Press Releases
Georgia-Based Corporate Money Kept Flowing to Election Objectors After January 6th
WASHINGTON, DC — A new report from government watchdog Accountable.US found that Georgia-based Fortune 500 companies and trade groups decreased their overall contributions to election objectors in Congress by only 4.1% between the 2020 and 2022 election cycles, far less than the 9.9% decrease from corporations and trade groups across all states. Additionally, three of the 10 Georgia-based companies—including Delta Air Lines and Home Depot—cumulatively increased donations by 13.3% during the same time period, contributing a total of $87,500 more during the 2022 election cycle. The lawmakers that voted to negate the results of the 2020 election following the violent coup attempt at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th have been dubbed ‘election objectors’.
Georgia’s largest companies have failed to stand up for democracy since January 6th. Money kept flowing from Georgia corporations to election deniers in Congress even after they voted to finish what the insurrectionists started. These big businesses made a choice to maintain political influence with extremists in Congress rather than help preserve our democracy. If they first checked with their customers and shareholders, they’d realize a healthy democracy will always be what’s best for business.”
Jeremy Funk, spokesperson for Accountable.US.
In 2022, major Georgia corporations Home Depot and UPS were among the largest corporate donors to election-denying lawmakers across the nation, contributing $450,000 and $376,500 to election objectors, respectively.
Last month, Accountable.US released a report on the overall spending trends among the PACs of Fortune 500 corporations and over 700 trade associations, which found corporate contributions to those in Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results even after the Jan 6th insurrection decreased by just 9.9% – or $3,730,989 – from the 2020 cycle to the 2022 cycle.
A Quinnipiac poll released in December 2022 found: “More than half of Americans (54 percent) say the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 was an attack on democracy that should never be forgotten.” Still, ignoring voter concern, some Georgia companies continued to funnel money to Big Lie-embracing lawmakers at or above the same rate as previous cycles.