Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against ActBlue
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Monday that he has filed a lawsuit against the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue. He claims that ActBlue has misled donors regarding the protections in place to prevent fraudulent foreign political contributions.
In a post on X, Paxton said, “I just filed a landmark lawsuit against ActBlue for lying and deceiving the American people about the donation process that allowed fraudulent foreign donations.”
The lawsuit, which was submitted to Tarrant County District Court, seeks to prohibit ActBlue from accepting donations via gift cards and prepaid debit cards, as well as impose civil penalties and cover attorney fees.
Paxton asserted, “The radical left relies on ActBlue as a means to funnel foreign donations and dark money into their political campaigns to subvert our laws and undermine the integrity of our elections.” He added, “ActBlue lied to Congress and the American people, and I guarantee justice will be served.”
He emphasized that the government has ignored state laws against deceptive practices and must face consequences. “Fair elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and we will work to keep illegal campaign contributions under the radar,” he stated.
Texas Accuses ActBlue of Misleading Practices
The lawsuit is based on Texas’s claims under the Texas False Trade Practices Act, alleging that ActBlue engaged in false and misleading practices by advertising its services as secure, while still allowing payment methods that might facilitate illegal donations.
It’s important to note that the allegations made in the lawsuit are still unproven in court. Texas claims that ActBlue falsely stated it had improved its donor screening and stopped accepting certain risky payment methods, yet it continued processing donations that could hide donor identities.
The lawsuit highlights concerns about gift cards and prepaid debit cards, suggesting they can be misused without the same identification requirements as standard payment methods.
Ongoing Investigations and Accusations
Paxton’s team stated that the lawsuit originates from an investigation that started in 2023 to determine whether ActBlue allowed donor fraud in violation of Texas law. In 2024, they took their concerns to the Federal Election Commission, alleging that dubious figures were still using the platform for illegal donations.
Recent reports and the Attorney General’s own investigation, he claims, show ActBlue’s public statements about its security measures were untrue.
ActBlue told investigators that it had ceased accepting gift card donations and implemented various checks to prevent illegal contributions. However, Texas alleges these claims were false, as investigators were able to make donations using gift cards, including funds sent to the Democratic National Committee and local Texas candidates.
The lawsuit further states that ActBlue acknowledged internally that its statements regarding donation safeguards were misleading and indicated a “significant risk” of potentially accepting prohibited foreign contributions.
The Democratic National Committee has claimed an existing debt of over $17.5 million, as reported to the FEC.
As part of the ongoing investigations, reports from various House committees have indicated that ActBlue has relaxed its fraud prevention rules despite ongoing issues with fraudulent activities. Documents reportedly reveal that ActBlue executives are aware of the platform’s misuse but have not acted decisively to counter it.
Founded in 2004, ActBlue has facilitated more than $16 billion in contributions for Democratic and progressive candidates, with Texas stating that it processed $1.78 billion in donations in 2025 alone.
