Latest news with #restrainingorder
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge prevents Beto group from using funds to support quorum breakers
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — In the first court victory against the Democratic quorum break, the Tarrant County District Court placed a temporary restraining order against Beto O'Rourke and his organization Powered by People. 'The Court issues this Temporary Restraining Order, immediately restraining Defendants from the following: Using political funds for the improper, unlawful, and non-political purposes of (1)funding out-of-state travel, hotel, or dining accommodations or services tounexcused Texas legislators during any special legislative session called by theTexas Governor, or (2) funding payments of fines provided by Texas House rulesfor unexcused legislative absences,' the decision, signed by Judge Megan Fahey, said. It also prevents Powered by People and O'Rourke from raising more funds for the quorum-breaking efforts and from moving any funds outside of the state. 'The Beto Bribe buyouts that were bankrolling the runaway Democrats have been officially stopped,' said Attorney General Ken Paxton. 'People like [O'Rourke] believe Texas can be bought. Today, I stopped his deceptive financial influence scheme that attempted to deceive donors and subvert our constitutional process. They told me to 'come and take it,' so I did.' Beto-Bribes-TRODownload 'They want to make examples out of those who fight so that others won't,' Beto said in a statement. 'Paxton is trying to shut down Powered by People, one of the largest voter registration organizations in the country, because our volunteers fight for voting rights and free elections… the kind of work that threatens the hold that Paxton, Trump, and Abbott have on power in Texas.' A source familiar with the quorum breakers aren't especially worried about the temporary restraining order against O'Rourke and his team. They say money coming in small amounts from individual donors is helping in the interim. Fahey ordered a hearing for 10 a.m. on Tuesday to discuss the issue further. Wu responds to Abbott; other lawmakers weigh in On Friday, State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, filed his official response to Gov. Greg Abbott's attempt to have the Texas Supreme Court remove him from office. Gene-Wu-Response-to-Governors-Quo-Warranto-Petition-FINALDownload 'The Governor petitions this court to have five justices do what our Constitution grants only two-thirds of the House of Representatives the power to do: expel Representative Wu,' the filing opens. On Friday, Wu talked to Nexstar about his initial reactions to the lawsuit. 'I laughed out loud when I saw the suit, because this is, it's, frankly, it's embarrassing,' Wu said. 'I get maybe he's just putting on a political show, trying to scare us, try to show his primary voters what a bad a** he is. But to anybody who's an attorney, who knows what the law is, people are falling out of their chairs laughing.' In addition to Wu's response, State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, and State Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-El Paso, filed a letter with the Supreme Court arguing in Wu's favor. 'What would be a constitutional crisis is this Court un-electing nearly everymember of the minority party over lawfully resisting the majority,' the pair wrote. 'This legislative battle began because legislators wanted to pick their voters. This legal battlewould cut voters out entirely and allow a partisan governor to pick his legislators. That puts us on the brink of naked authoritarianism. This Court should take no part in hurtling us over that edge into the endless darkness below.' Moody-Gonzalez-AmiciDownload On the opposing side, State Rep. Mitch Little, R-Carrollton, and State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, filed a letter with the court to support Abbott's argument. 'This is an area of law that can be very confusing. It's confusing even lawyers,' Little said. 'There's some questions still about who has the authority and jurisdiction to bring these vacature petitions, and our hope is to contribute to that discussion with the Texas Supreme Court.' 2025.08.08-Abbott-Wu-Amicus-Letter-jml-bc-080825Download Cain admitted the court has a difficult decision. 'I don't expect them to declare the seat vacant today,' Cain said. 'After all, essentially it does still kind of challenge what the sovereign people have elected, so there's gotta be some kind of balance. But certainly, I think at some point the goal is to question whether that person's planning to come back. Is this going to be too prolonged? Have they essentially abandoned their district or abandoned the state?' Paxton decides to up the ante While Abbott only filed to declare Wu's seat vacant, Paxton filed a new petition with the Texas Supreme Court on Friday to vacate 13 Democratic seats. Paxton targeted Wu along with: State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin State Rep. Lulu Flores, D-Austin State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin State Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Plano State Rep. Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land State Rep. John Bucy III, D-Austin State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Arlington State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, D-Richardson State Rep. Christina Morales, D-Houston State Rep. Jessica Gonzalez, D-Dallas 'The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant,' said Paxton. 'These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold. Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on. I have asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare what has been clear from the beginning: that the runaway members have officially vacated their offices in the Texas House.' Quo-Warranto-SCOTX-FiledDownload Bucy responded quickly. 'It's now more clear than ever that Republicans are scared. They're scared of the voters. They're scared of being held accountable. And they're scared that Texas Democrats are united in our resolve to defeat Trump's power grab and protect our democracy, our constitution, and our country,' he said. 'If defending democracy is a crime, I'm proud to be an outlaw.' While Wu said he's confident the facts of the case are on his side, he has some reservations about the makeup of the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court, with six of the nine justices having been appointed by Abbott. 'The only real fear in this [is] that the level of corruption has not only spread from the White House into the state house, but is now spread into our courthouses as well,' Wu said. 'I'm afraid that [Abbott] might be calling them at night and saying, 'Hey, remember who gave you your your job, right?' You need to take care of this.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mario Lopez 'Completely Lost It' At Cheerleader Suing Him During Explosive Court Appearance
reportedly lashed out at former NFL cheerleader Desiree Townsend during a recent court hearing to request a permanent restraining order against her. The TV personality was sued in June by Townsend over claims of orchestrating a smear campaign against her when he reposted an old, humiliating video of her. Townsend is expected to take the stand later this week, where she will be cross-examined as part of Lopez's ongoing effort to secure the restraining order. Desiree Townsend is also requesting $25 million in her case against Mario Lopez and has expressed her surprise that the actor sought a restraining order. The Actor Called The Cheerleader' Crazy,' 'Unhinged,' And A 'Stalker' In an interview with Radar Online, Desiree Townsend shared a shocking account of what allegedly unfolded during a recent court hearing over Mario Lopez's attempt to secure a permanent restraining order against her. Townsend and Lopez are currently locked in a $25 million defamation battle, which she initiated in June. In response, Lopez filed for a temporary restraining order and appeared in court this week seeking to make it permanent. According to Townsend, the entire courtroom turned chaotic when Lopez took the witness stand during the hearing. She claimed that Lopez "completely lost it" and was screaming, an outburst she said left her feeling threatened and shaken. "He screamed, actually screamed, on the witness stand," Townsend recalled to the news outlet. "He was so 'p-ssed' as he categorized it that the judge had to calm him down." She further noted that Lopez "had a full-blown outburst," adding that he called her "crazy," "unhinged," and a "stalker." Why Desiree Townsend Filed A Lawsuit Against Mario Lopez In 2024, Lopez shared a throwback clip of the ex-cheerleader-turned-paralegal on Instagram, sarcastically writing, "There's gotta be some kind of award for this performance," while adding the hashtags #MethodActor and #OscarWorthy. In the over 15-year-old clip, Townsend appeared to slur her speech and dance erratically in front of the camera. She later explained to an outlet, Inside Edition, that her behavior was due to a rare neurological condition, dystonia. The cheerleader reportedly developed the ailment after taking a seasonal flu shot at the time. After the video went viral following Lopez's repost, Townsend filed a lawsuit against him, accusing the TV host of using a false statement that severely harmed both her personal and professional reputation. The Cheerleaders Claimed She Suffered 'Harassment' Due To Mario Lopez's Actions According to reports, Townsend also alleged that she suffered "emotional distress" and "online harassment" due to the remark. She deemed it as dehumanizing and defaming to "a woman living with a rare neurological