Microsoft suspends political donations to Republicans who opposed Biden’s win
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Top line
Microsoft is joining a growing number of large companies that have cut donations to Republican lawmakers who voted against certifying Biden’s victory after the Capitol attack last month.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks at Microsoft’s annual meeting of shareholders at … [+]
Photo by Stephen Brashear / Getty Images
Highlights
In a blog Publish, the Seattle-based tech giant said it would suspend donations from PAC companies to members of Congress who voted to undo Biden’s victory, as well as state officials and organizations that supported the effort, for the 2022 electoral cycle.
In the aftermath of the Capitol Riots, Microsoft decided to halt donations to both parties and assess whether it wanted to take further action.
The company said it made the decision to withhold donations to Republican opponents after it held listening sessions with employees.
One of those meetings grabbed public attention after General Counsel Brad Smith offered a candid look at how Microsoft’s PAC donations buy business access and the ability to build relationships with lawmakers, CNBC reported, explaining that Microsoft government affairs employees can attend political events and dinners “because PAC writes a check.”
Microsoft has also announced that it will change the name of its PAC to Microsoft Corporation Stakeholders Voluntary PAC to more clearly indicate that it is funded, like all corporate PACs, by voluntary employee contributions.
Crucial quote
“We believe these steps are appropriate given the importance of these issues to the stability and future of American democracy,” Fred Humphries, vice president of US government affairs, said in a statement.
Key context
Dozens of large companies have suspended donations to certification objectors following the attack on Capitol Hill last month, including Google, Marriott International, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Walmart, Disney, AirBnb, Amazon, American Express, AT&T, Best Buy, Comcast, Dow, Intel, MasterCard, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Verizon.
In addition to the loss of corporate donors, Senators Hawley and Cruz, who both led the effort to overturn the Senate results, also face an ethical issue. probe and Democratic calls for resignation. Critics argue that their support for the cancellation of the election legitimized the ideology that drove the pro-Trump mob to storm Capitol Hill. Hawley and Cruz deny responsibility for the riot, saying their objections in the Senate were to “debate” the matter without resorting to violence.
