House Committees Investigate ActBlue for Fraudulent Donations
Three House committees have alleged that ActBlue, a prominent online platform for political donations, has accepted “fraud or illegal” contributions for left-leaning candidates. This claim was made on a Tuesday, as part of ongoing scrutiny into the platform’s practices.
The committees expressed concerns in a letter, stating they are contemplating legislative reforms in response to the accusations that the online platform has received fraudulent funds from both domestic and international sources. They’re trying to ensure transparency and accountability in online political funding.
As part of their investigation, the committees sought documents from ActBlue regarding internal misconduct and allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers. ActBlue initially complied but later ceased cooperation, prompting further requests for information from the committee.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan are at the forefront of this inquiry. They noted in their correspondence that ActBlue changed its approach in June, moving away from its previous willingness to engage with the committees in April and May.
The lawmakers criticized ActBlue for lack of a valid reason to stop cooperating and for making unsubstantiated claims against the committee’s motives. The investigation into ActBlue began back in 2023 when concerns were raised about its contribution practices.
At that time, Steil, another key figure in the investigation, accused ActBlue of not adequately ensuring donor security since it wasn’t asking for a CVV number for credit card transactions. Although this practice has now been updated, doubts remain about the platform’s security measures.
The investigation has broadened to look into the possibility of foreign donations being funneled through ActBlue. Recently, the committee summoned both current and former ActBlue employees for transcribed interviews, and a new round of requests was sent to ActBlue itself and its CEO, Regina Wallace-Jones.
An ActBlue spokesperson responded to the situation by accusing Steil of fostering “misrepresentation” about the platform, asserting their commitment to donor security and compliance, and claiming there is no tolerance for fraudulent behavior.
The subpoena also accused ActBlue of falsely suggesting that the committee was working improperly with the Department of Justice regarding the matter. The lawmaker responded by clarifying that their goal is to uphold election integrity and protect civil liberties by ensuring that platforms like ActBlue remain safeguarded against bad actors.
The subpoena requires ActBlue to submit all requested documents by August 12. Efforts to obtain a comment from ActBlue did not yield a response as of yet.
