Toyota to stop making political donations to election objectors
- The announcement came after an anti-Trump PAC said it would target companies that donated to lawmakers who refused to certify the election.
- The decision reverses Toyota’s previous stance on donations.
Toyota Motor Corp. will no longer be donating to members of Congress who voted against certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory for 2020 in January, the company said Thursday.
“Toyota is committed to supporting and promoting actions that advance our democracy. Our company has long-standing relationships with members of Congress from all political walks of life, particularly those representing our operations in the United States,” said said Edward Lewis, spokesperson. told The Detroit News via email.
“Our bipartisan PAC also supports the Democrats and Republicans running for Congress. In fact, in 2021 the vast majority of contributions went to Democrats and Republicans who supported the certification of the 2020 election. We understand that the PAC’s decision to support some members of Congress who challenged the results has troubled some. stakeholders. We are actively listening to our stakeholders and, at this time, we have decided to stop contributing to members of Congress who challenged the certification of certain states in the 2020 elections, ”the statement continued.
The decision reverses Toyota’s previous position on funding members of Congress who voted not to certify the election. In April, the company told the Detroit News that he did not think it was appropriate to judge members of Congress solely on the basis of their votes on electoral certification.
By then, the auto company has donated more than $ 55,000 to Republicans who opposed certification of results – more than three times more than the next biggest donor, according to an analysis by the watchdog group. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
More … than 140 members of Congress voted against the certification of the 2020 elections, all Republicans, claiming fraud unfounded. On January 6, the same day as the certification, pro-Trump rioters, emboldened by widespread disinformation on the 2020 elections, stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the formal counting of the Electoral College’s votes.
Toyota’s first donation to an election opponent after the Capitol siege was done on February 4 – less than a month after January 6 – to Representative Alex Mooney, R-WVa.
“In the months that followed, corporate and industry interests had to choose between doing their part to maintain our democracy by stopping the flow of corporate donations to these members, also known as the Sedition Caucus. , or continue to support them in order to seek political influence, ”CREW reported. “Many have failed this test, with some reneging on their pledge to change their giving while others have not made a commitment and give as if nothing has happened.”
Following:Fact Check: What is True About the 2020 Elections, the Vote Counting, the Electoral College
Toyota’s decision to sever financial ties with election opponents came after The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee, announced it would release a series of announcements targeting companies that have continued to donate to lawmakers who refused to certify Biden’s victory in 2020. Toyota was the PAC’s first target.
“Toyota vehicles feature security sensing systems, smartphone integration and more white nationalism than you might imagine,” The Lincoln Project tweeted Thursday alongside his ad targeting Toyota.
After Toyota announced it would stop donating to members of Congress who voted against certification, the Lincoln Project tweeted that the company “put democracy before transactional politics.”
“We hope the rest of Corporate America will follow their lead,” said the tweet readings.
