Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently made headlines by filing a criminal referral against the Department of Justice (DOJ) for alleged interference in the upcoming presidential election. Paxton’s investigation revealed that ActBlue, a popular progressive fundraising platform, may be used by “bad actors” to make illegal campaign contributions.
According to Paxton, these contributions are being made anonymously through ActBlue’s platform in the names of other individuals, potentially violating several laws, including those related to wire fraud, identity theft, and making contributions in someone else’s name. The Attorney General called on the DOJ to take immediate action to address this issue and prevent further illegal activity in the election process.
ActBlue is known for targeting small-dollar donations and has played a significant role in Democratic fundraising efforts, collecting an estimated $1.5 billion from millions of donors. While the platform has supported thousands of campaigns, concerns have been raised about the excessive amounts of money flowing into high-profile races, such as Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, which reportedly received $200 million in just a few days through ActBlue.
Paxton’s letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland also included a petition to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and called for changes to close alleged loopholes that could be exploited to funnel money illegally into American elections. The Attorney General emphasized the need to address these issues promptly to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
This recent development comes after Paxton launched an investigation into ActBlue in December 2023 to assess the platform’s compliance with relevant laws. Subsequent findings revealed that while ActBlue implemented certain security measures, such as requiring donors to provide CVV codes for credit card transactions, there were still concerns about the use of false identities and untraceable payment methods for making donations.
In response to these findings, Paxton made a criminal referral to the DOJ, urging immediate action to prevent election fraud and uphold election rules. The Attorney General’s efforts to address these issues highlight the importance of transparency and accountability in the electoral process, ensuring that all contributions are made lawfully and in accordance with existing regulations.
As this story continues to unfold, it underscores the significance of maintaining the integrity of campaign finance laws and preventing illicit activities that could undermine the democratic process. By holding individuals and organizations accountable for their actions, authorities like Attorney General Paxton seek to safeguard the fairness and legitimacy of elections, upholding the principles of democracy and public trust.
