Latest news with #O'Rourke's
Fox News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
O'Rourke, Soros-linked groups face call for DOJ probe over alleged funding of Texas Dem walkout
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants the Justice Department to investigate groups tied to Beto O'Rourke and George Soros for allegedly funding Texas Democrats' exodus from the state. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into whether O'Rourke's Powered by People political action committee (PAC) and the Soros-linked Texas Majority PAC have acted "in violation of federal public corruption and election laws" for raising funds to help Texas state Democrats leave the state during the redistricting special session. "I write today to encourage an investigation of the entities funding this charade," Cornyn wrote in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital. "News reports make clear that PACs tied to Beto O'Rourke and megadonors such as George Soros are supporting the legislators, along with other campaign entities." The Texas Democrats fled the state in an effort to kill a special session called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to redraw maps in the Lone Star State. The lawmakers fled in a bid to prevent a quorum to prevent legislation from moving forward. Cornyn previously called on FBI Director Kash Patel to help find the legislators. His latest letter comes on the heels of reports from the Texas Tribune that O'Rourke's PAC has played a major role in financially supporting the roughly 50 Democrats who departed for New York and Illinois, paying for airfare, lodging and helping with the $500-per-day fines the lawmakers face for skipping the legislative session. The Soros-aligned PAC is also reportedly working with national fundraising groups to secure additional funding for the legislators. Fox News Digital reached out to both organizations for comment. However, the Texas state Senate advanced the new maps on Tuesday night and the missing House Democrats are reportedly planning to return to the state. Now, the Texas state House must vote on the redistricting changes for them to become law. The special session is slated to end next Tuesday, though Abbott has said he would call another in the face of the Democrats' opposition tactics. Cornyn charged that if legislators took money and gifts in exchange for using their official position to prevent a quorum call, then they may have committed honest services fraud or Hobbs Act Extortion. And by crossing state lines, he noted, the lawmakers could be in violation of the federal Travel Act, "if they did so with the intent to break either federal or state laws." He said that "at a minimum, it appears likely that Texas state bribery and corruption laws may have been broken" by both the legislators who accepted benefits and the groups linked to O'Rourke and Soros "who provided these corrupt funds." And O'Rourke's group may have violated federal campaign finance laws for spending money in prohibited ways, Cornyn noted, like "expenditures being made for individuals' personal use, which would include food, lodging, and travel unrelated to electioneering activities." "I therefore request that you also work with the [Federal Election Commission] to examine both the sources of funding for the special interest groups and PACs funding the House members' dereliction of duty and how those funds have been spent to ensure compliance with all federal laws and regulations," he wrote. Cornyn's request also follows a similar demand made by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The pair is locked in an already bloody primary battle to capture the Republican nomination for Senate in the Lone Star State. Paxton on Tuesday requested that a Texas district judge jail O'Rourke over allegations that he violated a court order issued last week that prohibited fundraising meant to back the efforts by Texas Democratic lawmakers to blow up the redistricting effort. Cornyn noted that the lawmakers' flight not only blocked the redistricting effort, but also harmed legislation that would provide aid to victims of the recent devastating Texas floods. "The special session will end in a matter of days, at which point, assistance to flood victims and other needed measures will go unaddressed," Cornyn said. "The absconding House members' dereliction of duty is truly shameful."
Politico
7 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Paxton urges Texas judge to jail Beto O'Rourke over fundraising related to redistricting fight
But an attorney for O'Rourke says Paxton's characterization of O'Rourke's remark was an 'outright lie.' O'Rourke's comment, she noted, was a reference to the broader nationwide fight over redistricting — a call for Democratic states to counteract Texas' redistricting push by undertaking their own partisan redrawing of political boundaries. 'In their zeal I guess to intimidate a political rival, they are actually lying to the court,' said O'Rourke's attorney, Mimi Marziani, who said she would quickly alert the court to the context of O'Rourke's comments and her intention to seek sanctions against Paxton. Paxton's request to jail a political rival comes amid calls by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Paxton and their allies to arrest dozens of Democratic state lawmakers who left Texas to prevent Abbott from holding a special session to pass his ultra-partisan redistricting measure — one expected to net Republicans five seats in Congress. Paxton's motion to hold O'Rourke in contempt accuses him of raising funds to directly cover the expenses and fines of the dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers who bolted from the state to deprive Republicans a quorum to conduct legislative business. Fahey ruled that such fundraising would violate Texas laws against deceptive practices. But Marziani emphasized that Fahey's ruling was specific to raising funds that directly bankrolled the state lawmakers' effort, as opposed to general political fundraising. O'Rourke, in court papers, has labeled Paxton's bid to constrain his political activity 'frivolous' and urged Fahey to transfer the case to his home base of El Paso. 'They have no basis for this lawsuit,' Marziani said.
