{"id":2613559,"date":"2026-06-12T09:34:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T13:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-blocks-paxton-from-suing-actblue-over-talarico-concerns\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T09:34:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T13:34:02","slug":"judge-blocks-paxton-from-suing-actblue-over-talarico-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-blocks-paxton-from-suing-actblue-over-talarico-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge blocks Paxton from suing ActBlue over Talarico concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjudge-blocks-paxton-from-suing-actblue-over-talarico-concerns%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2613559&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal judge on Thursday blocked Texas Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\">Ken Paxton<\/a> from suing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/actblue\/\">ActBlue<\/a>, citing concerns that the lawsuit is an attempt to sabotage his political rival\u2019s campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. District Judge Richard Gaylore Stearns\u2019s ruling in Massachusetts marks a loss for Paxton, who filed<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.texasattorneygeneral.gov\/news\/releases\/attorney-general-paxton-files-landmark-lawsuit-against-actblue-deceiving-americans-lying-about-its\"> a lawsuit <\/a>against the Democratic donor platform in April, alleging it was allowing fraudulent and foreign donations and lying about its donor vetting policies and operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4605434\/brad-lander-acquitted-protest-immigration-court\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Brad Lander acquitted of criminal charge over protest at immigration court<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4605434\/brad-lander-acquitted-protest-immigration-court\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Brad Lander acquitted of criminal charge over protest at immigration court<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4605185\/amodei-trump-nevada-david-flippo-democrats-race-replace-him\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Amodei says Trump-backed Nevada candidate gives Democrats a chance in race to replace him<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stearns sided with ActBlue\u2019s counter lawsuit, brought against Paxton in May, in his ruling, arguing that the attorney general\u2019s litigation was little more than a \u201cretaliatory\u201d play against Democratic Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-talarico\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"17710\">James Talarico<\/a>. The judge suggested Paxton felt threatened by Talarico\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4583186\/james-talarico-records-600000-haul-hours-after-ken-paxton-texas-primary-win\/\">fundraising prowess<\/a>, as the two political rivals in the U.S. Texas Senate race compete in November\u2019s general election.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe truth is plain and captured in Paxton\u2019s own declarations: The lawsuit was filed in retaliation for (and in an attempt to suppress) ActBlue\u2019s efforts to fund Talarico\u2019s campaign,\u201d Stearns wrote in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.mad.299811\/gov.uscourts.mad.299811.55.0.pdf\">15-page order<\/a>. \u201c<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe lawsuit in Texas is undoubtedly an adverse action,\u201d he continued. \u201cAnd having previously found bad faith, the court agrees with ActBlue that the evidence in the record compels the conclusion that, far from protecting Texas consumers, the action was filed in retaliation for ActBlue\u2019s fundraising on behalf of Talarico, Paxton\u2019s current political rival for the Senate seat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/actblue\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11578\">ActBlue<\/a>, Democrats\u2019 biggest donor platform, has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3255905\/house-republicans-letter-actblue-donation-fraud-protection-services\/\">long been under scrutiny <\/a>from Republicans over whether vulnerabilities in its donor-vetting system have fueled illegal foreign donations, due in part to concerns it doesn\u2019t require CVV codes on credit card donations and allows contributions through gift cards and prepaid debit cards.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt has blatantly ignored state law that prohibits deceptive practices, and it must pay for its illegal conduct,\u201d Paxton said in April. \u201cFair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and I will work to ensure no illegal campaign donation flies under the radar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <em>New York Times <\/em>report <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4514005\/actblue-congress-foreign-donations\/\">published the same month<\/a> fired up accusations. In internal ActBlue memos, the organization\u2019s lawyers said nonresident foreign nationals could have used third-party payment platforms to make donations, according to the report. Also in the memos, Act Blue\u2019s lawyers warned the company may have misled Congress regarding its efforts to block foreign donations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4529938\/congress-mulls-compelling-testimony-actblue-leadership\/\"><strong>CONGRESS MULLS COMPELLING TESTIMONY FROM ACTBLUE LEADERSHIP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When pressed about allegedly accepting foreign payments during a House hearing on Wednesday, ActBlue\u2019s CEO <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4602869\/actblue-ceo-pleads-the-fifth\/\">repeatedly declined <\/a>to comment, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights. The development came after multiple House committees<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4538704\/actblue-employees-fifth-amendment-depositions\/\"> in April reported <\/a>that senior ActBlue employees refused to answer a single question posed to them by a congressional panel in 2025, instead invoking their Fifth Amendment rights 146 times.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Fifth Amendment is one of America\u2019s most foundational constitutional rights,\u201d a spokesperson for the payment processor said in response to the staff report. \u201cActBlue employees who invoked their rights in the face of a partisan investigation are doing exactly what the founders intended. If we allow Republicans to trample on our protected rights, it will only empower them to attack more organizations and individuals they disagree with.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A federal judge on Thursday blocked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from suing ActBlue, citing concerns that the lawsuit is an attempt to sabotage his political rival\u2019s campaign.\u00a0 U.S. District Judge Richard Gaylore Stearns\u2019s ruling in Massachusetts marks a loss for Paxton, who filed a lawsuit against the Democratic donor platform in April, alleging it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2613560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26147666937642.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2613559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26147666937642.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2613559"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613559\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2613560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2613559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2613559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2613559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}