Republicans face growing corporate backlash after Capitol assault

By Andy Sullivan and David Shepardson

 

FILE PHOTO: An American Express credit card is seen on a computer keyboard in this picture illustration taken September 6, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/Illustration

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Congress faced growing blowback on Monday from businesses that said they would cut off campaign contributions to those who voted last week to challenge President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

 

The announcements by Dow Inc., AT&T Inc. , American Express, Airbnb Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc. and Mastercard, among others, threaten to throttle fundraising resources for Republicans who will soon be out of power in the White House and both chambers of Congress. AT&T, for example, is among the biggest corporate donors in Washington.

 

Greeting-card giant Hallmark said it had asked senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall to return its contributions.

 

Representatives for the two Republicans, who both objected to Biden's certification, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

The announcements are a sign that some corporate donors, which typically spread their money widely around Capitol Hill, are re-assessing their strategy after supporters of President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol last week in an effort to prevent Congress from formalizing Biden's victory.

 

It is unclear whether their decisions will have a lasting impact. Fundraising activity is currently at a post-election lull in Washington, giving businesses and trade groups some time to figure out their approach.

 

Few companies have gone as far as Dow, which said it would withhold donations for the Republican lawmakers' entire terms in office - up to six years for those in the Senate. Others said they would withhold donations temporarily, or suspend giving to Republicans and Democrats alike.

 

At least five people died in last week's attack, which also forced lawmakers into hiding for several hours.

 

When they reconvened, 147 Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate voted to challenge Biden's victory in Pennsylvania or Arizona, even though both states already formally certified the results and election officials say there were no significant problems with the vote.

 

Those voting yes included the top two House Republicans, Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise, and Senator Rick Scott, who as incoming head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee will head up efforts to win back the Senate in the 2022 elections. All of their jobs require extensive fundraising. McCarthy and Scalise's offices did not respond to a request for comment. Spokespeople for Scott declined to comment.

 

CUT OFF FOR HOW LONG?

The sheer extent of the Republican opposition will make it difficult for businesses to simply cut off those who voted against certifying Biden's victory, said a senior Republican business strategist, speaking on condition of anonymity. Roughly two-thirds of all House Republicans, including seasoned legislators and vocal Trump partisans, supported the challenge.

 

Business groups will be watching closely over the coming weeks to see whether those Republicans make gestures to re-establish a sense of normalcy, such as attending Biden's inauguration, the strategist said.

 

"Each of those people are going to be scrutinized," the strategist said. "Are they all going into the bucket of 'no contributions'? I would be shocked if they all get put in."

 

A growing list of companies, including Ford Motor Co., Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc's Google, Facebook Inc. Smithfield Foods Inc., BlackRock and Union Pacific Corp. said they would temporarily suspend donations to Democrats and Republicans alike.

 

Goldman Sachs is suspending all donations for the time being and may ultimately blacklist Republican who voted against certifying Biden's win, according to a source familiar with the matter.

 

Trade associations, among the biggest corporate donors in Washington, are moving more slowly.

 

The National Association of Beer Wholesalers and the American Bankers Association said they would re-assess their contribution strategy. Other top donors, including the National Association of Homebuilders and the National Association of Realtors, said they have yet to make a decision.

 

Several analysts said the boycott may not be permanent, as the need for access on Capitol Hill might ultimately outweigh the risk of being seen as an underwriter of those who weaken U.S. democracy.

 

"It’s very easy to suspend campaign contributions two months after an election. The question is whether these policies will remain in effect," said Stanford University law professor Nathaniel Persily.

 

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan and David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Jessica DiNapoli, Karen Freifeld, Ross Kerber, Linda So, Diane Bartz, Matthew Scuffham, Paresh Dave, Mike Stone and Jessica Resnick-Ault; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Andrea Ricci)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-12

 

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They deserve what they get following a chump like Trump!

Finally.  A bit too little too late though.  Let's not forget who sponsored this administration the past 4 years.  Nor forget his enablers in congress.  Remember their names.

