WASHINGTON — President Trump will signal a memo Thursday ordering a probe of any illicit “straw donors” or international funding that flowed into federal elections following claims that the most important Democratic fundraising platform accepted fraudulent contributions in 2024.
A senior White Home official informed The Submit the memo will authorize Legal professional Common Pam Bondi to research whether or not ActBlue allowed “dummy” accounts or international nationals to donate to Democratic causes — in addition to another suspicious on-line contributions.
Trump had repeatedly pledged to “safe” US elections earlier than his return to the White Home — and signed an earlier govt order to that impact after taking workplace.
ActBlue permitted “extra lenient” requirements over the past presidential marketing campaign cycle, in accordance with inside data obtained by The Submit, which revealed lots of of doubtful contributions — together with ones from “international IP” addresses, main Republicans to cry foul.
“[D]espite repeated situations of fraudulent donations to Democrat campaigns and causes from home and international sources, ActBlue isn’t demonstrating a severe effort to discourage fraud on its platform,” a 478-page report from he members of the Home Oversight and Administration Committees employees declared.
Till final yr, the liberal fundraising juggernaut didn’t mandate a card verification worth (CVV) for debit, credit score or pay as you go reward card transactions.
Additionally, in the course of the election yr, ActBlue staff have been informed to “search for causes to just accept contributions.”
A minimum of 237 abroad transactions utilizing pay as you go playing cards have been flagged between September and October 2024, in accordance with the paperwork, which has prompted concern from the Republican-led panels about how “widespread” fraudulent contributions may need been.
State-level investigations have been beforehand launched, whereas Wisconsin GOP strategist Mark Block claimed in a bombshell racketeering lawsuit filed in October of final yr that his identification was stolen to make 385 fraudulent donations to liberal teams — together with then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ tremendous PAC.
ActBlue has helped funnel $16 billion to lefty campaigns and causes since 2004 — and was a essential a part of Harris’ ascent to the highest of the 2024 Democratic ticket, amassing $46.7 million for her marketing campaign to succeed former President Joe Biden.
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