Texas AG opens investigation into 'suspicious donations' made to Harris campaign through Democratic group

With Election Day lone 15 days away, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is sounding the alarm astir a fashionable progressive fundraising level that helium says is interfering successful the statesmanlike election.

"Our probe into ActBlue has uncovered facts indicating that atrocious actors tin illegally interfere successful American elections by disguising governmental donations," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote successful a connection connected X.

"It is imperative that the FEC adjacent disconnected the avenues we person identified by which overseas contributions oregon contributions successful excess of ineligible limits could beryllium unlawfully funneled to governmental campaigns, bypassing run concern regulations and compromising our electoral system," helium continued.

In December 2023, Paxton opened an probe into ActBlue to find whether the platform’s operations were compliant with each applicable laws.

HOUSE GOP DEMANDS FEC PROBE 'POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL' ACTBLUE FUNDRAISING AS DEM PLATFORM HAULS HARRIS MILLIONS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks astatine the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) successful Dallas, Texas, U.S., August 5, 2022. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

Then successful August 2024, Paxton revealed that an probe into ActBlue determined the radical began requiring donors utilizing recognition cards to supply "CVV" codes, a communal information measure. However, Paxton said it appeared that "straw donations" were systematically being made utilizing mendacious identities, done untraceable outgo methods. 

"I americium calling connected the FEC to instantly statesman rulemaking to unafraid our elections from immoderate transgression actors exploiting these vulnerabilities," Paxton said.

ActBlue targets small-dollar donations, the Hill archetypal reported, and has been an integral portion of the Democratic fundraising structure, collecting an estimated $1.5 cardinal from astir 7 cardinal donors.

While that influx of currency was divided among astir 19,000 campaigns, an excessive magnitude has gone to the highest illustration races. In conscionable the archetypal fewer days of the Harris campaign, for example, donors gave her $200 million through the platform, per ActBlue’s relationship connected the societal level X, the Hill reported.

‘SERIOUS LOOPHOLE’: GOP WIDENS PROBE INTO ACTBLUE, DEM FUNDRAISING PLATFORM HELPING HARRIS RAISE MILLIONS

Texas AG Ken Paxton goes aft Democratic fundraising arsenic GOP outspent successful cardinal races. (Fox News)

In September, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) introduced a measure that would necessitate governmental committees to cod CVVs — the three- oregon four-digit "card verification value" connected the backmost of a recognition paper — on with political donations.

Steil, who chairs the Committee connected House Administration, sent a missive to apical FEC officials urging them to "immediately initiate an exigency rulemaking to necessitate governmental campaigns to verify the paper verification worth (‘CVV’) of donors who lend online utilizing a recognition oregon debit card, and to prohibit governmental campaigns from accepting online contributions from a acquisition paper oregon different prepaid recognition cards." The Aug. 5 petition came successful effect to accusations that ActBlue is skirting run donation laws that let for rampant fraud connected the site.

Paxton’s bureau has said antecedently that "secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic."

Back successful August, Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., besides sent a missive to the FEC demanding an probe into the aforesaid allegations Paxton has present brought to attention.

Tenney, who co-chairs the House Election Integrity Caucus, cited successful the missive addressed to FEC Chair Sean Cooksey and Vice Chair Ellen Weintraub "significant nationalist reporting connected anomalous transaction enactment involving hundreds of thousands of dollars." According to the agency's publically disposable data, Tenney wrote, "numerous individuals person allegedly donated to ActBlue thousands of times annually." However, "it was reported galore of these individuals were unaware their names and addresses were being utilized to marque thousands of dollars successful governmental donations." 

HOUSE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE PROBES DEMOCRAT FUNDRAISER ACTBLUE OVER REPORTS OF ILLICIT CASH FLOWS

House Committee connected Administration Chair Bryan Steil is probing the Democratic fundraising elephantine that's helped Vice President Kamala Harris bring successful millions. (Getty Images)

"Given the deliberate deficiency of information successful their donation practices, it is unsurprising that ActBlue could beryllium exploited for fraudulent activities," Tenney wrote. "Recognizing that overseas actors usage fake accounts to exploit donation systems lacking robust verification safeguards, astir idiosyncratic campaigns and governmental enactment committees (PACs) necessitate CVV numbers to donate online. However, contempt its wide usage among its online counterparts, ActBlue deliberately chooses not to necessitate CVV numbers for donations, perchance facilitating fraudulent activities and overseas interference successful our electoral system." 

Tenney specifically urged the FEC to analyse "anomalous transaction enactment arsenic it relates to donations to ActBlue," and reply whether the FEC had already examined anomalous transaction enactment oregon ActBlue's lax verification processes. If so, the congresswoman asked the FEC to supply "a elaborate summary of the results of that investigation." 

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The FEC declined to remark connected the letter. Fox News Digital reached retired to ActBlue regarding the allegations, but it did not instantly respond.

Whistleblowers person besides reported the receipt of a important fig of donations from retirees surviving connected a fixed income, and hundreds of donations of $2.50 from the aforesaid individual, according to the committee.

The tract has been utilized to raise millions of dollars for Harris arsenic she takes connected erstwhile President Trump successful November.

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.