The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

David Rosen, drosen@citizen.org, (202) 588-7742
Derrick Robinson, drobinson@citizen.org, (202) 588-7741

Big Tech Companies Donated Nearly $2 Million to Republican 'Sedition Caucus'

The political action committees (PACs) and employees of five big tech companies - Amazon, Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft - donated nearly $2 million since 2016 to the 147 Republicans lawmakers who voted against certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory, according to a

WASHINGTON

The political action committees (PACs) and employees of five big tech companies - Amazon, Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft - donated nearly $2 million since 2016 to the 147 Republicans lawmakers who voted against certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory, according to a report released today from Public Citizen.

Amazon and Google were the most generous givers to the "sedition caucus," contributing $565,000 and $595,000 to the election objectors, respectively. Amazon backed 89 of the 147 lawmakers (61%) who objected to the election results.

"Big Tech companies rushed to distance themselves from this month's attempted coup by 'deplatforming' then-President Donald Trump as well as accounts and services whose users advocated violence to overturn the election, such as Parler," said Jane Chung, big tech accountability advocate for Public Citizen and author of the report. "But these same companies had for years powered the 'sedition caucus' with campaign contributions."

"Big Tech's pause in political spending is a nice start, but it's not nearly enough," the report reads. "It's time for Big Tech to shut down, once and for all, its political spending--to shut down its PACs permanently, to commit not to fund super PACs or Dark Money groups, and to disclose money it gives to trade associations that also fund these candidates."

Public Citizen analyzed and compiled campaign finance data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics. Today's report follows a previous one, which found that corporate and trade association PACs gave $170 million to members of the Republican "sedition caucus."

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. We defend democracy, resist corporate power and work to ensure that government works for the people - not for big corporations. Founded in 1971, we now have 500,000 members and supporters throughout the country.

(202) 588-1000