Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has recently been involved in a series of legal and political actions, primarily related to a congressional redistricting dispute.
Paxton has called for Beto O'Rourke to be jailed, accusing him of violating a court order by continuing to fundraise for Texas Democrats who have left the state to block a vote on new congressional maps. Paxton's office filed a motion for contempt against O'Rourke, arguing that he defied a temporary restraining order issued by a Tarrant County judge. This order had temporarily blocked O'Rourke's political group, Powered by People, from fundraising for and spending money to cover the expenses of the absent Democrats. Paxton's motion requests that O'Rourke be fined $500 for each violation and confined to jail until he agrees to abide by the court's orders. O'Rourke's lawyers have responded by arguing that Paxton is misrepresenting the injunction and taking O'Rourke's comments out of context.
In addition to this action, Paxton has been working with House Speaker Dustin Burrows to enforce arrest warrants for the Democrats who have fled the state, including filing a legal complaint in California. Paxton has also launched an investigation into the Texas Majority PAC, which he claims is a "Soros-funded" organization, for its potential role in funding the lawmakers.
Other recent news regarding Ken Paxton includes his announcement on April 8, 2025, that he will be challenging incumbent Senator John Cornyn for a U.S. Senate seat. In July 2025, his wife, Angela Paxton, filed for divorce on "biblical grounds." Earlier in the year, in March 2024, Paxton reached a deal to end securities fraud charges against him that had been ongoing for nine years.
