Top House Republicans are putting ActBlue, the Democratic fundraising powerhouse, under the microscope, questioning its donor verification practices and raising concerns over potential foreign influence in U.S. elections. On Tuesday, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), Chair of the House Administration Committee, issued a subpoena to ActBlue demanding documents that could reveal whether donations are being properly vetted for foreign involvement. This inquiry follows allegations that the platform’s lack of robust security measures could make it easier for foreign actors to funnel money into U.S. political campaigns, a serious breach of federal election laws.
In a stunning escalation of its standoff with Big Tech, Russia has slapped Google with a colossal fine of $20.5 decillion, a figure vastly surpassing the combined GDP of the entire world. The unprecedented sum stems from Google’s decision to block Russian state-backed media channels on YouTube, including prominent outlets like RT and Sputnik, which were restricted following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russian authorities argue that these channels’ bans represent censorship and a violation of national sovereignty.
Iran executed a German-Iranian national and California resident over allegedly endangering national security, a report from Iran International describes.
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, along with his partner Matt Smith and a third man named Jim Jacobson, was arrested on Tuesday following a federal investigation into an alleged sex trafficking ring, according to the FBI and federal prosecutors.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida has taken significant action against human trafficking, arresting nearly 160 suspects, including 25 illegal aliens from Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela. Some of these cases, disturbingly, involve children.
