The political action committee of the former representative of the United States, Beto O’Rourke, is promoted by people, has been a key financier of Texas Democrats in their mission of abandoning their native state in the hope of preventing Republicans from implementing a new map of Congress they see as manipulated.
Powered for People, a registration and mobilization group of voters, has been donating to the democratic caucus of the House of Representatives of Texas, not the members directly, or for any line line expense, to help cover the initial costs for the group, such as accommodation and transport, a spokesman for O’Rourke to ABC News.
Beto O’Rourke speaks during a demonstration to protest against the redistribution audiences of Districts in the Texas Capitol, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay/AP
O’Rourke has been in regular contact with the Chamber’s Democrats since President Donald Trump suggested that Texas Republicans change five congress districts in his favor. Powered for people has been leaving aside the funds from Trump’s directive, and O’Rourke assured Caucus in the weeks prior to potential vote, if they wanted to leave the State, they would have their support, both in rhetoric and in cash.
“We will have the back of these heroic state legislators during as long as necessary to stop Trump’s power,” O’Rourke said in a statement to ABC News.
O’Rourke has been playing the alarm of the ramifications of the new maps, and the cost of frustrating them, since he has been traveling through the country on his tour of the City Council. The former presidential candidate, governor and the Senate called on donations during his event on Monday night in Kansas City and did the same Tuesday in Omaha.
The O’Rourke spokesman, who said that O’Rourke’s donor group dates back to his 2018 Senate offer, said the group plans to disseminate details about how much they have been able to raise funds to help support quorum efforts at some point.
This cash is key at a time when members face threats of arrest and expulsion. Dozens of members are accumulating invoices of their trips to remain outside the state limits to avoid being collected by state authorities for at least the next two weeks, but possibly more time, until the end of this special session.
Although they may have to endure much longer, since Governor Greg Abbott could call another session shortly after. Members also face the possibility of incurring strong legal fees if Abbott and the punitive threats of Attorney General Ken Paxton grow.
A spokesman for the democratic Caucus of the Chamber told ABC News that “the members are incredibly grateful for the large amount of support of the citizens of Texas and the country they are with them.”
And reiterated that the effort is legally extended.
Abbott has ordered the Texas Rangers to investigate democratic members for “potential bribery and any other potential legal violation” linked to their trips outside the State.
“Every penny of expenses for this effort is legally paid,” said the democratic Caucus spokesman of the House of Representatives, and accused Paxton of corruption.
“The Texans know how real political corruption looks. They saw it when Ken Paxton took ‘gifts’ of one million dollars to defend themselves from the consequences of their criminal accusations and manipulate his judgment of dismissal,” continued the spokesman for the Chamber of the Chamber.
Paxton was accused in May 2023 for claims that he had misused his power to help a friend and donor. He denied all the accusations, calling them at that time a partisan “farce”.
He called the trial trial procedures an “ugly show”, With attention that “they were never destined to be fair or simply.” The Texas Senate acquitted Paxton in September 2023.
The rules of the house prohibit members from using campaign accounts to cover a fine of $ 500 per day every day that are not at work. It is not clear how, if it does, exterior money can be used to help cover fines.
