A judge has blocked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit against Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- A federal judge blocked a lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue.
In a 15-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns granted ActBlue a preliminary injunction banning Paxton from continuing the litigation, finding that ActBlue was likely to win in its claims that the suit infringed on its First Amendment's free-speech protections.
The judge said the suit was filed in retaliation of ActBlue raising funds for James Talarico, who is running for Senate against Paxton.
"The lawsuit in Texas is undoubtedly an adverse action," Stearns wrote in the 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."
