Congressional investigators are expanding their inquiry into ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform, focusing on its management of foreign donations. The Republican chairs of three House committees have requested interviews with five members of ActBlue's board and documentation regarding their involvement in the platform's response to allegations of donor fraud.
The board members have until June 16 to comply with the request. This inquiry follows accusations that ActBlue may not have accurately represented its fraud-prevention practices and its handling of foreign donations that could have influenced U.S. elections. The Republican committees have alleged that ActBlue has been uncooperative, withholding documents that were subpoenaed and failing to provide transparency regarding potential misrepresentation.
House Administration Committee Chairman Brian Steil, along with other committee chairs, indicated in their letters that there are concerns that the board may have been aware of misconduct. A spokesperson for ActBlue did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The investigation coincides with an upcoming testimony from ActBlue's CEO, Regina Wallace-Jones, scheduled for June 10, regarding the platform's vetting processes for foreign donations. Previous statements from Steil suggest that Wallace-Jones may have misled the committee about ActBlue's fraud prevention standards.
Reports indicate that ActBlue's own legal counsel raised concerns about whether the organization had accurately described its fraud-prevention practices to Congress. An outside counsel later acknowledged that certain donor-screening procedures had been strengthened after the board became aware of these concerns.
The investigation is also examining the board's response to internal issues, including high-profile departures and allegations of retaliation following concerns about misleading information provided to Congress. ActBlue has denied any wrongdoing and has not faced criminal charges, asserting that the congressional investigation is politically motivated, aimed at undermining a key component of the Democratic Party's financial structure ahead of the midterm elections.