10 Companies Making Massive Donations to Political Campaigns

Following the new controversial voting law in Georgia and the slew of companies — from Delta to Coca Cola– voicing their disapproval, Republican leader Mitch McConnell told companies to “stay out of politics.”

“Our private sector must stop taking cues from the Outrage-Industrial Complex. Americans do not need or want big business to amplify disinformation or react to every manufactured controversy with frantic left-wing signaling,” he said in a statement.

However, McConnell was quickly reminded about the Citizens United vs. Federal Electoral Commission case, which he supported in 2010, that enables corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections. The argument is being made both ways.

Here’s a look at 10 companies — and the people behind them — that made some of the biggest political donations during the 2020 election cycle.

Ellison, Oracle’s co-founder and chairman, donated $7.2 million to conservative PACs, including to the Opportunity Matters Fund super PAC, the Security is Strength PAC, which supported Lindsey Graham’s campaign, and the Better Future Michigan Fund PAC, which supported John James’s campaign.

The McMahons donated $17.5 million to conservative PACs. They include the Iowa Values Action PAC, which supported Joni Ernst, America First Action, which supported Donald Trump, and the Security is Strength PAC, which supported Lindsey Graham.

Perlmutter gave $22.4 million to conservative PACs, including the Security is Strength PAC, which supported Lindsey Graham, the Valor Project super PAC and the Miles of Greatness Fund super PAC, which supported Ronny Jackson.

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James Simons, founder of the Renaissance Technologies hedge fund, which has $60 million in assets under management, donated $24.5 to million liberal PACs, including the Priorities USA Action PAC, the Strategic Victory Fund Super PAC and the Senate Majority PAC.

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Schwarzman, chairman and CEO of private equity firm The Blackstone Group, donated $33.5 million to several conservative PACs and Super PACs. They include the 1820 PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund and America First Action.

Asana was founded by former Facebookers Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein. Moskovitz and his wife, Cari Tuna, gave $49.5 million to liberal PACs, including Future Forward USA, MoveOn.org, Real Justice PAC and the Senate Majority PAC.

Griffin, the founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, which has $38 billion in assets under management, gave $66 million to several conservative PACs and super PACs, according to OpenSecrets.org.

PACs receiving the donations include the National Victory Action Fund, the Georgia Action Fund, the Better Future Michigan Fund and the Congressional Leadership Fund.

NextGen, which was “created to build the grassroots power in key states and districts to elect pro-climate Democrats into office,” by Tom Steyer, gave $69 million to various PACs, including the Working Families Party PAC, the Black PAC and the Black Economic Alliance PAC, according to OpenSecrets.org.

Bloomberg gave $152 million to various Democratic PACs, including the Independence USA PAC, the Black PAC, the Somos PAC and the Women Vote Super PAC, according to OpenSecrets.org.

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson, who died in January, and his wife Miriam Adelson, set a new record for donations from individuals in a single election cycle, giving $215.1 million. The Adelsons almost singlehandedly funded Preserve America PAC, the newest pro-Trump super PAC, according to OpenSecrets.org.

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