For-profit

ActBlue LLC

Website:

actblue.com

Location:

Somerville, MA, United States

Formation:

2004

Type:

For-Profit

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ActBlue LLC is the for-profit arm of the left-of-center political action committee ActBlue, the 501(c)(3) pass-through affiliate of ActBlue Charities, and the 501(c)(4) pass-through affiliate of ActBlue Civics.

Background

The ActBlue website was launched in 2004 by Ben Rahn and Matt DeBergalis as a fundraising platform for left-of-center organizations and candidates. 1 According to its own figures, ActBlue claimed to have raised $2.4 billion for its clients from 2004 through 2018. 2 As of March 2021, ActBlue claimed that liberal causes and candidates had raised $8.4 billion on its platform since its creation. 3

ActBlue LLC

Little information is available about ActBlue LLC. ActBlue’s website does not mention its for-profit operations. The entity was incorporated in 2005 in Somerville, MA, under ActBlue leaders Benjamin Rahn, Erin Hill, Marc Laitin, and Matthew Debergalis. Branches have been incorporated in Maryland, Oregon, California, Texas, Maine, Washington, Montana, Delaware, Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Virginia. 45

FEC Controversies

In 2016, the Federal Exchange Commission (FEC) dismissed a complaint against ActBlue LLC. The American Democracy Legal Fund alleged that ActBlue LLC had violated sections of the 1971 Federal Elections Campaign Act by failing to disclose its role in posting Facebook advertisements on behalf of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (D-VT). The FEC found the complaint lacked merit. 6

In 2021, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) fined ActBlue $3,300 for funneling $44,000 in illegal contributions during the 2020 election cycle. Wrigley gum heir Jim Offield and Democratic donor Deborah Simon were among those found to have violated federal election law by exceeding contribution limits. 7

References

  1. Hartmann, Michael E. “ActBlue Fundraising Platform Strikes Gold — for Liberals | RealClearPolitics.” RealClearPolitics. January 23, 2018. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/01/23/actblue_fundraising_platform_strikes_gold_–_for_liberals_136068.html.
  2. “Billions Raised Online since 2004.” ActBlue. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://secure.actblue.com/
  3. “Billions Raised Online since 2004.” ActBlue LLC. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://secure.actblue.com/.
  4. “ACTBLUE LLC.” Open Corporates. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ma/000891172.
  5. “Search: ACTBLUE LLC.” Open Corporates. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://opencorporates.com/companies?q=ACTBLUE+LLC.
  6. “Federal Election Commission.” Federal Election Commission. December 12, 2016. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/files/legal/murs/7039/17044404858.pdf.
  7. Schoffstall, Joe. “ActBlue Fined for Facilitating Nearly $44,000 in illegal contributions.” Washington Free Beacon. March 8, 2021. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://freebeacon.com/democrats/actblue-fined-for-facilitating-nearly-44000-in-illegal-contributions/.

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. Benjamin Rahn
    Co-Founder
  2. Ian Simmons
    Supporter
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ActBlue LLC

366 Summer st
Somerville, MA 02144
United States