disability." "The timing, tone, and scale of the attack support a reasonable inference that Lopez is familiar with deploying reputational warfare as a tool of intimidation, particularly when facing potential exposure," Townsend mentioned in her lawsuit. Mario Lopez Filed For A Restraining Order Against Desiree Townsend After She Served Him Court Papers Instead of sending a process server alone to deliver court papers to Lopez, Townsend chose to accompany the server during the delivery. She later shared a video of the tense encounter with Radar Online, which showed her telling a shirtless Lopez, "You've been served" and "See you in court" as the process server placed the documents in the front yard of his home. Lopez, upset by the unexpected confrontation at his residence, responded by obtaining a temporary restraining order before moving forward with a request for a permanent one. He claimed in court documents that he was "harmed" by the interaction with Townsend and that she caused "chaos and fear for his young children and family members who witnessed the event." Lopez also accused Townsend of escalating the harm by sharing on social media a video of her serving him, which exposed his personal address to the world and placed him and his family at "risk of further harassment, public ridicule, and potential physical danger." The Cheerleader Says She Was Surprised The Actor Filed A Restraining Order In her interview with Radar, Townsend also revealed that she was surprised by the restraining order and called it a "clickbait tactic" that will ultimately "backfire" on Lopez. "I truly don't understand what he's thinking," she told the news outlet. "He's escalating this into a public spectacle when it could have been resolved quietly through civil litigation. The former cheerleader added, "Filing for a restraining order feels like a clickbait tactic, and from both a PR and legal standpoint, it's likely to backfire. Especially when the very behavior he's calling 'harassment' is precisely what he did to me." Later this week, Townsend is expected to face cross-examination when the hearing for Lopez's request for a permanent restraining order resumes. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Mario Lopez SCREAMS at cheerleader suing him for defamation during fiery court appearance
Mario Lopez allegedly flew into a frenzy and screamed at a former NFL cheerleader as he came face-to-face with her in court. The Saved by the Bell star, 51, lost his cool in court this week as he sought a restraining order from Desiree Townsend, a former cheerleader for the Washington Commanders who is suing him for defamation. Lopez is accused of launching a 'smear campaign' against Townsend and trying to humiliate her with a social media post, and she is seeking $10 million from the actor. Townsend filed her lawsuit over an Instagram post Lopez shared last year, which showed a news clip from 2009 in which Townsend claimed she was suffering a rare neurological disorder called dystonia. She alleged at the time that she developed the condition after receiving a flu shot, and she was seen slurring her words and gyrating for the cameras. The news team then followed Townsend as she began acting normally and driving a car, implying she was faking. Lopez shared the video and captioned it: 'There's gotta be some kind of award for this performance… #MethodActor #OscarWorthy.' After Townsend served him with a lawsuit at his home on Father's Day earlier this year, Lopez got a temporary restraining order against her - and was recently back in court trying to make the order permanent. Townsend told Radar Online that when Lopez took the stand, he 'completely lost it' at her. 'He screamed, actually screamed, on the witness stand,' she claimed. 'He was so "pissed", as he categorized it, that the judge had to calm him down. 'He had a full-blown outburst, yelling that I was '"crazy, unhinged, and a stalker." And yes, he said all that while shouting.' Townsend is set to be cross-examined by Lopez's attorney later in the week, and is likely to be grilled about a video she shared online showing her surprising Lopez at his home. The actor was seen shirtless in the video confronting Townsend outside his home, refusing to open his gate and yelling at her. As he called her a 'crazy b****', Townsend told a process server to throw the lawsuit through his gate. 'See you in court, Mario,' she said as she left his home. Lopez subsequently filed a restraining order against Townsend, saying in court documents that he 'was harmed by the most recent harassment when Ms. Townsend arrived at his home on Father's Day with a process server.' He said she was 'causing chaos and fear for his young children and family members who witnessed the event.' 