Democrats' Online Fundraising Platforms Face Attack by Trump
Rewritten Article:
President Trump has set his sights on the online funding platforms that largely power Democrats' political campaigns. In an unprecedented move, the White House published an executive order on Thursday, initiating an investigation into ActBlue, the Democratic Party's popular grassroots fundraising platform.
The executive order casts a shadow over ActBlue, alleging that "foreign nationals" could be using fundraising sites like ActBlue to interfere in American elections. The order empowers newly appointed Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessant, to delve into these sites, searching for any signs of malicious activity. The order states:
...reports and investigations have unearthed disturbing evidence that online fundraising platforms have colluded in schemes to funnel prohibited contributions to political campaigns.
The order continues:
These reports raise concerns that sinister actors are attempting to circumvent Federal contribution limits by funneling large sums through multiple smaller donations, falsely attributed to various individuals, possibly without their knowledge or consent. The reports also highlight concerns that such 'straw donations' are being funneled through 'dummy' accounts, often utilizing gift cards or prepaid credit cards to evade detection.
The order authorizes Bondi and Bessant to employ "all legal means" to probe the fundraising tools for any indications of foreign influence. Gizmodo reached out to the Trump administration for further details.
It's worth noting that Republicans have their counterpart in the Republican-led fundraising operation, WinRed, launched during Trump's initial term. WinRed emerged in 2019 as a for-profit fundraising tool, designed to help the GOP compete with ActBlue. However, the platform has faced criticism from Republicans themselves for its lackluster performance and questionable donation-encouragement tactics. The platform was previously scrutinized by several state attorneys general.
Previous investigations have revealed that ActBlue has detected at least 22 significant fraud campaigns in recent years, with almost half of them linked to foreign actors. During a single month in the 2024 election cycle, ActBlue identified 237 donations originating from foreign IP addresses, which is illegal under federal law barring foreign nationals from contributing to U.S. elections.
The Attorney General is currently conducting a thorough investigation into these allegations, which forms part of the Trump administration's broader push to safeguard election integrity by cracking down on illegal campaign contributions and foreign interference. The investigation has sparked a significant political reaction, with some Democratic donors rallying to support ActBlue, resulting in a record fundraising day for the platform shortly after the announcement. Despite the investigation, ActBlue continues to be a crucial tool for Democratic fundraising efforts.
- The executive order by President Trump targets ActBlue, a popular Democratic fundraising platform, alleging foreign interference in American elections.
- The order empowers Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant to investigate online fundraising sites for signs of malicious activity, citing collaborations that funnel prohibited contributions to political campaigns.
- Reports and investigations have uncovered evidence that online fundraising platforms, such as ActBlue, have colluded in schemes to evade federal contribution limits by funneling funds through multiple smaller donations, possibly without donors' knowledge.
- The Trump administration has accused these 'straw donations' of being routed through 'dummy' accounts, often using gift cards or prepaid credit cards to evade detection.
- ActBlue has faced criticism for its performance and questionable donation-encouragement tactics, while its counterpart, WinRed, launched during Trump's initial term, has also faced scrutiny from Republicans for similar issues.
- Despite the ongoing investigation into ActBlue's allegations of foreign influence, the platform remains a significant tool for Democratic fundraising efforts, with some donors rallying in support following the announcement of the investigation.