Indianapolis Star
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Why former 2020 presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke is visiting Indianapolis
Former Democratic Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke, who ran for president in 2020, is scheduled to hold a town hall at the Stutz in Indianapolis on Aug. 3. O'Rourke's Indianapolis stop is part of a series of "community conversations" across the country hosted by his voter organization group Powered by People. Recent events have included his home state of Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. A press release for the event describes the Aug. 3 event in Indianapolis as "an opportunity for members of the community to ask questions about state and federal issues while joining their neighbors in a conversation about America's future." O'Rourke's town hall will be held at VisionLoft Stutz at 3 p.m. The event is free, but people interested in attending the town hall are encouraged to RSVP at O'Rourke gained national recognition for his three high-profile campaigns: In 2018 challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, in 2020 for the Democratic presidential nomination and in 2022 for Texas governor against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. O'Rourke lost all three of those contests, but has hinted at another run for office ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Indianapolis visit will be O'Rourke's second time speaking in Indiana. During his 2020 presidential campaign, O'Rourke held a town hall in Gary. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at
WIRED
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
60-Hour Dance Sessions, Simulated Sex, and Ketamine: Inside the World of Hardcore VR Ravers
May 5, 2025 7:00 AM VR Clubbing has exploded since Covid-19 lockdowns, with enthusiasts doing drugs and finding friends and love in an inclusive environment. But some say the convenience is making it harder to control their vices. Photo-Illustration:It was one of O'Rourke's first times doing drugs, but he didn't hold back. Armed with cannabis edibles, cocaine, ketamine, and booze he partied for nearly 12 nights consecutively last August, during which time he claims to have raved for 60 hours straight—all without ever leaving his apartment. (He did take bathroom breaks and managed to eat a steak.) In the last 18 months, the 38-year-old IT worker from Dublin, who did not want his first name used due to privacy reasons, has partied on virtual reality platform VRChat every weekend, often staying up until 8 am, suited up in VR goggles and a full set of motion trackers. 'There's a lot of weird shit going on and it can be hard to adjust, but if you do it's magical,' he tells WIRED. ' If you're not able to self-moderate and police yourself, it's endless. You're not going to win, you're not going to see the end of the party.' O'Rourke is one of many who may struggle with the fantastical, escapist allure of having access to a nearly non-stop wild metaverse party from the comfort of their own homes. Especially when he normally doesn't have plans with friends in the real world. Before Covid-19 lockdowns, there had barely ever been more than 20,000 concurrent users on VRChat—but its popularity has since exploded. More than 130,000 people locked into VRChat on New Year's Day this year, according to a VR culture blog, and there are dozens of weekly VR parties thanks to organizers across the US, Europe and Asia. Once inside the VRChat metaverse, users—who describe it to WIRED as an immersive, futuristic utopia—can choose which 'maps,' or parties, they wish to explore in the form of their avatars. VR raving has grown exponentially in the last few years. Photograph: @SushiFerret And traditional clubs in the US and the UK are closing at an alarming rate— casualties of rising costs, lower profits, and, in places, onerous regulations around noise levels, security requirements and closing times. The infinite amount of space available on VR, plus the lack of regulation, allows creators to blissfully ignore the economic pressures that limit nightlife in many places today. VR venues don't charge cover, so the main cost is VR hardware, which can exceed $5,000 with a high quality gaming PC and full body tracking devices, although a simpler set-up only with a Meta Quest headset can be procured for as little as $350. There are, however, often long lines to get into the most popular virtual club nights, since they are all capped to 80 people each due to the limits of the software on the VRChat platform, which is available through host Steam. WIRED spoke to 12 people who are engrossed in the scene, from trans people who feel safer partying in VR to introverts and seniors who find it more welcoming. It's even spawning underground VR sex and drug subcultures, with erotic club nights and venues meant to mimic the effect of psychedelics; O'Rourke and other enthusiasts say they've clocked up drug-fueled marathon dance sessions all without many of the stressors of traditional club nights. 