Rep. Terri Sewell denounced a House Republican probe of ActBlue and CEO Regina Wallace-Jones as part of a broader pattern of harassment against Black women in power. The committee—acting after an April request from President Trump—seeks international communications and records to determine whether ActBlue failed to block or knowingly accepted foreign donations. ActBlue says it uses multilayered safeguards (CVVs, IP checks, AVS and manual reviews) to prevent illicit contributions. The dispute is likely to produce further document fights and potential hearings.
Rep. Terri Sewell Calls GOP Investigation Of ActBlue 'Another Attack' On Black Women Leaders
Ranking Member Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. speaks during a House Administration Subcommittee on Elections hearing on Capitol Hill on May 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C.(Getty Images)
Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) on Wednesday sharply criticized a House Republican inquiry into ActBlue, calling the probe the latest in a pattern of political targeting of Black women in positions of power.
The congressional review focuses on ActBlue, the major Democratic online fundraising platform, and its CEO, Regina Wallace-Jones. House Republicans are seeking internal and international communications to determine whether the organization knowingly accepted or obscured illegal foreign donations and whether it dodged subpoenas or misled lawmakers about its screening procedures.
Regina Wallace-Jones of Palo Alto soaks up the first evening of the DNC Convention at the United Center in Chicago, IL on Monday, August 19, 2024.
Background Of The Inquiry
The investigation follows an April request from President Donald Trump asking for a formal probe. In a White House statement, officials said, "There is evidence to suggest that foreign nationals are seeking to misuse online fundraising platforms to improperly influence American elections." Republican investigators say they need access to ActBlue's internal records to assess whether donation-screening gaps allowed foreign-sourced contributions to slip through.
ActBlue's Response And Safeguards
Regina Wallace-Jones has dismissed the inquiry as unfounded and has defended the platform's compliance processes. "Our approach is multilayered, with checks and confirmations occurring throughout the donation process to verify donors and donor information," she told Fox News Digital earlier this year.
A banner featuring an image of President Donald Trump is displayed on the facade of the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 20, 2026.
Wallace-Jones said ActBlue uses multiple safeguards, including requiring Card Verification Values (CVVs) for credit-card donations, reviewing IP addresses to identify foreign-sourced transactions, employing an industry-standard Address Verification System (AVS), and performing manual reviews of suspicious contributions.
Sewell's Accusation Of Political Targeting
Sewell framed the investigation as part of a broader pattern of intimidation. "This investigation is just one more example of Republicans and President Trump using the power of his office to harass and intimidate anyone willing to challenge him," she said, accusing the Justice Department of disproportionately targeting communities of color, and Black women in particular.
She cited recent probes or scrutiny involving Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, New York Attorney General Letitia "Tish" James, and fellow Congresswoman LaMonica McIver as examples she believes demonstrate a pattern of political pressure against Black women in prominent roles.
What Comes Next
The dispute has raised tensions on Capitol Hill as lawmakers from both parties publicly stake out their positions. Republicans emphasize oversight and the need to ensure foreign interference is blocked; Democrats and ActBlue supporters call the probe politically motivated. The committee has signaled it will press for documents and testimony, setting the stage for potential hearings and legal fights over subpoenas and document production.
Context: The inquiry sits at the intersection of campaign-finance enforcement, election-security concerns and partisan battles over oversight. How lawmakers balance legitimate compliance questions with accusations of political targeting will shape the next chapter of this dispute.
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