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.

Paxton sued O’Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, last week, arguing that the group was deceptively fundraising for and illegally supporting Texas Democrats’ walkout.