Press Releases
WASHINGTON - Today, Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01) sent a letter to the Georgia State Ethics Commission requesting a copy of the investigative file in the New Georgia Project investigation. The New Georgia Project, which is a non-profit organization, was recently fined $300,000 for failing to disclose over $4 million in contributions and over $3 million in expenditures.
"The findings of the investigation into the New Georgia Project are troubling. As Chairman, I have led the Committee in our efforts to increase the integrity and fairness of our elections," said Chairman Steil. "There are currently legal loopholes that foreign adversaries may exploit to funnel illicit funds into our elections through non-profit organizations. It is critical that we know if any foreign funds have been used to influence our elections."
Read the full letter here.
Background:
On October 31, 2023, following reports that ActBlue was accepting political contributions without a card verification value (CVV), Chairman Steil sent a letter demanding answers on ActBlue's practices, questioning if they are complying with federal campaign finance laws and preventing foreign and illegal contributions.
On November 27, 2023, ActBlue responded to Chairman Steil's letter saying it did not require a CVV in order to contribute on their website. Following the Committee's investigation, ActBlue now requires a CVV.
In May 2024, Chairman Steil introduced the Preventing Foreign Interference in Elections Act, which would modernize federal law's existing foreign national prohibition, preventing foreign nationals from wrongly influencing American elections.
On September 6, 2024, Chairman Steil introduced H.R. 9488, the Secure Handling of Internet Electronic Donations (SHIELD) Act. The legislation prohibits political committees from accepting an online contribution unless the contributor provides the CVV and billing address associated with the card and from accepting online contributions from prepaid cards. It also adopts a top legislative recommendation from the FEC to prohibit individuals from knowingly aiding or abetting a person making a contribution in the name of another person.
On September 11, 2024, the SHIELD Act passed the Committee on House Administration by a voice-vote.
On May 16, 2024, the Committee on House Administration held a hearing titled, “American Confidence in Elections: Preventing Noncitizen Voting and Other Foreign Interference.”
On December 18, 2024, the Committee on House Administration will hold a hearing titled, “American Confidence in Elections: Prohibiting Foreign Interference.”
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