Federal judge blocks lawsuit against ActBlue

The Hill - A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled Thursday that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) cannot move forward with a donation-vetting lawsuit against progressive fundraising platform ActBlue.  District Judge Richard G. Stearns blocked Paxton from “continuing to litigate” the case, finding that ActBlue was likely to succeed in its claims that the action infringed on its First Amendment’s free-speech protections.

The court sided with ActBlue’s argument that the lawsuit amounted to “retaliation” for its role in fundraising for Democratic candidates, namely Paxton’s opponent in the Texas Senate race, state Rep. James Talarico (D).

“The lawsuit in Texas is undoubtedly an adverse action,” Stearns, an appointee of former President Clinton, wrote in a 15-page order. “And 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’s fundraising on behalf of Talarico, Paxton’s current political rival for the Senate seat.”