House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has launched a sweeping investigation into ActBlue, the Democratic fundraising platform, after the Treasury Department flagged over 400 suspicious activity reports (SARs). The reports highlight potential money laundering and illegal foreign contributions.
SARs are issued by financial institutions when transactions appear irregular or potentially illegal. Comer said the volume of alerts tied to ActBlue suggests widespread misuse of the platform. He pointed to recent findings that ActBlue allowed foreign gift cards to process donations until September 2024, raising suspicions about past compliance.
“It’s hard to believe all of this money came from legitimate sources,” Comer remarked, adding that foreign adversaries like China and Russia may have exploited the platform to influence elections. He stressed that knowingly accepting foreign funds is a serious violation of federal law.
ActBlue has denied the allegations, claiming it adheres to strict legal standards and calling the accusations “disinformation.” The platform insists that recent changes to its fraud prevention measures reflect an ongoing commitment to secure donations, not an admission of past wrongdoing.
Comer’s investigation also targets government employees he believes obstructed efforts to expose corruption within the Biden family. He has vowed to hold accountable any federal workers involved in blocking or covering up investigations. Information gathered by whistleblowers is being shared with Attorney General-designate Pam Bondi.
House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) has joined the effort, expanding his probe into suspicious donations routed through ActBlue to 19 states. Steil said ActBlue’s delay in implementing fraud safeguards raises questions about whether the platform knowingly ignored illegal transactions.
The findings could have major implications for campaign finance oversight. Comer promised to use the flagged SARs to uncover whether ActBlue or its affiliates turned a blind eye to questionable donations, signaling Republicans’ intent to pursue accountability at all levels.
