Major US companies have donated to GOP election opponents despite promises, watchdog says

Despite commitments to the contrary, major US companies – such as ExxonMobil, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, FedEx, Boeing, Pfizer, Raytheon and others — keep donating to Republican Party Conference members voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election, a new report alleges.

The report, from government watchdog group and nonpartisan company Accountable.US, lists the companies, among others, that have donated a total of $8.1 million to 147 Republican lawmakers peace, who voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. The monitoring group called the 147 lawmakers the “charming Caucus”, denoting a political group that rebelled against the government. of the country.

Lawmakers have been heavily criticized for legalizing the former President Donald TrumpThe baseless claims that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him due to an unprecedented nationwide voter fraud scheme. Many political analysts and detainees cited Trump’s statements as the basis for the January 6 uprising on the US Capitol. There is no evidence to support the claim.

The watchdog group said that although large corporate donations largely stopped in the first quarter of 2021, they resumed in the second and third quarters, totaling 3 million. dollars.

Boeing, the aerospace company, condemned the uprising in a January 14, 2021 statement, which said, “We are not making political contributions at this time.” Since then, however, the company has donated $190,000 to Republicans who voted against certifying the election.

Cigna, the health insurer, said that it would “stop giving money to elected officials who “encourage or support violence” during the uprising, in a January 12, 2021 statement to CNBC. .

ExxonMobil, the natural gas company, said its political action committee (PAC) will use “a robust process to evaluate a candidate’s background, pre-voting record and consistency with corporate priorities,” in a statement January 13, 2021. However, the PAC donated $61,000 to those who opposed the election.

FedEx, the shipping company, said it was “considering all future political contributions” in a January 2021 statement. It then donated $58,500 to lawmakers. of the Republican Party.

General Motors, the automaker, has announced that it will “withhold political contributions, at least for the moment,” in a statement dated January 13, 2021. The manufacturer then said. gave $92,500 to Republicans who opposed Biden’s endorsement of victory.

Johnson & Johnson, the consumer health company, halted all political donations because of the uprising on January 14, 2021. In the end, it raised $22,500 for protesters election.

Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers serving the US government, said it “does not make political contributions” because it “regularly evaluates and updates” the PAC’s contribution strategy to “reflects our core values ​​and the constantly changing political landscape” in a January 2021 statement. The contractor later awarded $184,500 to the Republican team.

Northrop Grumman, the defense manufacturer, said it would “stop all donations” from its PACs after the January 6 riots, washington articles reported January 2021. The company spent $83,000 on the campaigns of the aforementioned Republican lawmakers.

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has pledged to immediately suspend donations to those who oppose the January election. But then it donated at least $49,500 to them.

Raytheon, the arms company, has paused PAC grants to “reflect on the current environment and determine appropriate next steps,” it said in a January 2021 statement. The company then poured $186,000 into the politicians’ war chests.

Other companies and lobbying groups have condemned the riot and mentioned upholding the community’s “values” in the wake of the January 6 incident, but they have also continued to donate to the cause. Republicans voted against certifying the election.

A June report from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a government nonprofit watchdog, found that more than $5 million in corporate or industry money has been donated to opponents of the Republican Party.

This includes Walmart, PNC, Johnson & Johnson, Comcast, General Electric (GE), Pfizer, Home Depot, Gap, AT&T, and others have continued to donate despite “originally pledging to stop making contributions to benefit foundations.” members who voted not to certify the election.”

Newsweek Have reached out to the companies mentioned from the Accountable.US’ report for comment.