As some AWOL Democrats are reportedly planning to return in time for a second special legislative session to begin next week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott told Fox News Digital that the state is looking into whether they violated laws against bribery by taking money to break quorum. (Montinique Monroe/Getty Images and Scott Olson/Getty Images)
This comes after Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey handed down a temporary restraining order last Friday against Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke and his group, Powered by People, over alleged "unlawful fundraising practices" tied to efforts to support Texas Democrats who fled the state — including funding air travel, lodging, logistics and daily fines.
Fahey's order bars O'Rourke or his group from continuing to fundraise or provide financial support to the fleeing Texas Democrats.
In the order, Fahey wrote that "defendants have and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and utilization of political funds in a manner that either directly violates or causes Texas Democratic Legislators to violate [the law]" and that contributors to the group "have and continue to suffer irreparable harm through these unlawful acts because they are making political contributions that are being used to fund personal expenses and violate state law."
In light of this, Abbott warned that "these House numbers are going to be facing not just the challenges of having to come back in deal with the consequences of their failure to be here but also deal with potential bribery charges against them."
The Texas State Capitol in Austin, where Isaiah Martin was arrested for refusing to yield during testimony on Thursday. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
On Monday, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom called on President Donald Trump to "call Greg Abbott and tell him to stand down."
You are not ‘entitled’ to 5 congressional seats. If you do not call your lapdogs off, CA will act quickly and swiftly. We will go to the ballot. We will neutralize whatever gains you make. We will not stand by while you light Democracy on fire," said Newsom.
In another X post by Newsom’s official press office page, the governor appeared to mimic Trump’s idiosyncratic style of using all-caps and superlatives for many of his posts, writing, "CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE ‘BEAUTIFUL MAPS,’ THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!)."
The post said Newsom would be holding a press conference this week on the matter and that it "WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR ‘MAGA.’"
DEMS FACE SCRUTINY OVER CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION GAPS IN BLUE STATES: 'DON'T HAVE CLEAN HANDS'
Accompanied by California and Texas lawmakers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, center, discusses the push to schedule a special election to redraw California's Congressional voting districts, during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday Aug. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Abbott, however, said he remains unfazed by such attacks from Democrats.
"Listen, these Democrats in other states are just completely out of control," he told Fox News Digital. "They've been engaged in gerrymandering for decades in California, Illinois, New York, and elsewhere, and what they have lost touch with is the people."
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He pointed out that Texas’ redistricting plans are within legal parameters, explaining, "What's happened here is that the law changed in the state of Texas last year that authorized the state to be able to redraw these lines because of a legal change that doesn't require coalition districts."
"So, we're able to draw these districts in way in which representatives are going to be lining up with the values of voters of the state of Texas," he said, adding, "What we're doing in our state is to make sure that we are going to have the districts represented by people who actually represent these voters."
Fox News Digital's Alec Schemmel and Christina Shaw contributed to this report.
Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-democrats-who-fled-could-face-felony-bribery-charges-governor-says