Republicans have a MAJOR decision to make! Corporate money or Trump. Looks like a vote in the Senate to impeach is almost a laid down misere. Republicans a renowned for their self preservation traits.

Stripe has stopped processing trump "campaign" donations. Makes grifting more challenging I'd imagine.

 

 

 

Stripe Blocks Processing For Trump Campaign Donations

 

https://www.pymnts.com/digital-payments/2021/stripe-blocks-processing-trump-campaign-donations/

14 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Republicans have a MAJOR decision to make! Corporate money or Trump. Looks like a vote in the Senate to impeach is almost a laid down misere. Republicans a renowned for their self preservation traits.

Nah...like with all whores, their clients will be back in no time...all for public relations show now while things are hot

33 minutes ago, tonray said:

Nah...like with all whores, their clients will be back in no time...all for public relations show now while things are hot

This time, things are different.  Many of these members of GOP will never get their sponsors back.  like Hawley, his career is toast.  Even papers in his hometown are calling for his resignation.  About times.  Next up should be Cruz, Meadows, Jordan, Gaetz, etc, etc, etc.

10 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

This time, things are different.  Many of these members of GOP will never get their sponsors back.  like Hawley, his career is toast.  Even papers in his hometown are calling for his resignation.  About times.  Next up should be Cruz, Meadows, Jordan, Gaetz, etc, etc, etc.

Having worked in an around Wall Street....in 6 months time..money will start flowing again to all the Repubs and even before then...money will flow to PACs (Political Action Committes) that will have indirect ways of getting money and support to Republican candidates...nothing ever changes. I was working in financial services during the hige financial breakdown in 2009....the main thing on Wall Street banks mind was sending lobbyists to DC to prevent any caps put on executive compensation...not about how to save Americans from the carnage...I saw first hand how fickle corporate entities are when it comes to money.

3 minutes ago, tonray said:

Having worked in an around Wall Street....in 6 months time..money will start flowing again to all the Repubs and even before then...money will flow to PACs (Political Action Committes) that will have indirect ways of getting money and support to Republican candidates...nothing ever changes. I was working in financial services during the hige financial breakdown in 2009....the main thing on Wall Street banks mind was sending lobbyists to DC to prevent any caps put on executive compensation...not about how to save Americans from the carnage...I saw first hand how fickle corporate entities are when it comes to money.

I spent years working on Wall Street.  We'll see.  Even the Koch brothers didn't back Trump this past time around.  Pulling their huge financial support. 

 

We can only hope those who support racism, hate and the spread of lies start to disappear from politics.  It will never go away, but under Trump, spread way to far and fast.

 

Seems things might be changing for the better???

 

https://morningconsult.com/2021/01/11/trump-approval-impeachment-resignation-polling/
 

Quote

 

Trump’s Job Approval Hits Unprecedented Low as Majority of Voters Say He Should Resign

 

37% approve, 60% disapprove of Trump’s job performance

 

 

59 minutes ago, tonray said:

Nah...like with all whores, their clients will be back in no time...all for public relations show now while things are hot

GoT reference: The bankers didn't give a fig about politics, they "loaned" money to those whom they thought would win so as to give them a return on investment.

3 minutes ago, J Town said:

GoT reference: The bankers didn't give a fig about politics, they "loaned" money to those whom they thought would win so as to give them a return on investment.

But it's not just the bankers.  It's corporations that don't want to be associated with a traitor.  We've seen this with Fox News also.  Many sponsors leaving because of what the lying opinion hosts have said.  Just hope more will back away from the GOP.  Fingers crossed.

2 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

But it's not just the bankers.  It's corporations that don't want to be associated with a traitor.  We've seen this with Fox News also.  Many sponsors leaving because of what the lying opinion hosts have said.  Just hope more will back away from the GOP.  Fingers crossed.

The less money and power (same thing really) Ruprecht Murdoch gets the better the world will be.

Some movement!!!

