EXCLUSIVE: ActBlue’s Security Measures Don’t Address Fundraising Loophole Flagged By GOP Lawmakers
TL;DR:
- GOP concerns over ActBlue’s security measures focused on lack of CVV requirement.
- ActBlue added CVV for debit/credit cards but can be bypassed through PayPal, Google Pay, or Venmo.
- GOP-backed SHIELD Act seeks to close this loophole and ban prepaid gift card donations.
- ActBlue hired a lobbyist as Congress reviews the SHIELD Act.
ActBlue’s attempt to address fraud concerns falls short of what Republicans demanded. Requiring CVVs for credit card donations seemed like a step in the right direction, but leaving alternative payment methods like PayPal, Google Pay, and Venmo untouched opens a glaring loophole. The SHIELD Act’s proposed ban on prepaid cards as a vector for illicit donations highlights the real concern here—foreign or illegal money potentially flowing into American political campaigns. While there’s no hard proof yet of widespread fraud, the ability to bypass key security measures raises troubling questions about how much trust we can place in the current system. ActBlue’s pushback, coupled with hiring lobbyists, only intensifies the scrutiny.