Alongside the restraining order, Paxton has launched a separate investigation into the Texas Majority PAC, another group accused of funding Democrats who left the state.
O’Rourke quickly filed a lawsuit against Paxton in El Paso district court, calling the attorney general’s actions a “fishing expedition” and requesting that the court block the investigation into his nonprofit’s operations.
Paxton, meanwhile, celebrated the court’s decision on social media, describing the ruling as a victory against “runaway Democrats” and labeling O’Rourke’s fundraising efforts as “Beto Bribes.” “They told me to ‘come and take it,’ so I did,” he wrote.
The legal battle underscores the intense political conflict in Texas over redistricting and campaign fundraising, with both sides framing the dispute as part of a broader struggle for power in the state.