'She then escalated the harm by posting a video of the service on TikTok, exposing his family and home address to millions of viewers, placing them at risk of further harassment, public ridicule, and potential physical danger,' the documents said. Townsend filed her lawsuit over an Instagram post Lopez shared of news clip from 2009, in which the then-cheerleader claimed she was suffering a rare neurological disorder called dystonia and gyrated in front of the cameras Lopez obtained a restraining order against Townsend after she showed up at his home, which she said surprised her as 'he's escalating this into a public spectacle when it could have been resolved quietly through civil litigation' Townsend told Radar that she was baffled by the restraining order, and said: 'I truly don't understand what he's thinking.' 'He's escalating this into a public spectacle when it could have been resolved quietly through civil litigation,' she said. 'Filing for a restraining order feels like a clickbait tactic, and from both a PR and legal standpoint, it's likely to backfire. Especially when the very behavior he's calling 'harassment' is precisely what he did to me.' Townsend's lawsuit against Lopez for defamation is still pending, and is based on his Instagram post sharing the archival footage of Townsend with 'dystonia.' She became widely known as the 'vaccine cheerleader' when she made the claims in 2009, and was mocked for appearing to fake her symptoms. It is unclear if Lopez and Townsend have any other connection besides the actor sharing the TV news footage to his Instagram over a year ago.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Stalker ‘fixated' with Anna Friel ordered to stay away from actor's home
A 71-year-old stalker 'fixated' with Anna Friel has been ordered by a judge not to contact the actor and keep away from the area where she lives. Phil Appleton sent Friel messages, turned up at her home and left her unwanted gifts over a period of almost three years. Appleton, from Berkshire, was due to stand trial and Friel had been called to give evidence with the prosecution requesting 'special measures' for her to help manage 'fear and distress'. Special measures can include giving evidence from behind a screen or using a video link to make the experience less daunting and allow a witness to give better evidence. However, the trial was called off earlier this week after Appleton pleaded guilty to stalking. Reading crown court heard on Thursday that a psychiatrist had diagnosed him with bipolar disorder and erotomania, which is characterised by an individual's delusions of another person being in love with them. The psychiatrist said Appleton would need close monitoring by mental health professionals and he had not been able to say whether his fixation would end, the court was told. James Bloomer KC, for Appleton, said he had complied with previous bail conditions including not to contact Friel and was prepared to accept a lifelong restraining order. He said his client had spent more than five months in Bullingdon prison, Oxfordshire, and in Prospect Park psychiatric hospital in Berkshire. The barrister said Appleton had learned from being detained and was 'absolutely determined' to do rehabilitative work. Judge Alan Blake asked probation services to prepare a report on Appleton, saying he had a 'lack of full understanding and acknowledgment of the impact of his behaviour on the victim'. He said: 'It is more likely [that] consistent treatment will help him to contain his feeling and reduce the risk of stalking. It is plain that, on a number of occasions, Mr Appleton has indicated that he does not think he is unwell or needs to take his medication and has desisted in so doing.' The judge agreed to bail Appleton, but declined to allow to him to stay at an address in France, instead ordering him to stay at a family member's address in Suffolk. Appleton was ordered not to contact Friel and a family member of hers and was excluded from the area where Friel lives, which will be enforced by an electronic monitoring tag. Appleton admitted one count of stalking without fear, alarm or distress between 1 January 2022 and 11 December last year. He is due to be sentenced on 18 September. A website under his name appears to suggest Appleton has worked as an actor and pilot. Friel, 49, rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. She has been praised for her performance in the drama Unforgivable, which was released on the BBC last month. In the UK, the National Stalking Helpline is on 0808 802 0300 or email via their inquiry form. In the US, resources are available at
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Denise Richards steps out with 'black eye' days after cop confrontation at ex Aaron Phypers' home
