Key facts
- Over a dozen US companies that publicly supported the Voting Rights Act are now donating to state political groups working to undermine it.
- Firms including Airbnb, DoorDash, Target, and Zillow are contributing to 527 organizations that influence state races.
- Tech giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft have resumed or increased donations to these groups.
- Republican 527 organizations are outraising Democratic counterparts, with significant funding from public companies.
- Since 2010, corporations have contributed $1 billion to 527 organizations, with a historical preference for Republican groups.
A number of major U.S. companies that publicly advocated for strengthening the Voting Rights Act in 2021 are now contributing to state-level political groups that actively work to undermine such legislation, according to research from the Center for Political Accountability (CPA).
Firms including Airbnb, DoorDash, Target, and Zillow, which had signed a letter urging Congress to bolster voting rights, are providing funds to 527 organizations. These tax-exempt political groups, which operate under IRS oversight, significantly influence key state races, often with public corporations as their primary funders.
Companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, which had temporarily reduced or halted contributions after the January 6 insurrection, have resumed donating to both Republican and Democratic groups for the current election cycle. Google, for instance, increased its donation to the Republican Attorneys General Association (Raga) to $325,000 for the current cycle, a substantial rise from previous years.
This trend signifies a reversal for many corporations that were critical of Donald Trump and Republicans following the January 6 events. The CPA highlights that state attorneys general, often supported by these 527 organizations, have been instrumental in legal challenges that have impacted national policy, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade and key components of the Voting Rights Act.
Republican 527 groups, including Raga and the Republican Governors Association (RGA), are currently outraising their Democratic counterparts, with a significant portion of their funding coming from public companies. Since 2010, corporations have contributed $1 billion to 527 organizations, with a historical trend of 62% of these contributions favoring Republican groups.
Experts like Jeanne Hanna, CPA's vice-president of research, note that even smaller contributions can have a major impact in state races, leading to a "trickle-up effect" on policy. Bruce Freed, president and co-founder of CPA, emphasizes the need for consistency between company policies and their political spending, stating that current donations can undermine the business environment and company commitments.