The chairman of the House committee responsible for election integrity is urging five states to investigate potential criminal activity related to the routing of hundreds of millions of dollars in political donations to Kamala Harris and other Democrats through the fundraising platform ActBlue.
On Wednesday evening, House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., made referrals to the attorneys general of Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Virginia, and Florida. Steil claims a large-scale computer analysis conducted by his committee revealed a suspicious pattern of donations from individuals whose reported net worths appear too small to cover the amounts attributed to them in ActBlue filings with the Federal Election Commission.
“This investigation focused on potential unlawful exploitation of unwitting ‘straw donors,' whose identities may have been used to channel illicit funds into campaigns in your state,” Steil wrote to the top law enforcement officials in each state. He added that the analysis revealed anomalous donor profiles, which, based on inconsistencies, suggest “suspicious activity” that warrants further investigation.
“Straw donors” are individuals who either receive money to donate on behalf of others or whose identities are used without consent to bypass federal campaign contribution limits.
The Democratic Party has faced straw donor scandals in the past, notably during the 1996 “China Gate” incident when Congress and federal prosecutors confirmed that wealthy businessmen tied to China funneled millions to straw donors to influence that year's elections. The scandal led to a major congressional investigation and several convictions.
Steil’s letters stopped short of directly accusing any individuals or groups of illegal conduct. Instead, they referred evidence of donation patterns that the committee believes may resemble illegal activities. Each letter included records of thousands of donations deemed suspicious in the respective states.
“This investigation has exposed potential criminal activity that should be investigated by an appropriate law enforcement agency, such as your office,” Steil wrote. He included donor records to assist in the investigation.
Read the letters here:
