AG Paxton Files Lawsuit Against Democrat Runaways in Texas Supreme Court to Secure Order Declaring Their Seats Vacant
Sues Robert Francis O’Rourke for “Beto Bribes” to Democrat Runaways to Impede the Texas Legislature
August 8, 2025 | Austin, TX
Files Historic Lawsuit With SCOTX
Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Texas to formally pursue judicial declarations that 13 Texas House seats have been vacated due to continued unlawful absences by Democrat legislators who failed to meet the return deadline set by Speaker Dustin Burrows.
“The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant,” said Attorney General Paxton. “These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold. Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on. I have asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare what has been clear from the beginning: that the runaway members have officially vacated their offices in the Texas House.”
House Democrats remain willfully absent from the State of Texas, choosing instead to engage in politically motivated grandstanding from out-of-state locations. Their conduct represents a flagrant abandonment of office and a betrayal of the voters who entrusted them with the duty to represent Texans in the legislative chamber.
This initial lawsuit concentrates on 13 Democrat members who made incriminating public statements regarding their refusal to return, essentially confirming in their own words the very grounds for this legal action. Texas law provides the Attorney General with explicit authority to represent the State in quo warranto actions and to appear before the Texas Supreme Court in matters where the State has a direct interest.
The petition states: “The Texas Constitution, statutes, and rules provide a broad range of tools for members of a legislative minority to be heard. But those tools do not include concerted effort by members of the minority to disrupt the functioning of the Legislature by abdicating their duties, including spurning the constitutional authority of the remaining members to compel their attendance. When members of the Legislature disregard arrest warrants, refuse to perform their duties, and announce that they intend to prevent the Legislature from exercising its constitutional responsibilities, they have, through words and conduct, demonstrated an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices.”
In addition to filing this petition, Attorney General Paxton and Speaker Dustin Burrows moved to enforce arrest warrants in other states. Attorney General Paxton also launched an investigation into Powered by People and Texas Majority PAC for potentially operating an illegal financial influence scheme to bribe Democrats into breaking quorum.
To read the petition, click here.
Sues Robert Francis O’Rourke for “Beto Bribes” to Democrat Runaways
Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Robert Francis O’Rourke and his radical organization, Powered by People, for unlawful fundraising activity, including potentially operating a misleading financial-influence scheme to fund runaway Democrats who fled Texas to break quorum.
“Democrat runaways are likely accepting Beto Bribes to underwrite their jet-setting sideshow in far-flung places and misleadingly raising political funds to pay for personal expenses,” said Attorney General Paxton. “This out-of-state, cowardly cabal is abandoning their constitutional duties. I will not allow failed political has-beens to buy off Texas elected officials. I’ll see you in court, Beto.”
O’Rourke and Powered by People intentionally misled donors to fund runaway Democrats' personal expenses, despite advertising it as political fundraising. By knowingly blurring the distinction, O’Rourke and Powered by People sought to take advantage of uninformed donors by directing them to explicitly political fundraising platforms, all while intending to use the funds for purposes they understood to be constituted as personal expenditures. Texas law prohibits organizations from engaging in false, misleading, and deceptive acts, such as the fundraising scheme operated by O’Rourke and Powered by People.
Attorney General Paxton has requested a temporary restraining order and an injunction preventing O’Rourke and Powered by People from continuing to raise or distribute money for the purpose of funding the runaway Democrat House members. Attorney General Paxton previously demanded documents from Powered by People and opened an investigation into a Soros-funded group that is also underwriting the quorum break.
To read the filing, click here.