Investigation Raises New Questions About Dem Fundraising Platform ActBlue
A new investigation by a media outlet has sparked further scrutiny of the ActBlue platform, a major Democratic fundraising entity, due to concerns over a significant number of small-dollar donations made in a short time frame. This comes as state attorneys general and congressional Republicans launch their own investigations.
The Tennessee Star identified seven individuals who reportedly made over 1,000 donations each since the start of 2023, raising suspicions about possible fraudulent activities associated with the platform.
One notable case involves Margaret Maher, a 68-year-old woman listed as “Not Employed.” According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Maher has contributed nearly $33,000 to various Democratic groups through 4,200 individual donations over the past 20 months. These contributions, typically between $2 and $5, were directed to entities like the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Stop Trump PAC, and the National Democratic Training Committee PAC. Maher is also noted as the second-largest donor to the Stop GOP Governors PAC this year.
However, a significant portion of her donations reportedly went directly into ActBlue's coffers for discretionary spending. Attempts by the outlet to contact Maher were unsuccessful, as her phone was disconnected. The outlet also informed U.S. Attorney Mark Wildasin, who recently authorized an FBI raid on U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ home, but Wildasin did not commit to opening an investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Administration Committee, has shifted his focus towards investigating whether foreign entities might be laundering money into the 2024 election through ActBlue. Steil's committee has discovered individuals who claim they did not make the donations attributed to them in FEC reports filed by ActBlue. He has initiated a full investigation to ensure election integrity.
Steil has also urged the FEC to implement emergency rules to strengthen donor verification processes and prevent fraudulent contributions. He expressed concerns about the use of anonymous gift cards for political donations and the lack of a requirement for Card Verification Value (CVV) numbers by PACs like ActBlue when processing contributions.
Additionally, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and several other Republican attorneys general have vowed to investigate potentially fraudulent donations made to Democratic candidates via ActBlue.