According to Paxton, foreign money as well as domestic money that is greater than the legal limits are being funneled through “straw donations” to enrich Democrat campaigns and leftist causes.

As he noted on 𝕏:

Our investigation into ActBlue has uncovered facts indicating that bad actors can illegally interfere in American elections by disguising political donations.

It is imperative that the FEC close off the avenues we have identified by which foreign contributions or contributions in excess of legal limits could be unlawfully funneled to political campaigns, bypassing campaign finance regulations and compromising our electoral system.

I am calling on the FEC to immediately begin rulemaking to secure our elections from any criminal actors exploiting these vulnerabilities.

BREAKING: Our investigation into ActBlue has uncovered facts indicating that bad actors can illegally interfere in American elections by disguising political donations.

It is imperative that the FEC close off the avenues we have identified by which foreign contributions or… pic.twitter.com/8E5vfaYxDL

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) October 21, 2024

Here’s the news story from Bethany Blankley at The Center Square:

AG Paxton: Texas Investigation Into ActBlue Uncovers Suspicious Donations

(The Center Square) – A nearly year-long investigation into ActBlue, a Democratic Party online donation platform, alleges a large number of suspicious donations have been made, resulting in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton petitioning the Federal Election Commission to get involved.

On Monday, Paxton petitioned the FEC to consider implementing new regulations to prevent straw donations from being made on online political fundraising platforms.

Since launching the investigation, Paxton said it’s been publicly reported that potentially fraudulent transactions have occurred on political committee online platforms.

“Certain platforms appear to facilitate straw donor transactions, where a contributor disguises his identity by attributing his contribution to another, unaware person,” the petition states.

Alleged straw donations are being made through the use of prepaid credit cards, which he says “are a favorite tool of fraudsters.”

Paxton’s office launched an investigation into ActBlue in December to determine if the platform’s operations were compliant with all applicable laws. In response to the investigation, Act Blue implemented a new measure in August requiring donors using credit cards to provide “CVV” codes. Paxton says this alone isn’t enough to prevent straw political donations from being made.

The OAG’s investigation says it found a large number of suspicious donations that were made “through obscured identities and untraceable means,” necessitating FEC action.

Through the use of prepaid cards it “appears that straw donations are systematically being made using false identities, through untraceable payment methods,” Paxton said.

Texas’ FEC petition includes partially redacted findings from the OAG’s investigation and recommends that the FEC implement regulations to close fundraising loopholes “that jeopardize American election integrity.” The FEC previously considered implementing such regulations, which ActBlue vocally opposed.

ActBlue’s opposition “is no longer tenable” in light of Texas’ investigation, Paxton said. “If not corrected by the FEC, bad actors can – with trivial ease – illegally funnel foreign money into American elections, exceed political contribution limits, and more.”

“Certain platforms appear to facilitate straw donor transactions, where a contributor disguises his identity by attributing his contribution to another, unaware person,” the petition states.

Alleged straw donations are being made through the use of prepaid credit cards, which he says “are a favorite tool of fraudsters.”

Paxton’s office launched an investigation into ActBlue in December to determine if the platform’s operations were compliant with all applicable laws. In response to the investigation, Act Blue implemented a new measure in August requiring donors using credit cards to provide “CVV” codes. Paxton says this alone isn’t enough to prevent straw political donations from being made.

The OAG’s investigation says it found a large number of suspicious donations that were made “through obscured identities and untraceable means,” necessitating FEC action.

Through the use of prepaid cards it “appears that straw donations are systematically being made using false identities, through untraceable payment methods,” Paxton said.

Texas’ FEC petition includes partially redacted findings from the OAG’s investigation and recommends that the FEC implement regulations to close fundraising loopholes “that jeopardize American election integrity.” The FEC previously considered implementing such regulations, which ActBlue vocally opposed.

ActBlue’s opposition “is no longer tenable” in light of Texas’ investigation, Paxton said. “If not corrected by the FEC, bad actors can – with trivial ease – illegally funnel foreign money into American elections, exceed political contribution limits, and more.”

ActBlue says it’s raised more than $15.8 billion online since 2004.

In the third quarter of fiscal 2024, it says “6.9 million unique donors gave over 31 million contributions to 18,396 campaigns and organizations, totaling over $1.5 billion.”

