AG Paxton Pushes For FEC Action After Texas Investigation Uncovers ActBlue Fraud

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to strengthen regulations after his office uncovered alleged fraud in political donations made through ActBlue. The year-long investigation, launched in December 2023, found that prepaid credit cards were used to make suspicious donations, raising concerns about potential violations of campaign finance laws.

According to Paxton, prepaid cards are being used to hide the true identities of donors, a tactic often referred to as straw donations. These donations allow individuals to bypass legal contribution limits and hide the source of political funds. Paxton warned that this practice could enable foreign money to enter U.S. elections.

ActBlue introduced a requirement in August for donors to provide CVV codes when making credit card donations. However, Paxton believes that this change does not address the root of the problem. “These loopholes are still being exploited, and the FEC needs to act now to secure our elections,” Paxton stated.

Paxton’s petition to the FEC calls for new rules that would close the loopholes identified by his investigation. He emphasized that if these issues are not addressed, it could compromise the integrity of future elections.

The investigation has sparked debate over the security of political fundraising platforms and how they handle small-dollar donations.