Democratic challenger files FEC complaint alleging Ken Paxton’s use of dark-money network

Riley Talarico’s campaign has formally asked the Federal Election Commission to probe Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign for allegedly using a dark-money structure to sidestep contribution limits. The allegation centers on Preserve Texas Inc., a Virginia nonprofit incorporated by Paxton’s treasurer John Plishka, which reportedly funneled more than $1 million to the pro-Paxton super PAC Lone Star Liberty between February and May.

Talarico’s manager Seth Krasne argues this violates the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act’s source-restriction and reporting rules. Lone Star Liberty responded that it complies with all laws, and Preserve Texas’s spokesperson Preya Samsundar described the group as an independent 501(c)(4) with no strategic role for Plishka. Legal scholars say the complaint raises a plausible claim, but the FEC’s lack of a quorum makes action before the November election doubtful. The dispute unfolds amid a record-breaking influx of anonymous political money, with the Texas Senate contest alone attracting multi-million-dollar ad buys and contributing to one outlet estimate of roughly $1 billion in dark-money spending for 2026.