Paxton filed a lawsuit against ActBlue in late April, claiming the platform allows improper donations from people outside the United States and those who have already hit the mandated donor limits.
ActBlue, a political donations platform that is primarily used by Democratic candidates, has sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, alleging that the series of investigations and litigation Paxton has initiated against the company is politically motivated.
Paxton filed a lawsuit against ActBlue in late April, claiming that ActBlue allows improper donations from people outside the United States and those who have already hit the mandated donor limits. He opened an investigation into ActBlue in December 2023, and the next year, sent a letter to the Federal Elections Commission, claiming he had uncovered evidence that “bad actors can illegally interfere in American elections by disguising political donations.”
ActBlue’s lawsuit, filed in federal court Friday, says Paxton initiated undercover investigations into the fundraising platform the day after Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico announced he had raised a record-setting $2.5 million in 24 hours.
“The timing of Paxton fighting for his political life in his run for U.S. Senate and his use of the Attorney General’s office to attack ActBlue, should not be lost on anyone,” said Lawrence Oliver, chief legal officer at ActBlue. “He is wasting taxpayer dollars to benefit his political ambitions.”
Background: ActBlue is the main platform used by Democratic candidates and causes. Since its founding, more than 28 million people have donated through ActBlue, which processed $1.78 billion last year alone.
The group began facing pressure from Republican members of Congress in 2023, which Paxton followed by opening an investigation into Texas-based donations. In August 2024, Paxton claimed victory, saying ActBlue had agreed to start requiring CVV codes on credit card donations.
In April 2025, Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate ActBlue, heightening fears among Democrats about the political targeting of the infrastructure that allows them to fundraise. Paxton also involved ActBlue in his investigation of Texas Democratic House members who left the state in the summer 2025 to protest mid-decade redistricting.
The compounding investigations have led to internal turmoil at ActBlue, The New York Times reported. Earlier this month, the newspaper reported that ActBlue lawyers raised concerns that the company’s systems were not as robust as top executives had told congressional Republicans that they were.
What Paxton is saying: Citing that recent reporting, Paxton filed his lawsuit on April 20, saying that ActBlue “lied to Congress and to the American people.”
“It has blatantly ignored state law that prohibits deceptive practices, and it must pay for its illegal conduct,” Paxton said. “Fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and I will work to ensure no illegal campaign donation flies under the radar.”
He is suing in state court under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, a consumer protection statute he has deployed repeatedly over the last year to go after left-leaning organizations. The civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation could be significant if the judge were to rule against the company.
Source: Eleanor Klibanoff,
Photo Credit: Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform. Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune
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