Is ActBlue cloning grannies? Widow, 88, says no way she’s given over $150k to Dems
A new investigation is placing renewed attention on Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue after an elderly Michigan woman said federal campaign finance records dramatically overstate the political donations made in her name.
Veteran Michigan journalist Charlie LeDuff reported that Elizabeth Waffle, 88, of rural Milan, was shocked when shown Federal Election Commission records indicating she had made 14,696 political contributions totaling more than $150,000 over the past five years.
“One hundred and fifty thousand?” Waffle responded. “Hell no. I don’t have that kind of money.”
According to the report, Waffle acknowledged making occasional small-dollar donations to Democratic candidates through ActBlue but insisted she never authorized thousands of contributions and never donated anything close to the amount reflected in campaign finance records.
The records reviewed by LeDuff included 47 contributions attributed to the U.S. Senate campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate in Michigan who has built much of his campaign around grassroots fundraising and a pledge to reject corporate PAC money.
LeDuff also reported that donation records appeared to list contributions from two separate addresses associated with Waffle on the same day. Waffle, whose home burned down several years ago, explained she temporarily lived in an apartment before moving into a trailer on her property but said she could not explain the donation history.
“This is very abnormal,” she said after reviewing the documents. “I think it’s wrong, and I think there’s something in there that’s off.”
El-Sayed’s campaign has emphasized that it relies heavily on small-dollar online fundraising. Recent campaign appeals continue to promote his refusal to accept corporate PAC money while encouraging supporters to contribute through ActBlue.
Veteran Michigan journalist Charlie LeDuff reported that Elizabeth Waffle, 88, of rural Milan, was shocked when shown Federal Election Commission records indicating she had made 14,696 political contributions totaling more than $150,000 over the past five years.
“One hundred and fifty thousand?” Waffle responded. “Hell no. I don’t have that kind of money.”
According to the report, Waffle acknowledged making occasional small-dollar donations to Democratic candidates through ActBlue but insisted she never authorized thousands of contributions and never donated anything close to the amount reflected in campaign finance records.
The records reviewed by LeDuff included 47 contributions attributed to the U.S. Senate campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate in Michigan who has built much of his campaign around grassroots fundraising and a pledge to reject corporate PAC money.
LeDuff also reported that donation records appeared to list contributions from two separate addresses associated with Waffle on the same day. Waffle, whose home burned down several years ago, explained she temporarily lived in an apartment before moving into a trailer on her property but said she could not explain the donation history.
“This is very abnormal,” she said after reviewing the documents. “I think it’s wrong, and I think there’s something in there that’s off.”
El-Sayed’s campaign has emphasized that it relies heavily on small-dollar online fundraising. Recent campaign appeals continue to promote his refusal to accept corporate PAC money while encouraging supporters to contribute through ActBlue.
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