Chuck Schumer

Yeah. I worked for John Edwards for president in 2004. And when you would walk around the fundraising department, there would be giant books filled with contact information for trial lawyers. So I remember the kind of OG fundraising and the types of people that it involved in the political process. And you're right.

I mean, Howard Dean comes along and he starts this revolution in online fundraising. But at some point along the way, ActBlue just exploded in popularity and kind of became the only game in town. I'm just wondering, why do you think that was?

I mean, Howard Dean comes along and he starts this revolution in online fundraising. But at some point along the way, ActBlue just exploded in popularity and kind of became the only game in town. I'm just wondering, why do you think that was?

So As you said, I mean, you're not a political party. You're not a political entity. You're not fundraising. You're a technology platform and conduit through which funds are raised and then distributed out. Is there a version of ActBlue on the Republican side that just happens to be used by Republicans? And how does it differ?

So As you said, I mean, you're not a political party. You're not a political entity. You're not fundraising. You're a technology platform and conduit through which funds are raised and then distributed out. Is there a version of ActBlue on the Republican side that just happens to be used by Republicans? And how does it differ?

So let me get at some of these annoyances because a big part of why I'm doing this episode is because democratic fundraising efforts can be really annoying. I think it goes just beyond the inconvenience. I think sometimes the volume of requests, the feeling that you can't get them to stop, the tone, the tenor. It can feel like almost disrespectful or worse.

So let me get at some of these annoyances because a big part of why I'm doing this episode is because democratic fundraising efforts can be really annoying. I think it goes just beyond the inconvenience. I think sometimes the volume of requests, the feeling that you can't get them to stop, the tone, the tenor. It can feel like almost disrespectful or worse.

You know, there are these scam packs that raise money. And that money then primarily gets funneled to the people working for these scam packs and not for good campaigns or good causes. What role can ActBlue play in reforming the process or weeding out bad actors?

You know, there are these scam packs that raise money. And that money then primarily gets funneled to the people working for these scam packs and not for good campaigns or good causes. What role can ActBlue play in reforming the process or weeding out bad actors?

So what you're saying is for people who get a million texts and they feel like they have texted back stop to every campaign or PAC in the history of campaign impacts, and they want to blame ActBlue because sometimes embedded in those texts is an ActBlue link. You're saying you guys have nothing to do with that. You're not sending those messages.

So what you're saying is for people who get a million texts and they feel like they have texted back stop to every campaign or PAC in the history of campaign impacts, and they want to blame ActBlue because sometimes embedded in those texts is an ActBlue link. You're saying you guys have nothing to do with that. You're not sending those messages.

I don't think so. I don't think there's any donors that are saying bring that on.

I don't think so. I don't think there's any donors that are saying bring that on.

Listen, you're being, I'm just, as a friend, you're being excessively generous to these campaigns, okay? We get the concept, but no one is like, sell my data ad infinitum. That is a nightmare for everybody.

Listen, you're being, I'm just, as a friend, you're being excessively generous to these campaigns, okay? We get the concept, but no one is like, sell my data ad infinitum. That is a nightmare for everybody.

I think most people don't know what's happening. I think people are going to donate to a list that we're...

I think most people don't know what's happening. I think people are going to donate to a list that we're...

Yeah, they're not opening their phone to a giant picture of Nancy Pelosi being like, Tommy, we're all going to die if you don't give me five bucks right now.

Yeah, they're not opening their phone to a giant picture of Nancy Pelosi being like, Tommy, we're all going to die if you don't give me five bucks right now.

She is absolutely lovely, but the texts are awful. So in December of last year, a group of fundraising practitioners and consultants in academics, they wrote this letter to ActBlue with some recommendations about protecting donors from the kind of scam packs, the unscrupulous actors that we were talking about earlier. How can you do that? How can you guys help protect against scam packs?