The Democratic National Committee's fundraising platform, ActBlue, is currently embroiled in a whirlwind of controversy.
The organization is under scrutiny from Republican lawmakers who suspect it of being a potential conduit for money laundering. This comes amidst internal upheaval following the departure of at least seven high-ranking officials, according to a report.
The New York Times, in its coverage of the issue, revealed that a lawyer from the firm accused ActBlue executives of initiating a retaliatory campaign against staff, which is exacerbating the internal discord. The exact reasons behind the sudden exodus, which started on February 21, remain unclear. However, unions have been formulating their own theories, while critics suggest that affluent donors may be exploiting ActBlue as a slush fund to bypass contribution limits and channel funds to Democratic candidates.
Two unions representing ActBlue employees have expressed their concerns to the company's board of directors. They pointed out the "alarming pattern" of departures, lamenting that it was "eroding our confidence in the stability of the organization," as reported by the Times. Among those who have left are customer service and partnerships directors who have been with ActBlue for over a decade. Other departures reportedly include an associate general counsel, an assistant research director, a human resources director, and an engineer who had been with the company for 16 years.
ActBlue spokeswoman Megan Hughes, in her statement to the Times, acknowledged the ongoing transition within the organization. "Like many organizations, as we undergo some transition heading into this new election cycle, we are focused on ensuring we have a strong team in place," she said.
Adding to the turmoil, the Times reported that the last remaining lawyer in the general counsels office announced internally that his access to email and other platforms had been revoked. The lawyer is now on leave from the organization.
This internal chaos follows an investigation initiated by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee last September. As Breitbart News reported, the probe was launched in response to "potential fraud" linked to donations made to candidates' campaigns.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Republican lawmakers including Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) expressed their concerns. They wrote, "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 lawmakers requested that the U.S. Department of the Treasury provide certain Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) relevant to their investigation. They voiced concerns over "fraud and evasion of campaign finance laws," through the misuse of "online contribution platforms."
As Breitbart News has previously reported, concerns about ActBlue's operations are not new. In early August, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares expressed his apprehensions about "suspicious" donations made in "volumes" that seemed "facially implausible."
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey have also reportedly launched investigations into ActBlue. In December 2023, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated an investigation into ActBlue to determine if its "operations are compliant with all applicable laws."
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