By STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press National Politics Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — As President Donald Trump pushes the historical boundaries of executive power, some of the Democratic Party’s core political institutions are preparing for the possibility that the federal government may soon launch criminal investigations against them.

The Democrats’ dominant national fundraising platform, ActBlue, and the party’s largest protest group, Indivisible, are working with their attorneys for just such a scenario, according to officials within both organizations. Trump’s top political allies have suggested both groups should face prosecution.

Other Democratic allies are planning for Trump-backed legal crackdowns as well. Wary of antagonizing the president, most prefer to stay anonymous for now.

“Every one of our clients is concerned about being arbitrarily targeted by the Trump administration. We are going to great lengths to help clients prepare for or defend themselves,” said Ezra Reese, political law chair at Elias Law Group, which represents Democratic groups and candidates and is chaired by Marc Elias, the lawyer who has himself been a Trump target.

FILE – Attorney Marc Elias stands on the plaza of the Supreme Court in Washington, March 21, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

An FBI spokesperson declined to comment when asked about potential investigations into ActBlue and Indivisible. But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not downplay the threat of a potential criminal probe when asked specifically whether Trump wants the FBI, the Treasury Department or any other federal agency to investigate Democratic groups.

“Anyone who has (not) broken the law should not be worried,” Leavitt told The Associated Press. “If you have broken the law and engaged in the weaponization of justice, then you should be worried. It’s that simple.”

Indeed, far from distancing themselves from talk of retribution, many key Republicans are embracing it.

Trump’s allies argue they are justified in seeking vengeance due to the four criminal prosecutions against Trump, one of which led to multiple felony convictions in New York. There’s no evidence former President Joe Biden influenced the Trump prosecutions in any way.

Matt Schlapp, president of the American Conservative Union, said Democrats needed to be taught not to touch a hot stove.

“Someone needs to get burned for all this activity or they’re just gonna do it again,” he said. “And that’s not hypocrisy; that’s justice.”

Trump has made no secret of his plans to use the power of the federal government to target domestic political adversaries.

During a norm-breaking speech at the Department of Justice last month, Trump cast himself as the country’s “chief law enforcement officer,” a title ordinarily reserved for the attorney general.

On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order instructing the Justice Department to investigate Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who anonymously penned a book highly critical of his first presidency. Trump said that Taylor was likely guilty of treason, a crime that can carry the death penalty.

Musk calls Indivisible ‘criminals’

Indivisible has been perhaps the most important group in the Democratic resistance since Trump returned to the White House. The group’s leadership in Washington holds regular calls with state-based activists and recently released a detailed protest guide, which offers specific guidance to hundreds of local chapters across the country.

This year alone, Indivisible groups have hosted more than 1,000 protests covering every state in the nation. The group was a key organizer in the recent Hands Off! protests that attracted hundreds of thousands of people across the country.

Related Articles

Letters: We need St. Paul councilors with business sense

US moves ahead on tariffs with investigations into computer chips, pharmaceuticals

A Palestinian activist expecting a US citizenship interview is arrested instead by ICE in Vermont

Judge in Vermont considers whether he has jurisdiction of detained Tufts University student’s case

Maureen Dowd: A lot about Trump doesn’t add up

Trump top adviser and billionaire Elon Musk has publicly condemned Indivisible as “criminals.”

The statement was an apparent reference to violent attacks against Tesla dealerships and vehicles, which have spiked in recent weeks. Indivisible’s leadership released a guide earlier in the year encouraging protests outside Tesla dealerships, although the guide instructs protesters to remain peaceful and stay off private property.

No charges are known to have been filed against Indivisible or its leaders. But Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin says it’s critical that Democratic institutions work together to speak out against the threats posed by the Trump administration. His organization has been discussing contingency plans with attorneys and other activists in the event that he or other Indivisible leaders face criminal charges.

“They may try to come at us directly, or it’s as likely that their non-state actors are inspired by their lies and propaganda, and try to come at us individually,” Levin said. “And that is a risk in a moment where you’re facing anti-democratic threats like we are.”

“Our choice is, we can be quiet and hope that they won’t target us, or we can try to work as a mass opposition,” he continued. “If you’re not willing to do that, what are you doing here?”

