Lawyers Warned Top Democratic PAC They ‘May Have Misled Congress’ on Illegal Foreign Donations — Explosive NYT Report Reveals
- ActBlue was warned by its own lawyers that it may have misled Congress about how it screens foreign donationswith internal legal memos raising concerns about the group's safeguards against overseas contributions not always being followed.
(Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Democratic fundraising giant ActBlue was reportedly warned by its own lawyers that it may have misled Congress about how it screens foreign donations.
Internal legal memos delivered to ActBlue in early 2025 concluded that statements made by its chief executiveRegina Wallace-Jonesto Republican investigators in a 2023 letter carried significant legal riskaccording to The New York Times.
The memosprepared by law firm Covington & Burlingfound that assurances ActBlue had provided about its safeguards against foreign contributions were not always borne out in practice. Wallace-Jones had told lawmakers the group employed “multilayered” checks to “root out” overseas donations. According to the legal reviewsome of those measures were not consistently followed.
“This presents a substantial risk for ActBlue,” the lawyers wrote.
The Times reports that one memo even raised the prospect of criminal liabilitystating: “It can be alleged that ActBlue accepted and/or facilitated the acceptance of foreign-national contributions into American elections.”
The memo followed: “In additionbecause ActBlue’s staff was aware that its system was not as robust as necessaryit could be alleged that these violations were ‘knowing and willful,’ a standard that both increases the penalties the F.E.C. might seek and gives the Justice Department jurisdiction for a potential criminal investigation.”
The Times notes“Federal election law prohibits foreign citizens or people who are not permanent residents from donating directly to federal candidates or political action committees. Lying to or obstructing Congress is a crime.”
No specific illegal donations were identifiedand the scope of any issues remains unclear. ActBlue’s board chairKimberly Peeler-Allentold The Times that “less than 1 percent” of contributions in the 2024 cycle showed signs of foreign origin.
Stillthe warnings set off a chain reaction inside the organisation. Senior legal staff resigned in quick successionciting concerns about transparency and compliance. In one resignation lettera departing in-house lawyer wrote: “I am concerned that leadership is not fully committed to transparently addressing with the Board the seriousness of our most pressing concerns.”
Tensions escalated further during a video calltwo sources told The Timesin which a senior Covington lawyer warned Wallace-Jones she faced potential personal liability and should obtain independent legal counsel. Within weeksActBlue parted ways with the firm.
“The statements in my 2023 letter to the House Administration Committee were accurate in the context in which they were written,” Wallace-Jones said in a statement to The Times.
ActBlue has since criticised its former legal advisersaccusing them of providing deficient counsel. Covington responded by saying it had “complete confidence in the legal advice” it delivered.
The dispute comes as investigations ordered by President Donald Trump’s Justice Department and led by Republican-controlled House committees continue to examine ActBlue’s handling of donations.
The post Lawyers Warned Top Democratic PAC They ‘May Have Misled Congress’ on Illegal Foreign Donations — Explosive NYT Report Reveals first appeared on Mediaite.