 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/11/business/us-economy-coronavirus?type=styln-live-updates&label=business&index=1#cumulus-election-fraud-bongino-levin

 

Quote

 

Talk Radio Giant Tells Hosts to Stop ‘Stolen Elections’ Rhetoric: Live Updates RIGHT NOW

 

Cumulus Media, a talk radio company with a roster of popular right-wing personalities including Dan Bongino, Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro, has ordered its employees at 416 stations nationwide to steer clear of endorsing misinformation about election fraud or using language that promotes violent protest.

 

“We need to help induce national calm NOW,” it began.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

But it's not just the bankers.  It's corporations that don't want to be associated with a traitor.  We've seen this with Fox News also.  Many sponsors leaving because of what the lying opinion hosts have said.  Just hope more will back away from the GOP.  Fingers crossed.

You can add in the US PGA. They've just voted to remove one of the majors, the US PGA title, from his golf course Trump National in New Jersey. That will hurt his hip pocket, very lucrative hosting big tournaments.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/golf/pga-championship-votes-to-leave-trump-national-20210111-p56t83.html

Here is a looooong list of companies that cut ties with Trump and the GOP

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/citigroup-jp-morgan-blue-cross-among-companies-cutting-off-trump-and-gop-165418260.html

Verizon Will Suspend Donations to Lawmakers Who Opposed Biden Certification

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-01-11/verizon-will-suspend-donations-to-lawmakers-who-opposed-biden-certification

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Republicans in the U.S. Congress faced growing blowback on Monday from businesses that said they would cut off campaign contributions to those who voted last week to challenge President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

 

The announcements by Dow Inc., AT&T Inc. , American Express, Airbnb Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc. and Mastercard, among others, threaten to throttle fundraising resources for Republicans who will soon be out of power in the White House and both chambers of Congress. AT&T, for example, is among the biggest corporate donors in Washington.

Wow, an opening two sentences, that carry so much bad news for the trump maga herd, is without doubt a joy to read first thing in the morning.

 

maga indeed

2 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Wow, an opening two sentences, that carry so much bad news for the trump maga herd, is without doubt a joy to read first thing in the morning.

 

maga indeed

The chickens are coming home to roost.  I have no sympathies at all for these lowlife MAGA-types.  Pretty soon, it will be a pariah 4-letter word. 

Even military veteran groups are disavowing these insurrection criminals....

 

[At least two veterans’ groups will purge members who are found guilty of participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol last week that resulted in five deaths, including a Capitol Police officer.]

 

["As veterans who have sacrificed to support and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, DAV abhors and rejects the insurrectionist acts perpetrated at our Capitol on Wednesday," the group said in a statement.]

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/veterans-groups-say-they-will-purge-members-who-participated-in-us-capitol-riot

Wow! The walls are tumbling down for the traitors in the GOP.

 

Campaign finance system rocked as firms pause or halt contributions after election results challenged

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/01/10/marriott-campaign-donations-congress/

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

You can add in the US PGA. They've just voted to remove one of the majors, the US PGA title, from his golf course Trump National in New Jersey. That will hurt his hip pocket, very lucrative hosting big tournaments.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/golf/pga-championship-votes-to-leave-trump-national-20210111-p56t83.html

Turnberry has also been removed from the british open rotation.

I find it all quite hypocritical that these firms are deciding now is the last straw. 4 years of racism, mysogyny, dodgy deals and splitting a nation was ok but the highly predictable storming of the Capitol is the straw that finally broke the camels back.

Hypocrites to a man. 

 

10 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

I find it all quite hypocritical that these firms are deciding now is the last straw. 4 years of racism, mysogyny, dodgy deals and splitting a nation was ok but the highly predictable storming of the Capitol is the straw that finally broke the camels back.

Hypocrites to a man. 

 

Well put!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

33 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

I find it all quite hypocritical that these firms are deciding now is the last straw. 4 years of racism, mysogyny, dodgy deals and splitting a nation was ok but the highly predictable storming of the Capitol is the straw that finally broke the camels back.

Hypocrites to a man. 

