ActBlue Investigation and the Fifth Amendment Plea

ActBlue co-founder Matt DeBergalis recently invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed deposition before three key House committees. According to sources, this session was part of an ongoing investigation into ActBlue, a major fundraising platform for Democratic campaigns. The Committees on House Administration, Oversight, and Judiciary are examining allegations that the platform’s lax fraud prevention may have allowed foreign donations into U.S. campaigns.

The deposition, held Thursday morning, was notably brief, lasting less than 30 minutes. DeBergalis was observed entering and leaving the session within this short time frame. Reporters reached out to ActBlue as well as the majority and minority representatives of the three committees for comments.

ActBlue has played a significant role in Democratic fundraising efforts, utilized by figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. It should be noted that invoking the Fifth Amendment does not imply wrongdoing. ActBlue has consistently denied any legal violations amid the Republican-led investigation.

Initially, the investigation into ActBlue was launched by the Committee on House Administration, which oversees U.S. election laws, led by Chairman Bryan Steil. He raised concerns over potential acceptance of foreign or fraudulent donations due to the absence of credit card CVV requirements. In response, ActBlue has since updated its processes to include a CVV mandate.

An April 2025 report by the committees suggested that ActBlue executives and staff were aware of the platform’s exploitation by both foreign and domestic actors but may not have taken the threat with due seriousness. The current CEO of ActBlue also referred to the Fifth Amendment during a public congressional hearing earlier this year.

In an interview, Chairman Steil expressed uncertainty about ActBlue’s current fraud prevention standards. He emphasized the need for the organization to demonstrate that it is addressing issues related to fraudulent foreign contributions.

Despite ActBlue executives’ reticence in responding to Republican inquiries, Steil highlighted the public’s right to transparency regarding the platform’s activities, which have facilitated approximately $20 billion in donations to Democratic causes since inception.