Democrats’ fundraising at risk

Musk, backed by several Republican members of Congress, has also called on the FBI to investigate ActBlue, alleging that the Democratic Party’s main fundraising platform has skirted campaign finance laws and allowed foreign nationals to make illegal contributions to Democratic candidates.

“I think the FBI’s going to do something on ActBlue soon,” Charlie Kirk, a key Trump ally who founded the conservative group Turning Point USA, said at a political event last month in Wisconsin.

ActBlue officials this week told the AP that they would continue to cooperate with a congressional investigation led by House Republicans into allegations of fraud within the organization. ActBlue is preparing a second batch of documents to comply with a new request by House Republicans. Additionally, two ActBlue staffers are expected to testify before a House panel behind closed doors later this month.

Multiple House Republicans in recent weeks have encouraged federal law enforcement agencies to pursue requested criminal investigations into ActBlue.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has asked the Treasury Department to investigate allegations that the nonprofit processed payments to “terror-linked organizations.” Separately, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., sent a letter to the FBI last month claiming that ActBlue is being used to “to skirt the integrity of federal campaign finance laws” by allowing foreign nationals to contribute to campaigns, among other allegations of criminal wrongdoing.

“It must be emphasized that these allegations, were they to prove true, would indicate a serious threat to the integrity of our elections, besides the victimization of American citizens,” Biggs wrote.

ActBlue said it is preparing for the possibility of “many different attacks on various fronts,” including investigations by the FBI or the Treasury Department.

Meanwhile, Democratic candidates are relying on ActBlue to fund their campaigns as never before.

Donors have given more than $400 million to Democratic candidates through ActBlue over the first three months of the year, the organization told the AP. The fundraising haul represents the most money raised in any first quarter in ActBlue’s two-decade history.

While Republicans accuse the group of being funded by wealthy donors, ActBlue acts as a passthrough between donors and candidates that’s funded by a 3.95% processing fee on each donation.

“These unfounded attacks haven’t shaken us — they’ve sharpened our resolve to fuel Democratic wins,” ActBlue spokesperson Megan Hughes said. “As our first-quarter fundraising demonstrates, Democratic grassroots donors are engaged, undeterred and ready to meet this moment.”

Leavitt is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from the AP on First- and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

By YURI KAGEYAMA and MATT OTT, Associated Press

Wall Street teetered toward small losses in relatively calm trading Tuesday morning after President Donald Trump appeared to let up on some of his tariffs and stress from within the U.S. bond market eased.

Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each ticked down 0.3%, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.4%.

In contrast to the latest tariff pullback announcement, the Trump administration took steps toward imposing more tariffs, saying it was investigating the national security implications of imports of pharmaceuticals, computer chips and related products.

“You know the drill: one step forward, two steps back, then a whiplash pivot into carrot-and-stick diplomacy. It’s becoming the signature of this White House — deliver a policy gut punch, then soften the blow with selective reprieves or 90-day pauses. It’s market management by whack-a-mole,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management.

Bank of America rose 1.8% in premarket trading after it beat Wall Street analysts’ sales and revenue forecasts. Most big U.S. banks have been reporting strong first-quarter results, boosted by their stock trading desks taking advantage of the volatility caused by Trump’s on-again-off-again tariff announcements.

Johnson & Johnson also reported strong sales and profit in its most recent quarter, however, its shares were down 1% before the opening bell Tuesday.

Boeing shares slid 3.3% after Beijing ordered Chinese airlines not to take further deliveries of Boeing planes and to halt purchases of aircraft equipment from U.S. companies, according to a Bloomberg report.

United Airlines reports after markets close.

Treasury yields stabilized following their sudden and scary rise last week, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury holding firm from Monday at 4.37%. It had jumped to 4.48% on Friday from 4.01% the week before.

In Europe at midday, Germany’s DAX rose 0.8% while Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.7%. France’s CAC 40 was essentially flat after being up early.

In Asian trading, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 0.8% to finish at 34,267.54.

Automakers were among the biggest gainers in Asian trading, although their early surge was moderated by closing time. Toyota Motor Corp. jumped 3.7%, while Honda Motor Co. gained 3.6%. Electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corp.’s stock price added 2.2%.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2% to 7,761.70 and South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.9% to 2,477.41.

Chinese shares wobbled, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rising 0.2% to 21,466.27 after fluctuating much of the day. The Shanghai Composite added 0.2% to 3,267.66.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude fell 48 cents to $61.05a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, also lost 48 cents, to $64.40 a barrel. The International Energy Agency lowered its forecast for global oil demand this year citing escalating trade tensions. The price of a barrel of U.S. crude is down about 14% so far in April.

