Ranking Member Morelle's Opening Statement During Hearing with ActBlue's CEO

Thank you Mr. Chairman. The integrity of our democracy depends on the integrity of the campaign finance system. Corruption in campaigns yields corruption in government. When corporations and billionaires can buy politicians, Americans everywhere recognize that our campaign finance system is corrupt. The proof is right in front of us. The President's campaign accepted piles and piles of dark money from corporations and billionaires while Republicans cheered him on. In fact, the non-partisan professional staff at the Federal Elections Commission found potential campaign finance violations in 32 instances involving President Trump. Yet in all 32, Republican FEC commissioners blocked any investigation into potential violations of law. Knowing that Republicans will shield them from accountability, the administration is awash with insider trading and self-enrichment. Look no further than the $1.8 billion slush fund, a fund to reward criminals who assaulted Capitol Police officers on January 6th. The President is trying to force on the American people. Look no further than the Republican majority which slashed health care for millions of Americans while cutting taxes for their billionaire donors. The American people understand that Congressional Republicans and this administration willingly tolerate corruption when it benefits them. So it's outrageous but hardly surprising that this Republican majority has flat out refused to investigate critical, credible reports of fraud, abuse and corruption on the Republican fundraising platform, WinRed. Refused to investigate WinRed for facilitating documented, illegal foreign contributions that flowed through WinRed to President Trump's campaign. Why haven't Republicans attempted to investigate the Chinese national who reportedly contributed thousands to President Trump via WinRed? According to public reporting, a Chinese businessman illegally contributed $5,000 to the Trump campaign in 2024. What do House Republicans have to say about this corruption? Not a word. Deafening silence. And it doesn't end there. Public reporting shows that WinRed quote, victimized hundreds of elderly Americans and misled those battling dementia. And an examination of Trump campaign accounts shows that numerous donors listed their address as 999 anonymous drive when contributing to the President. That is clear evidence of fraud. Those donors could be foreign nationals. These donors possibly committed crimes. But House Republicans have done nothing to investigate that. The cost of corruption is real. It hurts Americans in so many ways including their bank accounts. But President Trump simply does not care about regular Americans. Don't believe me? Take him at his word. The President conceded just last month. He doesn't think about the financial pain of American citizens. Yet House Republicans will do anything to protect him. Even as gas and grocery prices skyrocket, as our economy crumbles, and Americans lose faith in their ability to achieve the American dream. Republicans won't investigate the clear pattern of fraud and criminality on WinRed precisely because the because the money goes to the Trump campaign and to other Republican campaigns. Republicans investigation today is not about safeguarding American elections. It's not about protecting American voters. It's about punishing enemies of the President and shielding his allies. And this all fits a pattern. Just look at this corrupt DOJ's vindictive politically violated prosecutions which have been repeatedly thrown out of court. Just look at the President's attempted slush fund for insurrectionists and criminals for people who violently attacked police. The corruption is visible to everyone but Republicans refuse to do anything to end it. So owing to the majority's dereliction of duty, House Democrats have stepped into the gap. We sent a letter asking the Treasury Department for information related to financial irregularities on WinRed. We sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission seeking information on allegations of on WinRed. The Trump administration stonewalled both requests. We sent letters to the Republican Attorneys General of Virginia and Texas seeking information on potential crimes committed by WinRed. Neither responded. So this morning we sent a letter to WinRed asking for information related to foreign contributions and fraud on their platform. Critically our letter made it clear that WinRed must retain all information relevant to future investigations into fraud, abuse, or criminality on behalf of WinRed. When there is clear evidence of fraud, deceptive fundraising methods, or potential foreign contributions in American elections, Congress has a duty to investigate. House Republicans have not taken that duty seriously. But next year, rest assured, committee Democrats will. The American people deserve confidence that our elections belong to Americans, not to foreign actors, not to fraudsters, and not to special interests. That's the standard Congress should demand. It's the standard House Democrats will uphold next year. Before I yield back, I'd ask for unanimous consent to enter two things into the record. The June 1st letter ranking members Raskin, Garcia, and I sent to Attorney General Paxson regarding WinRed, and today's letter to WinRed seeking documents and a transcribed interview. With that, Mr. Chair, I yield back. Without objection, so ordered. I now