ActBlue Cofounder Invokes Fifth Amendment in House Deposition
The refusal to testify narrows the evidentiary record available to three House committees investigating the Democratic fundraising platform, leaving key operational questions unanswered through...
Matt DeBergalis, cofounder of ActBlue, the primary online fundraising platform used by Democratic campaigns and committees, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination multiple times during a closed-door congressional deposition on Thursday, August 14, 2026, according to the Washington Examiner, which cited two sources familiar with the hearing. The deposition lasted less than 30 minutes.
The session was convened jointly by three House committees: the Committee on House Administration, the House Committee on the Judiciary, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. All three committees have been conducting an investigation into ActBlue's fundraising operations. The specific scope and legislative predicate of that investigation have not been disclosed in full through public records as of this reporting date.
ActBlue operates as a nonprofit political organization registered with the Federal Election Commission. Its FEC filings show it processed billions of dollars in Democratic campaign contributions across the 2020 and 2024 election cycles. According to FEC data, ActBlue processed approximately 8.6 billion dollars in contributions during the 2020 cycle and reported comparable volumes in 2024. The platform charges a standard processing fee, which is disclosed in its public filings.
The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that no person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. Invoking the right in a civil or congressional proceeding does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing under established legal precedent, but it does leave committee members without sworn testimony on the questions they sought to address. It is unknown what specific questions DeBergalis declined to answer. Transcripts of closed-door depositions may be released at the discretion of the relevant committees, and a formal transcript request or committee vote would be the public record that could clarify the full exchange.
The committees have not publicly stated whether they intend to subpoena additional witnesses or documents related to the ActBlue inquiry. Any such action would be recorded in official committee notices and the Congressional Record. It is also unknown whether the Department of Justice has a parallel inquiry into ActBlue; a DOJ press release or court filing would be the record that would confirm or deny that fact.