An 88-year-old retiree living in a rural trailer in Milan, Michigan, is the subject of renewed federal scrutiny after campaign finance records attributed nearly $4,500 in recent political donations to her name—transactions recorded during a period when she reportedly had no access to the internet.
Elizabeth Waffle, a widow who has lived in a trailer since losing her home to a fire two years ago, was linked to 562 distinct transactions over a recent six-week stretch. Most notably, federal records logged four separate donations totaling $22 on a specific day when visitors to her home confirmed that her power, water, and internet services were all disconnected. During an attempt to verify her donation history, Waffle was reportedly unable to get online to access any fundraising platforms.
The volume of activity attributed to the Michigan retiree extends far beyond the last six weeks. Federal filings reviewed earlier this year credited Waffle with a staggering 14,696 donations over a five-year period. This volume averages out to roughly eight donations every day for five years, with the total financial contribution estimated between $100,295 and $130,000 depending on the specific cycle review.
When presented with printouts of these transactions, Waffle expressed deep confusion and eventually frustration. While she initially dismissed the reports as “hogwash” and suggested that she viewed political competition as a matter of “fighting fire with fire,” she later stated a desire for the matter to be investigated. She noted that while she is a supporter of her party, she values honesty and expressed concern if donor records were being manipulated. “I do care if somebody is fudging and putting stuff in,” she said.
Among the specific transactions attributed to Waffle was a $51 contribution to Abdul El-Sayed, a prominent figure in Michigan Democratic politics. El-Sayed recently won a competitive Senate primary by less than one percentage point and is set to face Republican Mike Rogers in the November general election. The race is widely considered a pivotal contest that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
The discrepancy in Waffle’s records coincides with a broader national debate over the practices of ActBlue, the primary fundraising platform for Democratic candidates. Critics have pointed to the platform’s “Tandem Fundraising” tool as a potential explanation for high transaction counts, as it allows a single donation to be split across multiple campaigns, generating numerous entries from a single gift.
However, the scale of activity linked to individuals like Waffle has drawn the attention of federal lawmakers and law enforcement. Earlier this year, ActBlue CEO Regina Wallace-Jones invoked her Fifth Amendment rights multiple times while appearing before the House Administration Committee. Additionally, in April 2025, President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into whether online fundraising platforms are being used to process illegal or fraudulent contributions.
As the investigation into Waffle’s attributed donations continues, the case remains a focal point for those questioning the transparency of micro-donor platforms in high-stakes elections. For now, the 88-year-old widow says she wants to know the truth behind the thousands of transactions that bear her name.
