By Sam Barron
Thursday, 02 April 2026 05:06 PM EDT
ActBlue, a major fundraising platform for Democrats, may have misled congressional Republicans on how it vets donations from foreign citizens. A law firm working for ActBlue revealed that the organization’s screening procedures were inconsistently applied.
Regina Wallace-Jones, chief executive of ActBlue, told Congress the company conducted “multilayered” screenings to identify overseas donations. However, Covington & Burling, ActBlue’s law firm, found some steps were not always followed.
The law firm stated in a memo that this situation presents a substantial risk for ActBlue. Democrats are concerned that disruptions at the platform—having processed $19 billion in contributions since 2004—could harm the party’s fundraising prospects ahead of the 2026 midterms.
An ongoing Justice Department investigation into ActBlue has intensified scrutiny. Following the revelations, ActBlue terminated its relationship with Covington & Burling, claiming the firm inadequately reviewed Wallace-Jones’s congressional letter and was often tardy and unprepared, offering “counsel that bordered on malpractice.”
Wallace-Jones maintained her statements were accurate in context. David Schaefer, a spokesperson for Covington & Burling, expressed confidence in their legal advice.
Wallace-Jones told Congress ActBlue requests passport information from donors to process donations and refunds. But Covington & Burling noted that Apple Pay users were not asked for passport details, raising questions about potential impermissible foreign contributions.
The law firm warned of legal risks if statements made to Congress could be false or misleading. While ActBlue confirmed its congressional testimony was accurate, the organization implemented stricter vetting procedures after receiving the law firm’s memos.
Three Republican-led House committees are investigating ActBlue, and several former officials have been called to testify behind closed doors. All invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during testimony.
