Aug. 6 (UPI) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday launched an investigation into potential Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke over allegations that he “bribed” Democratic state lawmakers who fled the Lone Star State to prevent Republicans from passing GOP-favorable congressional maps that critics say strip power from voters of color.
Paxton announced the investigation amid a deepening row between the state’s Democrats and Republicans. The state’s minority Democrats fled Texas over the weekend to deny Republicans the quorum needed to certify the controversial maps. The state’s Republican leadership has responded with threats of arrest and to vacate their congressional seats if they don’t return by Friday, as well as investigations into anyone who solicits funds to support their effort.
Paxton said Wednesday that he is investigating the O’Rourke-led Powered by People, which is reportedly covering the costs of Texas Democrats who fled the state.
He also said the Powered by People group may have violated bribery laws and state laws, such as those governing campaign or officeholder contributions and expenditures, coercion of a public servant and abuse of office.
“Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,” Paxton said in a statement announcing the 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.”
The new maps, if certified, are expected to give Republicans five additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Critics and Democrats argue that the maps draw lines that dilute the voting power of Latino and Black people, while serving as a power grab by President Donald Trump through rigging the GOP representation in the House.
Democrats have widely supported their Texan colleagues’ actions to prevent a quorum. Republicans have viewed the move as a shirking from their responsibilities.
O’Rourke, a former U.S. House member and senatorial candidate, has been traveling throughout several states, including Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, Nebraska and others, trying to generate grassroots support for the Texas Democrats.
In response to the investigation, O’Rourke accused Paxton of hypocrisy.
“The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five congressional seats,” he said on X.
Paxton was impeached by the state House but was acquitted of all corruption charges by the Senate.
The Republican attorney general has vowed that he will seek “aggressive legal action” against any Democrat who is not present at the House on Friday, while Abbott has called for their arrests.