U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration

10/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 14:11

Chairman Steil Issues Subpoena to ActBlue for Documents Related to Potential Foreign Influence in Campaign Funding

WASHINGTON - Today, Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01) issued a subpoena to ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform, for documents related to ActBlue's donor verification policies and the potential for foreign actors to use the platform to launder illicit money into U.S. political campaigns. The subpoena was issued following an investigation by the Committee into ActBlue's donor verification policies.

"We cannot allow foreign actors to influence our elections through campaign financing," Chairman Steil said. "The Committee's investigation uncovered that foreign actors might be taking advantage of ActBlue's inadequate security protocols. To ensure that foreign money is not being laundered through ActBlue, we are requesting a series of documents and communications related to their donor security and verification policies. Preventing foreign interference in U.S. elections has been my top priority as Chairman and this next step in our investigation is crucial to achieving that goal."

Read the cover letter for the subpoena here.

Background:

On October 31, 2023, following reports that ActBlue was accepting political contributions without a card verification value (CVV), Chairman Steil sent a letter demanding answers on ActBlue's practices, questioning if they are complying with federal campaign finance laws and preventing foreign and illegal contributions.

On November 27, 2023, ActBlue responded to Chairman Steil's letter saying it did not require a CVV in order to contribute on their website.

On September 6, 2024, Chairman Steil introduced H.R. 9488, the Secure Handling of Internet Electronic Donations (SHIELD) Act. The legislation prohibits political committees from accepting an online contribution unless the contributor provides the CVV and billing address associated with the card and from accepting online contributions from prepaid cards. It also adopts a top legislative recommendation from the FEC to prohibit individuals from knowingly aiding or abetting a person making a contribution in the name of another person.

On September 11, 2024, the SHIELD Act passed the Committee on House Administration by a voice-vote.

On September 18, 2024, Chairman Steil sent letters to the Attorneys General from Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Florida, and Missouri, updating them on the Committee's investigation into ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform. Along with the letter, the Attorneys General received the data and evidence that the Committee has collected over the course of almost a year.

On October 28, 2024, Chairman Steil sent a letter to ActBlue demanding documents and information related to the platform's donor verification policies and potential vulnerabilities that foreign actors may exploit to illegally participate in the U.S. political process.

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