Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has submitted a Petition for Rulemaking to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), raising concerns about potential misuse of ActBlue’s political fundraising platform. The petition highlights the possibility of straw donations being made through false identities and untraceable payment methods.
In December 2023, Paxton initiated an investigation into ActBlue's compliance with applicable laws. By August 2024, ActBlue had implemented a requirement for donors using credit cards to provide CVV codes as a security measure. However, according to Paxton, this step does not fully address the issues identified by his team.
The findings from Paxton's investigation were shared with the FEC in a partially redacted format. The petition urges the FEC to establish regulations that would close loopholes threatening election integrity. Previously, the FEC considered similar rules but faced opposition from ActBlue. Given the new findings, Paxton argues that such opposition is no longer sustainable.
“Our investigation into ActBlue has uncovered facts indicating that bad actors can illegally interfere in American elections by disguising political donations," said Attorney General Paxton. He emphasized the need for immediate rulemaking by the FEC to prevent unlawful funneling of foreign contributions or contributions exceeding legal limits into political campaigns.
To access the partially redacted Petition for Rulemaking sent to the FEC, interested parties can click here.