 

While I understand your point, it's better late than never.  In fact, it's quite satisfying to see it now, especially since Trump is not in a position to do much of anything.  Twitter, for example, needed a solid reason to justify shutting down Trump as they knew he would scream bloody murder.  And his right wing cohorts would be crying "censorship of conservative voices!"....which they are anyways.  But "inciting violence" is a valid reason that most will accept, even grudgingly.  It's a shame that it had to come to that, but at least no one can say now that Trump's lies wouldn't lead to real tragedy. 

7 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

While I understand your point, it's better late than never.  In fact, it's quite satisfying to see it now, especially since Trump is not in a position to do much of anything.  Twitter, for example, needed a solid reason to justify shutting down Trump as they knew he would scream bloody murder.  And his right wing cohorts would be crying "censorship of conservative voices!"....which they are anyways.  But "inciting violence" is a valid reason that most will accept, even grudgingly.  It's a shame that it had to come to that, but at least no one can say now that Trump's lies wouldn't lead to real tragedy. 

It's funny to hear from the alt right crowd that big tech is trying to censor conservatives.  When it's been proven they are MUCH more vocal on social media than the liberals, and their content tends to be more violent and racist.  They really do live in an echo chamber.

His base has been dwindling since the election. Alot of conservative friends and family I have been speaking with, agree Biden won, and the fraud thing is a bit much, and a sure sign of a sore loser. I think the DC fiasco backfired for sure, and he lost alot of his "middle of the road, sensible, hard working, decent people" base. In addition to nearly the entire GOP establishment, which he had wrapped around his finger. It was an enormous miscalculation, and an act of sheer desperation by an unhinged madman. Now, with the permanent ban on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, he is almost a 305lb. zero. Almost. I predict his influence will continue to wane, once he is ingloriously ushered out of the white house in humiliation. 

Trump incited a riot. He has no limits of civility or temperance. And the more extremist people within his base take what he says as literally as some fundamentalists take the Bible. Add in nutters like Cruz and Hawley, (small minded men just jockeying for a powerful future position) and you have a near civil war. Fair to intervene? Or just sit back, and let it happen? I think what FB and Twitter did was glorious, wise, and upholds the republic. I never in a million years thought Dorsey or Zuckerberg would have the courage to do this. Good on them!

Nearly anything with Trump's name on it, and his association with it, fails. And that will be even more so, after he leaves the White House. His name will remain radioactive, the the rest of his life, and the mini empire will continue to dwindle. He lost 17 major businesses. He lost 19 merchandising deals, since being elected. He lost the trade war with China, and the negotiations with Kim. What part of being a loser don't his supporters understand?
 

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

His base has been dwindling since the election. A lot of conservative friends and family I have been speaking with, agree Biden won, and the fraud thing is a bit much, and a sure sign of a sore loser. I think the DC fiasco backfired for sure, and he lost a lot of his "middle of the road, sensible, hard working, decent people" base.<snip>

My son (who I think, while not possibly objective, is a decent guy) FINALLY  admitted what a rotten, evil, twisted loser 45 is. He and I had MANY online chats where I would corner him with logic and facts, and like a true 45 supporter, he would suddenly have to leave the conversation. This last fiasco was a bridge too far, even for him. It's like a light switch came on to many dim minds. Not all, as evidenced by a scattered few still standing by their man (ugh!) but definitely fewer than before the homegrown terrorist attack on the capitol.

5 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

I find it all quite hypocritical that these firms are deciding now is the last straw. 4 years of racism, mysogyny, dodgy deals and splitting a nation was ok but the highly predictable storming of the Capitol is the straw that finally broke the camels back.

Hypocrites to a man. 

 

Where were these firms not only during the last 4 years.. But how about on Jan 5th threatening to cut off all funding and support to anyone opposing certification ? Profiles in cowardice, along with every Trump administration member resigning with less than 2 weeks on the job anyway.

Gee how’s that trump working out for the republicans?lost the White House the house the senate going for losing our democracy and now they shut off the swill at the trough not so good ehh?i for one am delighted they closed the cash spigot 

23 hours ago, Berkshire said:

The chickens are coming home to roost.  I have no sympathies at all for these lowlife MAGA-types.  Pretty soon, it will be a pariah 4-letter word. 

Has been such for a long time now