Paxton’s Baseless Attempt to Revoke JOLT’s Tax-Exempt Status
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2025
CONTACT: Imelda Mejia, 512-212-1758, [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Freedom Network today released a statement in support of Jolt Initiative, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing the civic participation of young Texas Latinos, after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a Quo Warranto lawsuit seeking to revoke Jolt’s corporate charter.
Paxton’s lawsuit comes after the attorney general dropped his initial investigation into Jolt, which started in August 2024.
Texas Freedom Network Executive Director Felicia Martin released the following statement:
“Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s baseless attack on Jolt threatens every civic organization in Texas that helps young people exercise their constitutional rights.
“Jolt has long played a vital role in engaging young people, especially young Latino voters, by providing accurate, nonpartisan voter registration and civic education. Their work strengthens our democracy and empowers the next generation of Texans to have the tools and information they need to participate fully in public life. These are core values that Texans across the political spectrum should support.
“But Paxton’s attack on Jolt is not just about one organization. It is a warning shot aimed at every group in Texas that dares to help young people exercise their rights. This reckless misuse of state power threatens organizations across the Texas Youth Power Alliance and the broader nonprofit community, groups that work tirelessly and lawfully to make sure every eligible voter can participate in our elections.
“These tactics are the textbook example of voter intimidation: state leaders singling out civic organizations for doing their jobs and helping communities that have historically been underrepresented gain a voice in our democracy. This is not how responsible leaders behave.
“Texas Freedom Network strongly affirms the importance of lawful, nonpartisan voter engagement and the critical role organizations like Jolt play in helping young Texans participate in our democracy. Efforts that target or intimidate groups working to register voters, especially young people and young people of color, undermine the long-term health of our state’s democratic institutions.
“Texans deserve a government that protects the right to vote, not one that targets nonprofits for encouraging participation. We call on state leaders, community organizations, and the public to reject these politically motivated attacks and affirm that helping young people engage in their democracy is a necessity.”
On November 11, 2025, Jolt brought a new federal lawsuit challenging Paxton’s current and prior suit.
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