“This quarter was the largest in ActBlue history,” it said.

Donors gave small amounts totaling $4.2 million to pro-abortion organizations in the quarter, a more than 208% increase from Q3 of 2020. They also gave small amounts totaling more than $5 million to pro-gun control groups, a 48% increase from the same period in 2020, it says.

ActBlue notes that 67.4% of all contributions were made with a saved payment method or digital wallet; 71.8% were made from a mobile device, a 14.8% increase from the third fiscal quarter of 2020.

“The record-breaking surge of small-dollar donations in Q3 2024 has clearly demonstrated the power of grassroots energy in shaping America’s political landscape,” ActBlue said. “As the Democratic Party heads into the final stretch of the campaign, these contributions are fueling races across the country, from local contests to the presidential election. Democrats are positioned to fight for victory in November, driven by this commitment and enthusiasm.”

Last month, U.S. House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. raised concerns with the Treasury Secretary that ActBlue was being used to evade campaign finance laws, The Center Square reported.

The federal and Texas investigations were launched after U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, demanded answers from the FEC in April 2023 about ActBlue’s “schemes to garner illegal campaign donations.”

Rubio cited reports saying that “numerous individuals, including senior citizens, have purportedly donated to ActBlue thousands of times a year” but many “had no idea that their names and addresses were being used to give thousands of dollars in political donations, with most of these ‘donations’ going to ActBlue. It should come as no surprise that ActBlue serves as a vessel for fraud, considering the intentional lack of security engrained within their donation processes and systems.”

Over the last several months, ActBlue has argued that small donations represent “a new standard for grassroots political engagement. Donors from across the nation showed incredible generosity and a new sense of energy and momentum in electing Democrats up and down the ballot.”

Credit cards are not the issue. In fact, the victims whose identities are being used to funnel in donations aren’t even being charged from their own accounts. Large bundles of cash come in, then are distributed as small donations through unsuspecting “donors.” Adding this new security requirement does absolutely nothing to impact the funneling operation. So to us, this is nowhere near being a win. It’s just action so Republican lawmakers can pretend like they’re doing something. With that said, here’s the article…

(The Epoch Times)—ActBlue agreed to tighten its donation security requirements, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who, along with other Republican-controlled states and a congressional committee, is investigating the Democratic fundraising platform.

Paxton said in an Aug. 8 statement that ActBlue has cooperated with the Texas investigation and will now require CVV codes for credit card contributions.

One primary focus of the Texas probe launched in December 2023 involved ActBlue’s failure to require donors to provide CVV codes, which are numerical codes printed on credit cards commonly used to combat credit card fraud.

“ActBlue has been the subject of numerous allegations of illicit activity, including that its platform may enable fraud,” the statement said.

Paxton said his office issued a supplemental civil investigative demand in his ongoing probe to obtain additional information relevant to allegations of wrongdoing regarding ActBlue.

Enforcing the law surrounding elections and campaign contributions is critical, he said.

“Certain features of campaign finance law may incentivize bad actors to use platforms like ActBlue to covertly move money to political campaigns to evade legal requirements,” Paxton said.

State attorneys general from Virginia, Wyoming, and Missouri have launched similar investigations into ActBlue.

ActBlue has denied wrongdoing.

“This investigation is nothing more than a partisan political attack and scare tactic to undermine the power of Democratic and progressive small-dollar donors,” the organization said in a statement on Aug. 2 as Virginia announced its investigation.

Republicans have resorted to “political attacks and spreading false accusations” because they can’t accept that millions of Democrats are donating, according to the group’s statement.

ActBlue did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

On the federal level, Rep. Bryan Steil, (R-Wis.) chairman of the House Administration Committee, initiated a probe into ActBlue last fall amid allegations it facilitated illegal contributions to political committees nationwide.

In an Aug. 5 news release, Steil asked the FEC to require political campaigns to verify online donors’ CVV codes and stop taking donations via prepaid credit cards and gift cards.

In March 2023, O’Keefe Media Group reported that senior citizens in Maryland and elsewhere denied making all the donations attributed to them in Federal Election Commission records.

