Embattled ActBlue braces for attacks from Trump admin as probes into Dem machinery ramp up

Washington D.C.: Key Democratic organizations are bracing for potential criminal investigations by the federal government. An embattled ActBlue, the party’s primary fundraising platform, and Indivisible, its largest protest group, are consulting attorneys amid warnings from Trump allies that both should face prosecution. Other Democratic-aligned groups are also preparing for legal crackdowns, with many fearing retaliation from the administration.

“Every one of our clients is concerned about being arbitrarily targeted,” said Ezra Reese of Elias Law Group, which represents Democratic organizations told the Associated Press. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested Democratic groups have reason to worry if they’ve “broken the law".

Trump allies argue that prosecuting Democrats is justified after Trump’s felony convictions in New York. “Someone needs to get burned,” said Matt Schlapp of the American Conservative Union.

Trump has already labelled himself the “chief law enforcement officer” and ordering an investigation into a former DHS official for treason. Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk, has called Indivisible “criminals", referencing protests at Tesla dealerships — though no violence has been linked to the group.

ActBlue also faces scrutiny, with Republicans alleging campaign finance violations. House Republicans have urged the FBI and Treasury to investigate, claiming foreign interference and fraud — allegations ActBlue denies. Despite the pressure, Democratic fundraising remains strong, with $400 million raised in Q1 2024.

“These attacks haven’t shaken us—they’ve sharpened our resolve,” ActBlue’s Megan Hughes told the AP.

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Recently ActBlue has been the focus of numerous allegations ranging from a lack of transperency about donations to accusations of partisanship. Conservative groups have accused ActBlue of not properly verifying donor identities, raising concerns about "dark money" or foreign influence in US elections. Some argue that ActBlue allows multiple donations from the same name and zip code, suggesting possible fraudulent or automated (bot) donations. Investigations (including by the FEC) have not found evidence of systemic fraud, and ActBlue has stated that it follows all legal requirements and fraud protections.

ActBlue is known for harnessing small-dollar, grassroots donations to support progressive candidates and causes. Critics claim that the platform helps inflate candidate war chests with emotion-driven donations, often tied to national news events or viral moments, which can distort local elections.

Since ActBlue exclusively supports Democratic candidates and progressive organizations, Republicans have called it a hyper-partisan tool that gives Democrats an unfair fundraising edge. In response, conservatives launched WinRed, a GOP-aligned counterpart, but it's faced its own issues with transparency and fees.

Some critics have also pointed to the processing fees ActBlue charges (around 3.95%) and questioned how much of each donation actually goes to campaigns versus platform costs.