Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked a state court Tuesday to hold former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in criminal contempt for raising money for Democratic lawmakers who are staying out of state, alleging O’Rourke violated a court order restricting his fundraising efforts—and making claims that O’Rourke’s lawyer has slammed as an “outright lie.”

Beto O’Rourke on Tuesday called Ken Paxton a “corrupt, lying thug,” after the attorney general said O’Rourke should be “locked up” for defying a judge’s order.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling on the courts to hold former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke in contempt after the attorney general said O'Rourke defied a court order to stop fundraising for Democrats that fled the state to block a vote on redrawn congressional maps.