ActBlue CEO Exercises Fifth Amendment During Congressional Hearing
The president and CEO of ActBlue, a fundraising platform used by the Democratic Party, repeatedly relied on her Fifth Amendment rights to dodge questions during a congressional inquiry about foreign donations.
At a House Administration Committee hearing on Wednesday, Regina Wallace-Jones faced inquiries regarding whether her earlier statements to Congress had been “false and misleading.” Her reply was consistent: she would not answer on the basis of her constitutional rights.
One notable question came from Republican Congressman Brian Steil of Wisconsin, who pressed her about previous claims, particularly regarding anti-fraud measures. He specifically asked why ActBlue had reportedly relaxed its standards twice in 2024, but again, Wallace did not confirm or deny this.
“When you signed this letter to me, did you believe it was false and misleading?” Steil queried.
“On the advice of my attorney and in accordance with my Fifth Amendment rights, I respectfully decline to answer this question,” she stated.
Steil continued, pointing out that her letter indicated that passport information was necessary for donors with non-U.S. addresses, but when the letter was written in November 2023, was that indeed a requirement for all those donations?
“Once more, on the advice of my attorney and in accordance with my Fifth Amendment rights, I respectfully decline to answer,” she repeated.
Steil referenced earlier testimony from Wallace-Jones, where she mentioned that ActBlue would ask donors for passport information if a donation seemed to come from a foreign address. She added that if they were unable to make contact, the donation would be returned.
“Is that correct?” he followed up.
Again, she invoked the Fifth Amendment.
Questions about the reduction of anti-fraud measures were left unanswered, as Wallace-Jones refused to clarify the situation. She did mention previously that ActBlue is focused on ensuring compliance and preventing illegal foreign funding.
In a statement shared with the Washington Post, Wallace-Jones expressed her views on the matter, claiming the inquiry was an attempt to construct an illegal criminal case against her organization. “I cannot and will not allow my words to be misused in such a way,” she asserted.
The official ActBlue account also issued a statement regarding her testimony, emphasizing that the questioning was not due to any wrongdoing by the organization but rather due to its critical role in Democratic fundraising across the country.
This is not the first time ActBlue employees have invoked their Fifth Amendment rights. In earlier testimonies, two other employees had claimed similar privileges an astonishing 146 times concerning allegations of donor fraud.
A staff report from the House committees stated that “no staff member provided testimony that would ensure that U.S. elections are free, fair, and decided solely by the American people.”
