Overview
- El Paso District Judge Annabell Perez issued a temporary restraining order blocking Attorney General Ken Paxton from prosecuting or seeking to revoke the charter of Beto O’Rourke’s Powered by People.
- Perez wrote that Paxton was targeting constitutionally protected activity, noted he lacked details to support his allegations, and framed the AG’s actions as potential retaliation against political speech.
- The El Paso order is not a ruling on the merits and expires Sept. 2 unless extended by the court.
- Paxton responded by asking a Tarrant County court for an anti-suit injunction to prevent the El Paso court from interfering with proceedings already underway in Tarrant County, which previously limited the group’s fundraising and spending.
- Powered by People has been a major funder of the Democrats’ quorum break, reportedly giving about $1 million, as the GOP-led House advanced its redrawn congressional map this week.