Key facts
- A federal judge blocked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from pursuing a lawsuit against ActBlue.
- The judge ruled Paxton's lawsuit was retaliatory and infringed on ActBlue's free speech rights.
- ActBlue argued Paxton sued the platform while campaigning against his Democratic opponent.
- Paxton's lawsuit alleged ActBlue resumed accepting gift cards, a claim contradicted by his investigators' findings.
- ActBlue has helped raise $19 billion for Democratic candidates and causes since its founding in 2004.
A federal judge in Massachusetts has blocked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from proceeding with a lawsuit against the progressive fundraising platform ActBlue, ruling that the action was politically motivated retaliation and infringed on free speech protections. U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns granted a preliminary injunction, agreeing with ActBlue's assertion that Paxton's lawsuit was an adverse action filed in retaliation for the platform's fundraising activities for Democratic candidates, particularly Paxton's opponent in the Texas Senate race, state Rep. James Talarico.
Paxton initiated an investigation into ActBlue in 2023, alleging violations of state law related to donor fraud. In April, he sought to prohibit the platform from accepting contributions via gift cards and prepaid debit cards, claiming it misled the public. ActBlue countered that Paxton's complaint was filled with false allegations and that he pursued the case shortly after Talarico announced a significant fundraising haul. The judge found that Paxton's own investigators had attempted to use gift cards on ActBlue, with all attempts being rejected due to anti-fraud policies, contradicting Paxton's claims.