How ActBlue makes money off disruptive protest politics

The Democratic Party’s premier fundraising machine faces an uncertain future amid investigations, staff departures, and political headwinds. ActBlue stands accused by Republicans of illegally collecting money for Democrats during the 2024 election by using deceptive methods. But its brushes with controversy go back further than the last cycle, and its next chapter could be consequential for a Democratic Party that is out of power and directionless. Part 1 of this Washington Examiner series examined what accusations ActBlue faces. Part 2 will examine how ActBlue cashes in on sometimes destructive protester politics.

Activists stage a protest. A handful get arrested. They fundraise off the news coverage. ActBlue receives a cut of the proceeds. More protests are staged, more donations flow in, ActBlue continues to cash out, and the cycle repeats.

For years, liberal organizations have used ActBlue to fund protests in which activists engage in legally dubious activities and, at times, are arrested by authorities. For every dollar these organizations raise through ActBlue, the payment processor pockets roughly 4 cents — a seemingly small quantity that quickly adds up, given the platform’s billions of dollars in contributions. 

Now, the left-of-center payment processing giant is facing a mysterious exodus of top staffers, and rumors swirl about possible Republican investigations into alleged fraud and other alleged misconduct.