'Because of the headset, you don't realize how drunk you are till you take it off.' O'Rourke, an introvert who is self-conscious about his 5-foot-4 height, co-runs a party called Euro-Corp, which resembles a traditional club space, with a narrow, wooden-looking dancefloor and a DJ booth overlooking it all. He says he is putting in so many hours—almost 1,800 at the time of writing—because he feels now is the 'high water mark moment' for the scene. 'When people look back in 10 or 20 years, they'll say now was its peak. That's why I'm partying so hard.' But he admits he overdoes it sometimes. 'I accidentally did a heroic dose [of mushrooms] and it was a bit of a mess,' he says of the March 2024 trip during which he could not distinguish between his hallucinations and the VR world. 'I haven't taken shrooms since because it was a bit heavy.' Since then, he's decided ketamine 'synergizes most with VR' because it enhance the levels of immersion to render the virtual reality more real. Others, like Heelix, a 61-year-old VR DJ from Berlin who has spent nearly 5,000 hours—the equivalent of 200 days— in VR, struggle to control their drinking. 'I think it's a little bit dangerous,' he says. 'I've seen people going overboard and [their avatars] suddenly disappearing.' Another VR party promoter says: 'Because of the headset, you don't realize how drunk you are till you take it off.' One partier says he's has had friends who have needed their stomachs to be pumped after marathon drinking sessions on VRChat. But socially awkward individuals, homebodies, and LGBT people tell WIRED that VR raves are secure and surreal spaces where, through their avatars, folks can metamorphose into whatever form they wish. 'Go listen to your local people and then come to any random club in VR, you're going to be shocked that your local DJs suck ass.' Ru, a trans woman from rural Ohio who works as a hospice nurse, says VRChat provides her a safer environment than she might find in real life. 'I get sexually assaulted far less often,' says Ru, 48, who didn't want to use her real name for professional reasons. 'I'm a trans woman, and I live in the middle of a red state. Sometimes you don't want to go to that local place and deal with all of that shit.' Plus, she says that the music that DJs on VRChat play is just better than at the clubs in Ohio she has been to. 'The music is unbelievable,' she says. 'Go listen to your local people and then come to any random club in VR, you're going to be shocked that your local DJs suck ass.' Ru's virtual club, Kaleidosky, looks like the inside of a shape-shifting kaleidoscope, bending the laws of physics with all the fractal visions of a DMT trip. Her VR success as a DJ has even led her to play physical shows in Japan, although she was not the headliner. 'My life has been expanded in ways that I can hardly relate to you,' she says, 'all because of VR and how it brings all these different, immensely creative people together.' Luna, a VR raver from the Netherlands, was suffering from poor mental health, she was unemployed and felt socially alienated when she first went on VRChat at the age of 19 in 2022. 'I was really depressed,' she recalls. 'I didn't have work, I didn't have real friends, I was stuck at home.' But, like many before her, discovering raving changed everything. 'It was like a way to experience new things, new worlds,' she says. 'I loved it instantly.' She has partied so hard from her living room, her neighbors have complained. 'I can dance quite wildly.' Just like she would in the physical world, Luna developed an entire group of friends from VR rave encounters. They now pre-drink together before heading out at the weekends in VR, and sometimes they even take MDMA as a group, from their individual silos. Her first trip came in her first few months VR raving, when a friend of hers in Australia said she was going to take the euphoria-inducing drug, and fellow raver Benji, who also lives in the Netherlands, offered to mail a dose of a legal version of MDMA to her house. Later, at an in-person rave organized by a VR club, she connected with Benji; they've now been a couple for two and a half years, and he now goes on VR far less. But others get hooked on the platform's rave scene, even though the experience cannot fully replicate the neurochemical correlates of a real rave, says neuroscientist Dr Maria Balaet, from Imperial College London. Prolonged drug use in VR could also amplify sensory overload and cognitive fatigue, raising the risk of dissociation and having a bad trip, she warns. 'Having a bad trip in VR is probably worse than a bad trip outside of VR because once one comes out of the VR environment their body and mind needs to re-adjust to the world too, and that is taxing in addition to the bad trip itself.' She adds that drug use in VR could bring about a 'false outward experience' in which an individual has an inner experience in an artificially designed context. 