Judge freezes Beto O'Rourke's ability to send money, property outside of Texas

Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Aug 16, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

FORT WORTH, Texas — Democratic activist Beto O’Rourke and his non-profit Powered by People are no longer allowed to send money out of Texas, a Tarrant County judge ruled on Friday.

Judge Megan Fahey of the 348th District Court issued the freeze as an expansion of an original restraining order filed against O’Rourke on Aug. 8, according to court documents. Fahey’s ruling came one day after lawyers for O’Rourke argued in a downtown Fort Worth courtroom that the funds are a form of free speech protected under the First Amendment.

The dispute stems from O’Rourke and his organization’s effort to fund Texas Democrats who fled the state to deny the legislature a chance to vote on redistricting legislation, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram previously reported.

Fahey also denied O’Rourke’s motion to move the proceedings to El Paso County, according to court documents. O’Rourke’s attorneys argued that El Paso County was the proper venue because it is where the activist lives and where his non-profit does business.

In a Sept. 2 hearing, Fahey will decide whether to issue an injunction against O’Rourke, according to court documents.

“In Texas, lawless actions have consequences, and Beto’s finding that out the hard way,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said. “His fraudulent attempt to pad the pockets of the rogue cowards abandoning Texas has been stopped, and now the court has rightly frozen his ability to continue to send money outside of Texas.”

Neither O’Rourke nor his lawyers could immediately be reached for comment on Saturday.

_________