The U.S. dollar fell to 142.87 Japanese yen from 143.04 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1330.

By MARK SCOLFORO and MARC LEVY, Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Investigators worked Tuesday to uncover the motive behind an arson fire over the weekend at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion, the latest act of political violence in the U.S.

They dug into Cody Balmer’s background after, authorities say, he scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion.

Related Articles

U.S. Renews Opposition to Bringing Back Maryland Man Wrongly Deported to El Salvador

Suspect Arrested in Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion, Officials Say

A green jacket for Rory McIlroy: Irishman finishes career grand slam

Bernie Sanders, a Surprise Guest at Coachella, Urges Opposition to Trump’s Policies

What Rights Do Immigrants Have?

Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, was denied bail Monday as he faced charges including attempted homicide, terrorism and arson. He did not enter a plea to the charges.

He had told police he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him after breaking into the building, according to court documents. A motive for the attack, including whether it had anything to do with Shapiro’s politics or religious beliefs, wasn’t immediately clear.

Balmer’s mother told The Associated Press on Monday that she had made calls in recent days about his mental health issues, but “nobody would help.” Christie Balmer said her son was not taking his medicine.

However, in court, Balmer politely told a judge he did not suffer from any mental illness.

Fire caused significant damage and forced an evacuation

The fire caused significant damage and forced Shapiro, his family and guests, including other relatives, to evacuate the building early Sunday. The residence, built in 1968, did not have sprinklers, and the damage could be in the millions of dollars, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.

Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover in the same room Saturday night along with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community. They were awakened by state troopers pounding on their doors at about 2 a.m. Sunday. They fled and firefighters extinguished the fire, officials said. No one was injured.

Balmer had walked an hour from his home to the governor’s residence, and during a police interview “admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” according to a police affidavit that did not expand on that point. Afterward, he returned home, where police said they later found clothing he wore at the time and a small sledgehammer.

Balmer turned himself in at state police headquarters after confessing to his former partner and asking her to call police, which she did, the affidavit said. Authorities did not say whether he has a lawyer.

Man charged in fire had been due in court this week

Balmer, who said he was an unemployed welder with no income or savings, had been due in court later this week in an assault case in which he was accused of punching two relatives and stepping on a child’s already broken leg in 2023. In court Monday, he told the judge he did not have any drug or alcohol problems, but acknowledged missing a few court dates in the past.

Cody Balmer is escorted from court after his preliminary arraignment on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Hours after the fire, an emotional Shapiro, who is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, said the intruder could not deter him from doing his job or observing his faith.

“I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night,” Shapiro said Sunday. “I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”

The attack appeared to be carefully planned, police say

Balmer, who is registered as an unaffiliated voter, appeared to have carefully planned the attack, police said. He was inside the residence for about a minute before he escaped and was later arrested in the area, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said.

He hopped over a nearly 7-foot-high iron security fence surrounding the property, eluded officers who became aware of the breach and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire, authorities said. He used beer bottles filled with gasoline to make Molotov cocktails, documents say.

Balmer has faced criminal charges over the past decade including simple assault, theft and forgery, according to online court records. He also had financial problems in recent years, including a lender filing for foreclosure on a modest Harrisburg house he owned in 2022 over missed mortgage payments, court records show. A deed transfer shows Balmer sold the house for $60,000 last September to settle the debt.

He is the father of at least three children, with two women filing court complaints seeking child custody agreements in 2012 and 2023.

The fire badly damaged the large room that is often used for entertaining crowds and for art displays. Large west- and south-facing windows were missing their glass panes and shattered glass littered pathways. A charred piano, tables, walls, metal buffet serving dishes and more could be seen through broken windows and fire-blackened doors.

Associated Press reporters Michael Biesecker and Michelle Price in Washington and Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

Related Articles

U.S. Renews Opposition to Bringing Back Maryland Man Wrongly Deported to El Salvador

Suspect Arrested in Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion, Officials Say

A green jacket for Rory McIlroy: Irishman finishes career grand slam

Bernie Sanders, a Surprise Guest at Coachella, Urges Opposition to Trump’s Policies

What Rights Do Immigrants Have?