Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton scored a major court victory, filed a consumer protection lawsuit, and took aim at a major political fundraising platform — all in the same week.
It has been a busy stretch for the Texas Office of the Attorney General. Here’s a look at three significant actions from AG Ken Paxton’s office.
Fifth Circuit Rules: Ten Commandments Stay in Texas Classrooms
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Senate Bill 10 will remain in effect, meaning the Ten Commandments must be displayed in public school classrooms across Texas.
Paxton’s office secured the initial hearing en banc — meaning the full court, rather than a smaller panel — and the Fifth Circuit upheld the law in its entirety. The ruling reverses what had been a legal challenge that threatened to block the displays.
“This is a major victory for Texas and our moral values,” said Paxton. “My office was proud to defend SB 10 and successfully ensure that the Ten Commandments will be displayed in classrooms across Texas. The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day.”
AG Sues California Kratom Retailers Over Illegal Potency Levels
Paxton filed a lawsuit against two California-based online kratom retailers — Pure Leaf Kratom, LLC and Outcast Distribution, LLC — for selling kratom products into Texas with 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) concentrations as high as 96 percent. Texas law caps that alkaloid at 2 percent. That makes the products sold by these companies nearly 50 times over the legal limit.
7-OH is a potent alkaloid that is more than 20 times stronger than morphine. The Texas Kratom Consumer Health and Safety Protection Act, passed by the Legislature in 2023, established strict potency limits and prohibited synthetic additives to protect consumers from exactly this kind of product.
The OAG’s investigation found that both companies shipped prohibited products to Texas customers despite claiming on their websites that they do not ship synthetic kratom or products exceeding the 2 percent 7-OH limit. Laboratory testing confirmed those representations were false, with tested products containing 7-OH levels ranging from 86 to 96 percent of total alkaloid content.
“I will not allow California-based companies to illegally ship their potentially deadly substances into Texas,” said Paxton. “Synthetic kratom products can be incredibly dangerous, and my office will continue to work to protect Texas consumers from the harms of adulterated kratom products.”
This lawsuit is part of a broader initiative. Paxton’s office previously sued North Texas kratom retailers operating as Smokey’s Paradise in Midlothian, securing a temporary injunction that stopped the business from selling illegal products.
Paxton Sues ActBlue Over Alleged Donor Fraud
Paxton filed a lawsuit against ActBlue, the major left-wing political fundraising platform that has processed more than $16 billion since its founding in 2004, alleging the organization misled consumers, Congress, and the public about its donor vetting practices — and that its systems allow fraudulent and foreign contributions to flow into American political campaigns.
The OAG opened an investigation into ActBlue in 2023 and sent a Petition for Rulemaking to the Federal Election Commission in 2024 outlining concerns about suspicious donation patterns. ActBlue subsequently claimed it had corrected the problematic practices.
Paxton’s lawsuit alleges that was not true. According to the OAG, ActBlue’s own outside counsel acknowledged the organization’s representations about its safeguards were inaccurate, as reported by The New York Times. Investigators from the OAG also confirmed that ActBlue continues to accept gift card donations — something the company had claimed it stopped — which allows donations to be processed without identification, creating a pathway for fraudulent or foreign contributions prohibited under state and federal election law.
“ActBlue lied to Congress and to the American people, and I will ensure justice is served,” said Paxton. “Fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and I will work to ensure no illegal campaign donation flies under the radar.”
For more information on actions from the Texas Office of the Attorney General, visit texasattorneygeneral.gov.
