Lobbying

Corporate PACs rack up $21 million in donations to election objectors

by Karl Evers-Hillstrom - 07/26/22 8:34 AM ET

AP photo
The face of President Donald Trump appears on large screens as supporters participate in a rally in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. The House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6 began holdings its prime-time hearing on June 9, 2022.

Corporate PACs affiliated with Fortune 500 companies and their trade groups have donated $21.5 million to GOP lawmakers who objected to the 2020 election results, according to a new report from the liberal advocacy group Accountable.US.

Most companies have resumed making PAC donations to Republicans who voted against certifying President Biden’s win after initially pausing their political giving following the Jan. 6, 2021, capitol attack.

Very few large corporations are still ruling out donations to all of the 147 GOP objectors — which include lawmakers in line to win leadership positions or committee gavels depending on the results of November’s elections — instead opting not to bankroll a small number of Republicans who continue to make inaccurate and inflammatory statements about the 2020 election.

That hasn’t stopped companies from giving big to lawmakers who are attacking the credibility of the House Jan. 6 select committee even as it unearths new details about former President Trump’s apparent efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his refusals to condemn Jan. 6 rioters.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who has repeatedly bashed the committee for refusing to include pro-Trump Republicans, is the top recipient of Fortune 500 money among election objectors, receiving $696,000. Raytheon, Humana and Citigroup were among his donors last month, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who is set to speak at Trump’s Washington, D.C., summit this week alongside McCarthy and several other House Republicans, took in $612,500 from corporate PACs.

Home Depot is the top donor to election objectors among Fortune 500 companies, giving $420,000 through its PAC. Federal contractors Boeing and Lockheed Martin and second and third, donating $367,500 and $326,000 respectively.

“Companies that claim to support democracy but fail to align their political spending with their stated values need to make it clear to their customers, shareholders, and own employees that they value something much more — having political influence over lawmakers no matter how dangerous their views,” Accountable.US President Kyle Herrig said in a statement.