Texas GOP is trying to have Beto O’Rourke thrown in jail because weak they can’t get Democrats to return

In a very unusual step, the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, has asked a judge to send Beto O’Rourke to jail for supposedly breaking a court order related to the Democrats‘ ongoing walkout from the state legislature.

Paxton’s request to have O’Rourke jailed comes after a Tarrant County judge already ruled that O’Rourke and his political group could not raise money and use those funds to pay for the expenses or fines of the Democratic lawmakers who have left the state.

According to The Guardian, the court order specifically banned the group from covering the costs of the lawmakers during the special legislative session and from paying the daily $500 fines they face for being absent. However, according to Paxton’s legal filing, O’Rourke has kept asking for donations since the order was issued.

The attorney general pointed to an online post on a popular social media platform, as well as calls for donations made during a public rally in Fort Worth, as proof that O’Rourke was openly ignoring the court’s order. Paxton is now asking the judge to impose a fine of $500 for each time O’Rourke allegedly defied the order and to send O’Rourke to jail until he shows he is willing to follow the court’s rules while the lawsuit continues. Texas has been unable to enforce any real consequences, so it has gone to this point after begging Illinois for help.

Texas is trying hard to get the democrats back

Behind this legal fight is the extended absence of Texas Democrats, who have been in Illinois for weeks to stop the state legislature from having enough members present to conduct business. This strategy has effectively blocked work in the statehouse, including the Republican-led effort to redraw congressional districts.

The proposed map, which Donald Trump has supported, is meant to give the Republican Party a major advantage, possibly securing them five extra seats in Congress. Powered by People, the group O’Rourke founded, has been a key source of funding for the Democratic lawmakers, helping pay for their expenses while they are out of the state.

This political battle has been growing more intense for weeks, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Paxton increasing pressure on the absent Democrats to return. Along with the legal action against O’Rourke, Paxton has started a separate investigation into Powered by People. In response, O’Rourke has filed his own lawsuit against Paxton in El Paso, trying to stop that investigation.

The attorney general’s request to have O’Rourke jailed is a major escalation, turning a political dispute into a situation that could involve criminal punishment. We’ll have to see where this goes from here.