ActBlue Accepts Foreign Giftcard Donations

ActBlue, a significant fundraising platform for Democrats, has recently come under scrutiny for its practices regarding foreign gift card donations. According to information disclosed to Congress, ActBlue did not automatically block donations made with foreign-bought gift cards until September 9, 2024. This revelation came to light through documents provided under subpoena, highlighting a change in policy to automatically reject such donations due to concerns over foreign influence in U.S. elections. This update followed shortly after the introduction of the Secure Handling of Internet Electronic Donations (SHIELD) Act, which aims to prevent foreign money from entering U.S. political fundraising. Before this policy change, there were no automatic rejections of donations using foreign gift cards, raising questions about compliance with federal campaign finance laws intended to prevent foreign contributions. The House Administration Committee, led by Chairman Bryan Steil, has been investigating these issues, expressing concerns about potential foreign interference through ActBlue's platform.