Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is among 19 Republican attorneys general who have signed a letter denouncing the Democratic digital fundraising platform ActBlue over suspicions of potentially illegal donations.
The attorneys general are demanding proof by Oct. 23 of ActBlue's donation verification systems and accuse the nonprofit of failing to properly vet donations, which could cause unintentional donations or contributions with someone else's information.
ActBlue is a digital fundraising platform for federal and state Democratic candidates and progressive-aligned groups.
The allegations raise concerns about "smurfing," when donors break up large donations into smaller ones under different names to evade state and federal campaign contribution limits, the letter states. It doesn't provide a source for reports of potential unlawful activity by ActBlue.
“With an election just around the corner, it is more important than ever that we be vigilant and set safeguards in place to secure our elections,” Bird said in a news release Tuesday. “I am deeply concerned by reports of suspected illegal straw donations through ActBlue’s platform that, if left unchecked, may allow donation schemes, including from foreign countries, that will tip the scales of our elections."
The state attorneys general for Iowa and Indiana led the letter, which also included attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The attorneys general asked Wallace-Jones to respond by Oct. 23.
