President Trump is at it again, this time targeting political opponents he accuses of fraud and corruption. His focus is on ActBlue, a prominent funding platform for Democratic candidates across various levels.
Since its inception in 2004, ActBlue has raised nearly $17 billion for Democratic causes. In the 2024 election alone, it amassed over $1 billion—significantly more than the $600 million collected by Republican-related efforts.
However, like many organizations of its scale, ActBlue has faced challenges, including recent staff departures. Still, given its success and critical role for Democrats, it’s perhaps not surprising that Trump and his allies are attempting to undermine it. Authoritarian figures often aim to stifle democratic processes while appearing to uphold them.
In this scenario, Trump is pulling from a familiar strategy, framing his actions as necessary for protecting election integrity.
The White House, highlighting the commencement of an investigation into ActBlue, stated that “voters deserve a credible election,” hinting that this credibility has been reinstated thanks to Trump.
Trump has instructed the Attorney General to investigate supposed “straw” or “dummy” contributions and foreign donations to U.S. political candidates. He claims that ActBlue is associated with fraudulent schemes due to its allegedly lax standards.
But this rationale is questionable.
The New York Times pointed out that this move could weaken the political infrastructure of Democrats and potentially expose vulnerabilities in their fundraising mechanisms.
Longtime Republicans have emphasized that political contributions are a form of speech protected under the First Amendment, a notion upheld by the Supreme Court through various significant rulings. Many Americans now find these protective measures at risk.
In the landmark case Buckley v. Valeo, the Court ruled that contributions are a means of expressing support for candidates. Later, the then-five-justice majority reaffirmed this in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
In 1963, the Supreme Court determined that an effort by Virginia to prosecute the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was unconstitutional, as it was seen as an attempt to punish the organization for its advocacy against segregation.
The ruling recognized the NAACP’s activities as forms of expression and association crucial for political discourse.
What Trump is doing now resembles those attempts to intimidate opposition groups and suppress political expression. As Justice William Brennan articulated, “Our form of government is based on the premise that all citizens have the right to engage in political expression…”
ActBlue represents that vital connection, and the Trump administration’s actions against it threaten the very freedoms Brennan sought to protect.
