So This Happened....

He obviously is unfamiliar with the attorney general of Texas. https://t.co/c8pJysjmjM

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) February 9, 2022

Ken Paxton is trying to stay to the right of Louie Gohmert:

GoFundMe said it will not release funds to Freedom Convoy organizers and instead work with them to send all remaining money to verified charities. Donors can also ask for a refund by Feb. 19, the site said.

In deciding to investigate, Paxton noted many Texans contributed to the “worthy cause” and should know “where their hard-earned money is going, rather than allowing GoFundMe to divert money to another cause without the consent of Texas citizens.”

Invoking the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Paxton’s office demanded the company release a range of documents by the end of the month, including any communications with the U.S. or Canadian governments. GoFundMe did not immediately return a request for comment.

GoFundMe doesn't want to get involved in the fracas that has become the protest in Ottawa.

“We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.”

This does not mean GoFundMe took funds from donors under false pretenses, unlike, say Donald Trump's clickbait scheme where one-time on-line donors had to positively opt out of having their bank accounts emptied and their credit cards maxed out by that GOP money-grab.  Odd Paxton didn't want to defend the right of Texans to know where their hard-earned was going that time.

Which, effectively, spins this down as rapidly as Paxton can spin it up. Note, first, the Texas AG is only investigating.  Not DTPA suit has been brought against GoFundMe, nor will it be.  Their terms of service are plain.  Nothing in their statement is a surprise to any user of the site.   Offering refunds or having the money sent to other charities as agreed to by the organizers of this funding campaign, rather leaves GoFundMe out of any serious charge of fraud or deceptive trade practices.

Any serious charge.  Paxton is not bringing a serious charge.  Paxton is starting to sweat the March primaries, because early voting begins soon. If this had involved a campaign to fund AOC's re-election and GoFundMe had found reason to shut that down, Paxton wouldn't utter a peep.

And in breaking fun related news:

NEW: A group of Trump allies have been privately pressuring Donald Trump to rescind his endorsement of @GregAbbott_TX as the primary heats up.Donors & operatives have been sharing w/Trump's staff stories about an Abbott staffer who trashed Trump on Twitterhttps://t.co/FD273kFVaV

— Brian Schwartz (@schwartzbCNBC) February 9, 2022

This could get interesting:

At a Donald Trump rally in Conroe last week, Gov. Greg Abbott took the stage ahead of the former president to speak to crowds of conservatives waving American flags.

The governor was booed. Not by the whole crowd, but loudly enough by a group of Trump supporters, members of his own party, that it was distinctly audible to those watching livestreams of the event.

These are some of the Texans who Abbott has lost over complaints that he is not doing enough to deliver on conservative values. Those discontented Republicans are backing Abbott’s opponents this primary season, hoping for a fresh face to take on Democratic frontrunner Beto O’Rourke.

I'm hoping for the same thing.  Because I think anybody to the right of Abbott in the general could scare the piss out of the suburban housewives vote, and put Beto in the Governor's Mansion.