Suspending Contributions to Lawmakers Who Voted to Overturn the Election is Not Enough

Corporate leaders have long supported candidates who agree to vote for legislation that boosts their profits, including candidates who have built their careers on racism, gender discrimination, anti-LGBTQ prejudice, voter suppression and disdain for our democracy.

Occasionally, bowing to public pressure, corporations will distance themselves from those candidates. We have seen this over the past few days, as many corporate political action committees (PACs) have announced that they will stop or temporarily suspend contributions to elected officials who voted to overturn the results of the presidential election.

These actions are not enough. Corporate PACs that have announced temporary suspensions of contributions to members of Congress who voted to overturn the election results in select states must make them permanent. Corporations must also stop supporting the vast network of trade associations and political groups that provide financial and other support to the elected officials who would stop at nothing to keep Donald Trump and his enablers in power.

If this is more than a token effort at good public relations, corporations should immediately demand refunds from and cease contributions to the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) which played a key role in promoting last week’s riots. In addition, if they were serious, they would stop all political support to groups like the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSCC), the Republican National Committee (RNC), their affiliated SuperPACs and other political organizations that provide financial and campaign support to those 147 Republican Senators and Representatives.

We also need a more lasting solution. We are calling on corporate leaders to support H.R. 1, the For the People Act, to reform our democracy by making voting easier and more accessible, changing the role of money in politics, and eliminating partisan gerrymandering.

Last week’s violent attack on the Capitol, led by white supremacists and fascists, was shocking. It’s time for CEOs and members of corporate boards to reckon with the choices they have made, and join with us to strengthen our democracy.

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