Press Releases
Michigan-Based Corporate Money Kept Flowing to Election Objectors After January 6th
WASHINGTON, DC — A new report from government watchdog Accountable.US found that Michigan-based Fortune 500 companies and trade groups decreased their overall contributions to election objectors in Congress by 28.8% between the 2020 and 2022 election cycles — significantly more than the 9.9% decrease from corporations and trade groups across all states. In contrast, General Motors was the only Michigan-based company to increase its contributions to election objectors, jumping from $175,500 in the 2020 election cycle to $188,500 in 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’.
Money kept flowing from Michigan 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.
During the 2022 election cycle, the top five donors among Michigan-based companies cumulatively contributed $336,500 to election objectors.
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 Michigan companies continued to funnel money to Big Lie-embracing lawmakers at or above the same rate as previous cycles.