Attorney General Ken Paxton has slammed Texas’ Supreme Court and Fifteenth Court of Appeals for what he described as “a blindly political attempt to aid fraudster” Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke.
This comes after the Supreme Court denied Paxton’s request to reverse the Fifteenth Court’s decision to halt discovery and delay a hearing in the case.
As reported by Texas Scorecard earlier this month, Paxton escalated his legal fight against O’Rourke, filing an amended petition to strip the corporate charter of his group, Powered by People.
Paxton accused the organization of deceptively fundraising and doling out “Beto Bribes” to Democrat lawmakers who fled the state to break quorum during the first special legislative session this summer.
On Tuesday, the newly-established Fifteenth Court of Appeals asked the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to respond to a 75-page petition for writ of mandamus filed by O’Rourke’s group, which sought emergency judicial intervention to block the enforcement of trial court orders.
However, the OAG was given less than 30 hours to respond.
This reportedly “impossible deadline” forced numerous OAG employees to stop all other work to address the request, including “preparing an emergency motion for an extension of time with the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, a petition for writ of mandamus in this Court, and an emergency motion for temporary relief in this Court.”
Within minutes of the OAG filing its response, the Fifteenth Court issued an order that put on hold both an upcoming September 2 hearing and discovery for that hearing.
Following the decision, Paxton took to X, detailing his next steps.
“I’m urging the Texas Supreme Court to reverse a flawed, unprecedented ruling protecting Beto O’Rourke,” Paxton wrote. “I will stop at nothing to ensure Beto and his radical organization are held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
The OAG then filed a letter to the Texas Supreme Court arguing that such a decision is “unprecedented” and seeking relief.
“Under the guise of an ‘administrative stay,’ the Fifteenth Court effectively granted Real Parties’ mandamus petition less than 24 hours after it was filed and without providing the State an opportunity to respond,” wrote Solicitor General William R. Peterson on behalf of the OAG.
Paxton also announced the emergency filing on his website in an official statement.
“The Fifteenth Court of Appeals has put its finger on the scales in a blindly political attempt to aid fraudster Beto O’Rourke, and that decision should immediately be overturned,” Paxton wrote.
“This completely unprecedented order, which was done with zero regard for the Texans who’ve been scammed by Robert Francis, is a gift to Beto designed intentionally to allow him to resume his deceptive scheme without allowing my office to respond,” he continued. “It’s an insult to the people of Texas, an affront to our judicial system, and a disastrous precedent if allowed to continue without being reversed.”
On Wednesday, the Texas Supreme Court denied Paxton’s petition for relief.
In response, he again posted to X, blasting the entire judicial system.
“What we are witnessing in Texas right now is a constitutional crisis being orchestrated by activist judges on the Beto-loving Fifteenth Court of Appeals,” said Paxton. “Beto said, ‘f*** the rules,’ and these unelected justices—Scott Brister, Scott Field, and April Farris—are helping him do just that with his unlawful bribery scheme.”
Brister, Field, and Farris serve as justices on the Fifteenth Court. All three were appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Paxton proceeded to address the Texas Supreme Court’s role in the matter.
“What’s worse is that the Texas Supreme Court just made a ruling refusing to stop the appeals court’s insane decision to help Beto,” he continued. “We must stop Beto from buying off our politicians and the judicial activism allowing it to happen.”
Neither party’s attorneys responded to Texas Scorecard’s request for comment in time for publication.
If you or anyone you know has information regarding judicial malfeasance, please contact our tip line: scorecardtips@protonmail.com.
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