Denise Richards sparked concern as she stepped out with an apparent black eye this week just days after getting confronted by cops at her ex Aaron Phypers' home. The 54-year-old actress, whose split from Phypers, 52, was revealed last month, was granted a temporary restraining order against Phypers on July 16, after accusing him of years of physical and emotional abuse - which he has denied. However Richards was seen arriving at Phypers' Calabasas home on Sunday before police were called. Amid the drama in her personal life, Richards stepped out in Calabasas on Tuesday with a large dark shadow around her right eye and a dark mark below her chin. The make-up free star looked somber as she strolled with sources telling TMZ her apparent bruises were 'just lighting and shadow'. They added she also underwent microneedling and a PRP injection. Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Denise Richards for comment and has yet to hear back. Sources told TMZ Richards arrived 'unannounced' at Phypers' home last week and 'started banging on a back door, demanding to be let inside.' Phypers saw this and immediately left due to concern over the restraining order. Phypers' parents let Richards inside and it was claimed she 'barged in, demanded the dog' and 'screamed at his parents that they needed to get out of the house, putting her finger in their faces.' The publication claims she allegedly began 'swinging' at Phypers' brother Brett and 'throwing mail at him.' Brett was later pictured standing by Richards' parked Corvette as they waited for police. Richards was seen being questioned by three Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies outside the home, with police concluding 'there was no crime committed and no arrests were made.' A distraught Phypers was seen consoling his 'terrified and shaken up' mom after Richards' visit - which marks the latest explosive chapter in the pair's acrimonious divorce. Richards' divorce attorney Brett Berman told Daily Mail in a statement that 'Ms. Richards did not violate a restraining order' and had only entered the home when Phypers was not there. 'On August 3, 2025, after confirming that Mr. Phypers was not present in her home. Richards entered the home to retrieve her dogs' Berman continued. Berman claimed that Richards did so 'after learning that Mr. Phypers had put down one of her other dogs without her knowledge or permission.' Phypers denied these 'absolutely false' accusations' to the Daily Mail and said: 'Denise's actions are willfully intentional in the slander and destruction of what is left of a family. He further claimed: 'This is after Denise chose to carry on an adulterous affair - after being caught not once, not twice, but three times.' In California, victims named as the 'protected person' in a restraining order will not get into trouble for contacting the person against whom the order was taken out. However, the person who is restrained by the order may use it as evidence to dismiss the order in future court proceedings. After Aaron filed divorce paperwork on July 7, Richards hit back a week later with a request for a temporary restraining order that included a laundry list of domestic abuse allegations — all of which her husband has denied. Her estranged husband has since denied all allegations of abuse, while a source close to Phypers told the Daily Mail that her black eye was actually the result of a drunken fall. He said he is waiting for an upcoming August court hearing in which a judge will decide if the order is lifted, and until then, he is banned from going near his estranged wife and their adopted daughter Eloise, 14, whom he says he adores and misses terribly. It comes days after Phypers alleged that she has been having a months-long affair with a former special forces soldier named Rudy Reyes. He claimed in a detailed letter to 'family and close friends' that Reyes has showered her with X-rated photos and videos, including a graphic clip that shows him naked and pleasuring himself. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, the Wild Things actress' outraged husband claimed he caught wind of his wife's alleged affair in April. He said she had promised to break it off, only for him to catch her lying about another hook-up with 53-year-old Rudy that took place at a Hilton Garden Inn in Burbank, California, the following month. He claimed his discovery of the May tryst then led to an explosive argument over the July 4th holiday weekend, during which she smashed his phone. Phypers was the founder of the Malibu wellness center, Q360 Club (also known as Quantum 360), until he chose to shut it down last year, on October 1, 2024. According to his petition for divorce, filed on July 7, he has not made any income since. Richards, allegedly makes $250,000 per month from being on OnlyFans, TV shows, having brand deals and doing appearances, he noted in the income and expense declaration obtained by the Daily Mail. He's requesting spousal support since he alleges his monthly expenses total $105,000, and is demanding he and Richards split 50 percent of their production company, Smoke & Mirrors Entertainment.
