Beto blasts Texas AG after he issues ‘Consumer Alert’ on O’Rourke’s PAC
EL PASO, Texas -- Former El Paso congressman Beto O' Rourke accused Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton of attempting to use his office “to hurt those he perceives to be his political enemies,” after the AG issued a "Consumer Alert" to the public on Wednesday alleging that O'Rourke's political action committee may be unlawfully collecting the personal data of Texans.
The notice sent out by Republican Paxton claims that Democrat O'Rourke's group "Powered by People" has compiled “personal and health related data in exchange for (providing) vaccine registration and voter registration information” in a manner that "may be illegal."
O’Rourke launched the PAC to drive voter registration and turnout during the last election. In more recent times, the group has helped register elderly and poor Texans in underserved areas for the Covid-19 vaccine.
In a statement to the Dallas Morning News, O'Rourke said he was "proud of what our volunteers are doing and look forward to continuing to do this important work long after Ken Paxton is out of office and, if there’s any justice in this world, sitting in prison."
O'Rourke's "prison" reference stems from Paxton being the target of a reported criminal investigation by the FBI into bribery allegations last year, as well as remaining under indictment for securities fraud in a separate case from 2016. Paxton has maintained his innocence.
Today I issued a letter to Powered by People, a PAC launched by @BetoORourke, warning against the unlawful collection and storage of Texans’ personal and health related data in exchange for vaccine registration and voter registration information ⬇️ https://t.co/NXl1W83x6T
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) April 14, 2021
