For years, ActBlue has been running what has been described as a money-laundering operation for Democrat candidates. When activist James O’Keefe of O’Keefe Media Group investigated the company, he interviewed dozens of Americans who had never donated to Democrat candidates, but whose names and identities were being logged into the ActBlue online system, showing them making hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations. Many of these ActBlue victims were retired people on a fixed income who said they had no ability to have made such donations.
Candidates in Alaska, such as Rep. Mary Peltola, use the ActBlue system for online donations. In fact, the Anchorage man who was arrested last week for threatening conservative Supreme Court justices had used ActBlue to donate to Peltola’s campaign.
Peltola raised over $3 million in her previous election from unitemized donations through ActBlue. Campaigns are not required to report the source of donations under $200. The reason the Alaska man’s donation was discovered by Must Read Alaska is because Act Blue has to report contribution sources to the FEC, and in this case the contribution had been earmarked. Others may not have been earmarked but may have gone to her campaign.
Now, ActBlue must answer to Congress. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee, led by Republicans, has launched an investigation over “reports of potentially fraudulent and illicit financial activity.”
Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky, Rep. Nick Langworthy of New York and several Oversight Committee Republican members launched a fraud and illicit financial activity investigation into the company. In a letter to U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the lawmakers requested all suspicious activity reports related to ActBlue.
“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating reports of potentially fraudulent and illicit financial activity related to contributions to campaigns of candidates for federal offices mediated by online fundraising platforms like ActBlue. The Committee writes to request the U.S. Department of the Treasury make available to the Committee certain Suspicious Activity Reports relevant to the Committee’s investigation,” the letter said.
Recent reports about ActBlue raise concerns about the threat of fraud and evasion of campaign finance law by individuals exploiting online contribution platforms.
One major problem identified is that ActBlue had not implemented standard procedures to guard against identity theft and fraud, such as requiring a Card Verification Value (CVV) to process online transactions — until the O’Keefe report shined a light on the identity theft aspect of its business model.
ActBlue is also being investigated by several states’ officials in relation to contributions allegedly made through the platform fraudulently without the reported contributor’s awareness. Federal law prohibits contributions made in the name of another person.
Must Read Alaska has reported extensively on the potential fraud being committed by ActBlue and Democrats.
“The Committee is concerned that failure to properly vet contributions made through online platforms may have allowed bad actors to more easily commit fraud to illegally exploit and violate federal campaign finance laws. These bad actors could include foreign nationals not lawfully admitted for permanent residence who are prohibited by statute from contributing to campaigns or political parties. They could also include individuals looking to flout the limits of individual contributions by fraudulently using others’ identities to evade those limits, in addition to other criminal activity in violation of campaign finance laws,” the letter said. “It is imperative that Congress determine whether legislation is necessary to ensure adherence to statutes related to campaign finance, and guard against foreign or unfair influence in our elections,” the committee’s letter said.
The lawmakers requested Secretary Yellen provide all suspicious activity reports related to ActBlue by Oct. 4. Read the letter to Secretary Yellen here.
Last year, O’Keefe asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate ActBlue, but the commission would not even answer his request.
Other Alaska Act Blue campaigns
In Alaska, ActBlue is working to not only retain the congressional seat, but to flip the Alaska House and Senate. From its website, Alaska Rep. Andy Josephson of Anchorage explains the Democrats’ plan and how they will split up the money:
“Alaska leans red but also has an unusual political makeup which occasionally results in independent legislators teaming up with Democrats for a working majority.
“Democrats need to flip 7 AK House seats or 2 Senate seats to officially take a majority of each. This page lets you easily donate to multiple Democratic candidates for the Alaska House and Senate at once! I’ve included the partisan lean ratings according to Dave’s Redistricting.
“By default, your donation will be split evenly among the accounts listed below. None goes to me [Rep. Andy Josephson],” Josephson writes, although his name is listed at the top, along with the others who will “split the money evenly.”
