Unregistered group gave $1M to PAC backing Paxton

James Talarico’s Senate campaign accused Ken Paxton and Paxton campaign treasurer John Plishka on Wednesday of using a nonprofit tied to Plishka to move more than $1 million into a super PAC backing Paxton. CBS News reported that Preserve Texas, Inc. sent four checks totaling more than $1 million earlier this year to Lone Star Liberty, a super PAC supporting the Texas Republican nominee. Preserve Texas is not registered with the Federal Election Commission as a political committee, CBS reported, and the complaint argues that matters because Plishka allegedly set it up and controls it. Lone Star Liberty said it “fully follows all regulations and laws.” ### What exactly was Preserve Texas, Inc. accused of doing? CBS News reported on September 2 that Preserve Texas, Inc. gave Lone Star Liberty four checks totaling more than $1 million from February to May. The outlet said Preserve Texas had not filed FEC paperwork that would disclose the source of its money and described it as a Virginia-based nonprofit. (cbsnews.com) The Talarico campaign said in its FEC complaint, reviewed by CBS, that Paxton Republicans were “illegally spending dark money outside of the federal contribution limits” to promote Paxton’s candidacy. Seth Krasne, Talarico’s campaign manager, wrote in the complaint that “it appears that Mr. Paxton — via his agent Mr. Plishka — established and controls Preserve Texas Inc.” and used it to influence the race while shielding donors. (cbsnews.com) ### Who is John Plishka, and why is his role central? CBS identified John Plishka as the treasurer for Paxton’s Senate campaign and said Virginia corporate documents show he incorporated Preserve Texas. That link is central to the complaint because federal law bars Senate campaigns from taking corporate money and imposes contribution caps and disclosure rules on direct campaign fundraising. (cbsnews.com) The complaint cited the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act provision meant to stop candidates and their agents from raising money outside federal limits through outside entities, CBS said. The filing argues that if Preserve Texas was established and controlled by Paxton’s agent, then its money should be subject to federal source restrictions, contribution limits and reporting requirements. (cbsnews.com) ### Where did the money go after Preserve Texas wrote the checks? Lone Star Liberty is an active super PAC registered with the FEC on April 2, 2025. FEC committee data show the group had raised more than $10.2 million and reported $1.14 million in other committee contributions through June 30, 2026. CBS and other outlets said Lone Star Liberty this week launched a $15 million advertising campaign across 18 Texas markets over two weeks. (cbsnews.com) Greg Keller, a spokesperson for the PAC, told CBS that the committee “fully follows all regulations and laws” and accused Talarico of hypocrisy over campaign-finance tactics. ### Is this only about Paxton’s side of the race? (fec.gov) The Texas Tribune reported in February that dark-money groups were active across the Texas Senate contest, including on the Democratic side and in the Republican primary. The Tribune wrote that the race was “awash with dark money,” with outside groups on behalf of James Talarico and Wesley Hunt also receiving money from nonprofits that did not disclose donors. (cbsnews.com) That broader pattern does not resolve the new complaint against Paxton. The September 2 filing focuses specifically on whether a candidate’s own agent helped create and control a nonprofit that then financed a super PAC supporting that candidate, according to CBS. ### What happens next? The Federal Election Commission now has Talarico’s complaint, filed Wednesday, September 2. (texastribune.org) FEC election pages for the 2026 Texas Senate race list the federal reporting schedule and note that recently submitted filings may take up to 48 hours to appear. Ken Paxton’s principal campaign committee had reported $9.25 million in total receipts through June 30, according to the FEC candidate overview. (cbsnews.com) Lone Star Liberty’s future filings and any FEC response to Talarico’s complaint are the next public records likely to show whether regulators take further action. (fec.gov 1) (fec.gov 2)