arrest warrant.

Texas state GOP Rep. Briscoe Cain said what Beto's group allegedly did sounds like bribery and should be investigated.

"That kind of sounds like bribery to me," he said on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. "Now, I'm not sure of it, but at a minimum, a grand jury should investigate it is the people have a right to know."