Always outside money. A flyer I got in the mail recently, advocating a “no” vote on measure 2, claimed that ” In 2020 we passed pro-voter reforms to unrig the system”. In a tiny box in the corner of the flyer, it is stated: Paid for by No on 2, with an anchorage address, listing Lesil McGuire as chair, and goes on to state that the top 3 contributors are Unite America in Denver, CO, Action Now Initiative in Houston, TX, and Final Five Fund in Chicago, IL.
“The Committee is concerned…….”
how many issues have Republican Congessional Committees held hearings over many decades, yet nothing is ever actually accomplished to deal with the root problems. The 2020 election was a disaster in terms of clearly illustrating just how corrupt our country has become. The national and Alaska GOP had 4 years to prepare for this election. They chose to do nothing. Whatever circus style show this “investigation” is will not accomplish anything to effect this one. They are all politicians and know all the angles of raising money to keep their seats at the trough of federal and/or state appropriations for access to be able to pay back their donors from public funds. The corruption is openly flaunted and no one in power will do a meaningful thing about it.
Brian, sadly you are correct. The Republicans spend endless hours with hearings and investigations that go nowhere. Remember the Benghazi hearings with Shrillary “What difference does it make” and RINO Trey “Roosterhead” Gowdy? Same thing, all kabuki theater. But the Dems (and fake Republicans Liz Cheney plus Adam Kinzinger) can do a completely sham investigation for Jan 6th that results in hundreds of people going to prison for doing nothing criminal on that day other than stand on the lawn or walk through the Capitol after Capitol Police opened the doors and told them to come in.🫤
Yes, the so called bipartison J6 purge is remarkably totalitarian. The GOP hates Trump and the Constitution as much as the Dems do. The videos of events have never fully been released. An Alaska Air (better known as Karen Air) stewardess narced out a Homer couple coming home from DC who had nothing to do with it, yet the FBI kicked in their door and went after them. Mistaken identity, but the viciousness is over the top. I’ve voted GOP in every election since Reagan’s 1st run, and reflect on the fact that whenever the GOP has majorities, they never undo the damage caused by the Dems. The GOP excuses its’ own impotence when the unconstitutional laws are passed, pantomiming outrage, but their inaction when they are in power proves it’s just the junior partner controlling Washington DC, Inc. I will vote for Trump and Begich, knowing the trajectory in DC won’t change, rather just to enjoy watching the liberals melt down being worth it.
Once they become brainwashed into believing their agenda is to save our consitutional republic, then they are convinced anything necessary to advance their agenda is justified. Cheating, lying, breaking the law, hurting people, stealing elections, lawfare…. it’s all fair game to them. Like commenters said above, “they are never held accountable”…. which is why they are now so emboldened. Trump and Begich could easily loose due to Democrat/leftist corruption.
It certainly appears that the Democrat ACTblue PAC is nothing more than a money laundering entity whose aim is to skirt federal campaign contribution limits.
I get e-mails from the dems all that time. The call me Jessica Maxwell (I am not named Jessica Maxwell). So I checked the FEC page. Apparently, Jessica Maxwell, donates thousands of dollars to ActBlue all the time. It is a lot of money, and most of it is not earmarked for any particular candidate.
.
I wonder how ActBlue got my e-mail address, and thinks I am named Jessica. It could not possibly be because of fraud. Especially when the person associated with that e-mail address donates a LOT of money in very small amounts. No one would think to do that… Would they?
If Her Fraudulancy was all that great, why can’t she raise her own funds?
Try to donate to most Republicans you will end up on the WinRed page.
It is not unusual for candidates to rely on a third party to collect and consolidate donations.
Congress is going to investigate? LOL. A toothless organization if ever there was one. Until law enforcement investigates with the power to arrest and prosecute goes after these people it will be a pointless feel-good nothing burger.
This has been known for years. Okeefe documented evidence over a year ago. And Nothing for LE.
No penalty, no change.l
It’s been going on for years. Even in Anchorage.
Where’s Alaska’s AG? Asleep at the wheel like the LT governor.
” we investigated our own fundraisers and found they did nothing wrong whatsoever “… The Democrats