A key House committee is expanding its investigation into the major Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue. The Committee on House Administration, led by Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., is looking into allegations that ActBlue is circumventing campaign donation laws, potentially enabling fraud on the platform.
In a letter to top officials at the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Steil called for immediate action to require political campaigns to verify donors' card verification value (CVV) for online credit or debit card contributions. He also proposed banning online donations from gift cards or prepaid credit cards.
Republicans have long criticized ActBlue for its alleged lack of donor verification standards. Whistleblowers recently approached the committee, claiming that ActBlue intentionally avoids using CVV numbers to lower verification requirements.
Whistleblowers also reported a high volume of donations from retirees on fixed incomes and numerous small donations from the same individual, raising concerns about potential fraudulent activities.
ActBlue has been a significant fundraising platform for Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign against former President Trump. While CVV numbers are now required for credit card donations to Harris's campaign, the FEC did not mandate CVV verification for online political donations until last year.
Steil's letter highlighted the risks associated with accepting prepaid credit cards and gift cards, suggesting that these methods could facilitate illegal campaign contributions. Whistleblowers alleged that such cards are being used to launder donations that might violate campaign finance laws.
Several Republican attorneys general have also initiated investigations into ActBlue, accusing the platform of potential misconduct. ActBlue responded by dismissing these probes as partisan attacks aimed at undermining small-dollar Democratic donors.
