ActBlue board member invokes Fifth Amendment during House foreign-donation probe

ActBlue board member Kimberly Peeler-Allen invoked her Fifth Amendment privilege when questioned by a combined House Administration, Judiciary and Oversight Committee probe into claims that the fundraising platform accepted illegal foreign donations. Her refusal mirrors that of co-founder Matt DeBergalis, who also pleaded the Fifth during a closed-door deposition on Aug. 20. Chairman Bryan Steil, a Republican from Wisconsin, criticized the lack of cooperation and warned that the organization, which has moved roughly $20 billion to Democratic causes, must demonstrate robust fraud-prevention measures.

The investigation, launched in 2023, also scrutinizes ActBlue’s screening processes after one outlet's report suggested the firm’s CEO, Regina Wallace-Jones, may have misled Congress. Wallace-Jones described the safeguards as “multilayered,” but internal counsel reportedly noted inconsistencies. The committees seek to determine whether ActBlue’s practices adequately block foreign money from entering U.S. elections.