Paxton shuts down Beto O'Rourke's 'deceptive financial influence scheme' to fund runaway Texas Democrats

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that a court granted his emergency request to stop what he called a "deceptive financial influence scheme" by former Congressman Beto O'Rourke.

Democrats have been able to thwart a vote on redistricting by fleeing the state and thus preventing a quorum from being called so Republicans can push the motion through. O'Rourke has helped fund these efforts through his group, Powered by People, until the court stopped him temporarily.

'Today, I stopped his deceptive financial influence scheme that attempted to deceive donors and subvert our constitutional process.'

"The Beto Bribe buyouts that were bankrolling the runaway Democrats have been officially stopped," reads a statement from Paxton. "People like Robert believe Texas can be bought. Today, I stopped his deceptive financial influence scheme that attempted to deceive donors and subvert our constitutional process. They told me to 'come and take it,' so I did."

Paxton said the court granted his request for a temporary restraining order against O'Rourke and his group and blocked them from making any further expenditures or fundraising while litigation continues.

He alleges that O'Rourke ran afoul of Texas campaign fundraising laws by misleading donors on the purpose of the money spent on fleeing Democrats.

"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," Paxton said in part.

He said the group violated Texas prohibition against organizations "engaging in false, misleading, and deceptive acts."

RELATED: Paxton will ask court to kick Democrats out of office if they refuse to return to Texas: Report

O'Rourke has responded to the allegations by attacking Paxton on his past controversies.

"The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats," he wrote in part. "Let's stop these thugs before they steal our country."

Paxton was under federal investigation for alleged bribery and abuse of office but was never charged. He is now running against current Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas for the Republican nomination.

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