Donors contacted by O’Keefe Media Group said they made political contributions to ActBlue but had no knowledge of making what amounted to thousands of donations—with some totaling more than $200,000— in a few years.

The media group found similar anomalies in data from WinRed, a Republican platform similar to ActBlue. The House Administration Committee does not appear to be investigating the WinRed fundraising organization.

The Associated Press and Epoch Times reporter Samantha Flom contributed to this report.

Here’s his response:

The ugly spectacle in the Texas House today confirmed the outrageous impeachment plot against me was never meant to be fair or just. It was a politically motivated sham from the beginning. My office made every effort to present evidence, testimony, and irrefutable facts that would have disproven the countless false statements and outright lies advanced by Speaker Dade Phelan and the Murr-Johnson panel he appointed. Unfortunately, they refused to consider anything that would interfere with their desired result. They disregarded the law, ignored the facts, and demonstrated contempt for Texas voters.

Texas voters now know that Speaker Phelan and the corrupt politicians he controls are more focused on political retribution against conservatives than the welfare of the people. Instead of passing critical legislation that would strengthen our border, protect our elections, or stop the Chinese Communist Party from buying up Texas land, they chose to spend the final days of the legislative session smearing me.

Phelan’s coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans is now in lockstep with the Biden Administration, the abortion industry, anti-gun zealots, and woke corporations to sabotage my work as Attorney General, including our ongoing litigation to stop illegal immigration, uphold the rule of law, and protect the constitutional rights of every Texan.

But the people of Texas know that I have always had their back, and in return, they have always had mine. What we witnessed today is not just about me. It is about the corrupt establishment’s eagerness to overpower the millions of Texas voters who already made their voices heard when they overwhelmingly re-elected me.

I am beyond grateful to have the support of millions of Texans who recognize that what we just witnessed is illegal, unethical, and profoundly unjust. I look forward to a quick resolution in the Texas Senate, where I have full confidence the process will be fair and just.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts on my Substack.

But that’s not stopping the RINO-led Texas House from holding impeachment hearings this weekend against him. All it will take is a simple majority vote. Republicans have an 85-64 majority, so just a 11 RINOs are needed to get rid of him.

Is this really over Paxton’s scandals or is there something more nefarious happening? Popular Twitter user TexasLindsay has a theory:

Why are they trying to impeach Texas Attorney General @KenPaxtonTX?

One month ago as reported by @mirandadevine in the NYPost, Paxton announced his new investigation into whether Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson misled Texans on the efficacy and safety of their vaccines and whether they manipulated clinical trial data. Paxton was also looking into whether the pharmaceutical giants engaged in gain-of-function research.

Less than one month after this story came out the House brought impeachment proceedings forward.

Why are they trying to impeach Texas Attorney General @KenPaxtonTX?

One month ago as reported by @mirandadevine in the NYPost, Paxton announced his new investigation into whether Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson misled Texans on the efficacy and safety of their vaccines… pic.twitter.com/yvIniYe8YL

— Te𝕏asLindsay (@TexasLindsay_) May 27, 2023

Big Pharma’s stranglehold over Washington DC is well-documented, but they have as much if not more influence over state legislators where most medical decisions are actually made.

Is Ken Paxton being targeted because he’s going after the big-dollar puppet masters of the Texas Uniparty Swamp? Big Pharma’s political tentacles are long, numerous, and covered up by lawmakers and corporate journalists.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has called on Phelan to resign:

After much consideration, it is with profound disappointment that I call on Speaker Dade Phelan to resign at the end of this legislative session. Texans were dismayed to witness his performance presiding over the Texas House in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication. His conduct has negatively impacted the legislative process and constitutes a failure to live up to his duty to the public. Texans were relying on the House to pass critical conservative priorities including protecting the integrity of our elections and preventing Chinese spies from controlling Texas land. His failures as Speaker have created a credibility crisis for all Republican candidates and for our entire Party. While I hope Speaker Phelan will get the help he needs, he has proven himself unworthy of Texans’ trust and incapable of leading the Texas House.

Speaker Dade Phelan should resign. pic.twitter.com/ZD920VOt1X

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 23, 2023

Hard to argue with that. The Texas GOP has been milquetoast on their best days lately and having a drunk holding the gavel is not doing the party or the state any favors.

Watch: