Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Friday that he is investigating ActBlue for fraud allegations across the state.
Act Blue is the Democratic Party's leading fundraising platform, facilitating billions of dollars in donations since 2004. letter ActBlue warned that it is currently under investigation in Virginia for soliciting suspicious donations that suggest “illegal” and “fraudulent” activity, and demanded that the platform provide detailed records of the transactions. (Related: The Billionaires Funding Kamala Harris' Anti-Crime Campaign Wanted to Defund the Police and Appoint Soros Prosecutors)
“My office has become aware of multiple serious allegations that ActBlue (and its affiliates) have engaged in fraudulent, deceptive and other illegal activities in Virginia, or assisted others in doing so,” Miyares wrote in a letter to ActBlue. “Virginia residents have a right to know that nonprofit and political organizations are funded in a lawful manner, and that organizations operating in Virginia raise funds lawfully and lawfully. To discount these concerns is to disparage the integrity of our elections and charitable work.”
🚨🚨 BREAKING: I sent this letter to ActBlue demanding answers. The legitimacy of our elections is at stake. pic.twitter.com/0gUhtmQlYY
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) August 2, 2024
Miyares noted that the fundraising platform had received hundreds of thousands of dollars from individual donors in Virginia, amounts that he called “hard to believe on the surface.” Some of those large donations came from seniors who identified themselves as retired or unemployed and listed “suspicious” addresses.
Miyares wrote in the letter that this seems to indicate the donations came from “fictitious donors or dummy accounts” or that the entire transaction is a “fraud.” Miyares also noted that ActBlue may have received donations from Virginia donors without their consent or knowledge.
In his letter, Miyares argued that ActBlue's actions may violate Virginia charity law, criminal law, campaign finance laws and federal law.
“For these reasons, it is imperative that you provide my office with a detailed description of ActBlue's processes and procedures for verifying the legitimacy and accuracy of donor and contribution information, as well as the processes and procedures used in verifying information reported to regulators,” the letter read. “Given the seriousness of these allegations, I expect to receive a substantive response by August 12, 2024.”
ActBlue publicly Responded In an online statement Friday, Rep. Miyaleh responded to the letter, arguing that “this investigation is nothing more than a partisan political attack and scare tactic designed to weaken the power of Democrats and small progressive donors.”
“The drivers of this disinformation campaign have shown up to donors' homes and directly harassed our staff. This must stop,” ActBlue said in a statement. “It is dangerous to allow these lies and intimidation tactics to continue escalating. It is simply unacceptable that Republicans are resorting to political attacks and spreading false accusations against millions of Democrats who are committed to the political process.”
The platform processed more than $90 million in donations in the first 24 hours after President Biden announced he would not seek reelection and after Vice President Kamala Harris announced she would run for president in July. according to To the New York Times.
ActBlue has previously handled several left-leaning and controversial events and fundraisers, including processing donations for a bail fund for illegal immigrants and providing fundraising opportunities for organizations involved in a pro-Palestinian conference that featured speakers who praised the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
ActBlue did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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