AOC Asked to Clarify How Funds for Thanksgiving Turkeys Were Used

It invited recipients to “chip in” a suggested donation amount to help “bring the joy of the holiday season into homes around NYC” in the weeks before Thanksgiving.

However, when donors clicked on the link to give, they were directed to a fundraising page hosted on ActBlue, the well‑known online platform used by Democratic candidates and committees to collect campaign contributions.

The ActBlue page indicated that contributions were being made to “Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez for Congress,” noting that donations were campaign contributions that did not qualify as charitable tax deductions.

ActBlue: How the Platform Works

ActBlue is a longstanding fundraising platform that serves as a conduit for processing small‑dollar donations to Democratic candidates, committees, and progressive causes.

It is structured as a political action committee (PAC) rather than a charity, and contributions made through ActBlue are subject to Federal Election Commission (FEC) reporting and campaign finance regulations, not charitable organization rules.

Because funds raised via ActBlue are attributed to campaigns or committees, they are not tax‑deductible like donations made to registered nonprofit organizations. Continue reading…