Elizabeth Warren is facing criticism after it was revealed that she directed wildfire relief donations to the contentious Democratic funding platform ActBlue. This occurred despite her assurances to her social media followers that “100%” of the funds raised would be allocated “directly” to California relief organizations, when in fact, only 4% of each donation was sent to ActBlue.
To provide context, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) made a post on X on January 11, 2025, soliciting donations to assist communities impacted by the LA wildfires. In her message, she informed her followers that all funds collected would be sent directly to two organizations: the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles. However, critics noted that the link included in Senator Warren’s post directed donations through ActBlue, which reportedly retains approximately 4% of all funds raised through its online platform.
In her initial post, Senator Warren urged her followers to contribute funds to support the communities affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, which occurred from January 7 to 31, 2025. She wrote, “To help support the communities around L.A. being devastated by wildfires, can you split a donation between the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles?” She further stated, “100% of your donation will go directly to these organizations.”
However, following Senator Warren’s fundraising request, conservative commentators in the comments section accused her of dishonesty. One user, Tim Young, remarked, “This is a scam to fundraise for Democrat campaigns…ActBlue??? You should be ashamed of yourself.” Another user highlighted, “These donations go directly to ActBlue, the Democratic dark money site.” They cautioned, “Do not donate to any politician; find a reputable site if you must.”
Additionally, numerous conservatives criticized Sen. Warren in the comments, highlighting that she was “channeling donations through a left-leaning organization” and labeling ActBlue as a “Democrat money laundering operation.” In a comment that received 6,800 likes, the X account Libs of TikTok stated, “We know you are malevolent, but this is unprecedented.” Another account remarked, “Dems are exploiting the LA fires to fundraise for their political PAC. They are the scum of the earth.”
Months after the initial post was published on X, conservative influencer Mila Joy urged for an investigation into Sen. Warren in a May 11, 2025, X post, asserting, “Elizabeth Warren was siphoning off the top of Los Angeles fire donations for her personal benefit.” She further stated, “It’s (sic) fraudulent,” before calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to “investigate and prosecute” Senator Warren for utilizing a charity fundraiser to advance her own campaign. Joy concluded, “It will not cease unless we intervene.”
Moreover, on March 8, 2025, the X account Western Decline also criticized Sen. Warren for her dubious actions in a reply to Elon Musk, stating, “Reminder that Elizabeth Warren was caught redirecting funds meant for LA fire victims to ActBlue.” They added, “Naturally, the media entirely overlooked this scandal. Share this and unveil these fraudsters; we are the media now.”
In reaction to Western Decline’s post, numerous conservatives demanded the arrest of Sen. Warren. Conservative influencer Sarah Smith commented, “Elizabeth Warren is a puppet of Soros!” referencing Elon Musk’s announcement that Soros was a significant financier of ActBlue. Musk stated, “ActBlue is presently under investigation for permitting foreign and illegal donations in blatant violation of campaign finance laws.”