'I am not sure how long one can stay in this state without feeling disconnected or disoriented,' Balaet cautions. Some VR ravers say they've found real-life partners and friends through virtual partying. Photograph: @ayase_ Benji and Luna first connected romantically in person, but sometimes one thing can lead to another on VRChat — with or without drugs. Through the use of VR rooms and custom avatars with adult capabilities, clothing can be removed to and enable certain 'gestures' to be performed to simulate sex. The explicit phenomenon, tucked away in private metaverse spaces, has spawned whole categories of pornographic videos on adult websites, where VR users record themselves having sex. 'When people engage in ERP [erotic role-play], they typically pick out an avatar to dress the part,' according to an explainer video on how people 'do it' in VRChat. 'There's special physics for body parts that can be added to avatars, as well as 'collision', so that other users can interact with them.' This is against VRChat's terms of service that prohibit creating pornographic content, and these sorts of avatars should be swiftly banned if they are active in a public world. Heelix's avatar is a young female anime character, and he describes how loneliness led him to find solace in VR, where he plays shows as a DJ. 'All of my friends are old and they don't go clubbing anymore,' he says. On the occasions he has gone out by himself he has felt conscious of his greying hair and growing belly. 'But here in VR I know a lot of people,' he says. 'It's much easier.' Plus, 'the way home is very short' and en route he can even stop by places like one of VRChat's sex-positive clubs, PSHQ—originally known as Pussy Squad Headquarters—where as many as 20 lap dancers can be tipped during exotic dance nights, and attendees can slope off to a 'motel' area for what the club describes as 'NSFW activities'. Some erotic dancers, like Lichbait, have even developed popular online personas and are profiting from subscriptions, like a VR OnlyFans. PSHQ, according to its creator DeityAnubis, who did not want to be named for privacy reasons, is 'a sexually positive adult space with a focus on music. The music, the dancing, the lighting, the atmosphere, the sense of community, the LGBTQ safe space, those are the important parts of PSHQ and make us what we are.' In January, VRChat introduced age verification on the platform to ensure children were not accessing certain adult spaces, after a BBC investigation found children were able to enter VR strip clubs and could be cajoled into performing virtual sex acts. Zeus Tipado, a PhD candidate researching neuroscience at the University of Maastricht, describes VR as a mammoth social experiment, but it's one that he has increasing concerns over. Some frequent users get progressively less interested in base reality, to a far greater extent than traditional gamers, he warns. The site's anonymity also provides cover for racist or bigoted behaviour. During one of his forays into VRChat, Tipado says he was part of a group invited into a man's apartment. 'It was a vibey apartment,' Tipado recalls. 'Everyone was watching Power Rangers, I found a nice place to sit down on the sofa. And then this guy comes up in front of everybody and tells people to take off their clothes.' Nobody took off their virtual clothes and they were soon kicked out of his apartment for failing to comply with the request. User safety is a top priority, a VRChat spokesperson tells WIRED, and the platform has provided users with a number of tools to protect themselves, such as making it easy to block and report others. 'When our trust and safety team receives a report, they have the ability to use metadata and logs to track down and ban problematic users,' they said. While many might assume that all VR users are on a quest to escape reality, sometimes the parties act as a gateway to live events. Promoter James Campbell, who runs the popular Shelter map, has held events in New York, San Diego and Los Angeles playing dubstep, bass and other electronic music genres to bring VR ravers together. At Shelter's first party, in New York, attended by more than 250 people in May 2022 at the now-closed VRWorld in Midtown Manhattan, he says countless people came up to him and said it was their first ever actual rave, telling him: 'I didn't think I'd ever have the confidence to come to a show.'
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beto O'Rourke to host Wichita Falls town hall on state, federal issues
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Former United States Representative Beto O'Rourke will host a Congressional and State Representative Town Hall Meeting at the Ray Clymer Exhibit Hall on Saturday. The doors will open at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, and the event will begin at 2 p.m. This is a chance for Texas to ask questions about state and federal issues and discuss America's future. A release from Powered by People, O'Rourke's voter registration and mobilization group made up of volunteers across the state, said that with so many important issues in the news, O'Rourke has been on the road to hear directly from fellow Texans and organize on the ground. This event is free and open to the public, but Powered by People asks that anyone planning to attend RSVP online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
