President Donald Trump issued a memorandum on Thursday ordering the Division of Justice to analyze on-line political fundraising platforms with the intent of concentrating on Democratic Occasion fundraising platform ActBlue.
The memorandum particularly mentions ActBlue whereas utilizing broader language in ordering an investigation into “online fundraising platforms.”
That is the most recent in a collection of focused assaults by Trump towards his perceived enemies, together with regulation companies, nonprofits and former authorities officers. This, nevertheless, is the primary time that he has taken intention at part of the equipment of the Democratic Occasion. It’s the clearest effort but by Trump to make use of the ability of the presidency to destabilize and hobble his political opposition. This follows his actions to eradicate or delegitimize all civil society entities that oppose, or may, oppose him.
Trump ordered the DOJ to open an investigation into whether or not on-line political fundraising platforms ― that’s, ActBlue ― facilitated contributions by straw donors and international donors into the marketing campaign committees of Democratic candidates and celebration organizations. This follows separate investigations by congressional Republicans and state attorneys common alleging that ActBlue had unfastened anti-fraud measures that helped facilitate doubtlessly fraudulent donations to Democratic campaigns and organizations, however didn’t accuse the platform of violating any legal guidelines.
Calling the memorandum a “brazen attack on democracy in America,” ActBlue mentioned in a press release that it could “pursue all legal avenues to protect and defend itself against the Administration’s baseless claims.”
“Today’s escalation by the White House is blatantly unlawful and needs to be seen for what it is: Donald Trump’s latest front in his campaign to stamp out all political, electoral and ideological opposition,” the ActBlue assertion says. “This Administration continues to weaponize the instruments of federal power in an unprecedented assault on our democracy.”
The group additional known as on “the entire Democratic party and all Americans who embrace the value of civic participation to unite and create a blue wall against the oppressive use of power by this White House and their accomplices in Congress.”
Chip Somodevilla through Getty Photos
It’s unlawful for non-U.S. residents to donate to political campaigns and events, though they’ll donate to nonprofit organizations as long as that cash shouldn’t be spent on U.S. elections. It’s also unlawful for an individual to donate to a political marketing campaign or celebration in another person’s title. Regardless of being accused of facilitating these unlawful fraudulent donations, the accusations towards ActBlue haven’t been substantiated.
Trump’s memorandum concentrating on ActBlue additionally doesn’t accuse it of breaking any regulation. As a substitute, it depends on fraud the platform itself found and stopped as proof to launch an investigation.
“A recent House of Representatives investigation revealed that a platform named ActBlue had in recent years detected at least 22 ‘significant fraud campaigns,’ nearly half of which had a foreign nexus,” the memorandum states. “During a 30-day window during the 2024 campaign, the platform detected 237 donations from foreign IP addresses using prepaid cards, indicating that this activity remains a pressing concern.”
ActBlue launched in 2004 as an middleman platform that linked donors to political campaigns. Over the subsequent 20 years, it grew into the principle platform utilized by practically all Democratic Occasion politicians and celebration committees to boost political contributions. Donors also can donate to numerous causes by means of the platform by donating to nonprofit organizations. ActBlue studies elevating over $16 billion for Democratic candidates, celebration committees and different causes within the 21 years since its founding.
The GOP-led investigations and, now, the DOJ investigation ordered by Trump into ActBlue started after right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk promoted a spreadsheet of donations reported to the Federal Election Fee that purported to indicate fraudulent donations made by means of ActBlue. That spreadsheet, nevertheless, was a product of both an unknowing or willful misunderstanding of how political committees report donations to the FEC.
WinRed, the GOP counterpart to ActBlue, has not confronted GOP investigations or Trump govt orders regardless of studies exhibiting it faces comparable points with fraud detection.
Democrats assailed Trump’s order for the DOJ to analyze ActBlue after the memorandum got here down.
“Donald Trump’s memorandum targeting ActBlue is designed to undermine democratic participation – and it’s no wonder why,” a press release from DNC chair Ken Martin, DSCC chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), DCCC chair Rep. Suzan DelBene (Wash.), DGA chair Gov. Laura Kelly (Kan.), Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), mentioned. “He knows Americans are already fed up with his chaotic agenda that is driving the economy off a cliff, so he’s trying to block lawful grassroots donations from supporters giving just $5 or $10 to candidates who oppose him while further empowering the corrupt billionaires who already control his administration.”
“Today’s presidential decree targeting the campaign infrastructure of the Democratic party with precisely zero evidence of wrongdoing is the kind of edict you’d expect from a power-mad dictator in a Banana Republic,” mentioned Home Judiciary Committee Rating Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). “This president, with his approval ratings underwater and sinking like a stone, is desperately seeking to undermine his political opposition by cutting off their access to funding.”
