Corporations Fund Election Deniers Running for Attorney General
Major corporations are backing election deniers running for attorney general in several states, according to campaign finance contributions analyzed by Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility (CREW). The companies include Microsoft, General Motors, Home Depot, Koch Industries, GEO Group, Altria Group, BNSF Rail, 1-800 Contacts, and Zillow.
The election deniers have a record of spreading false claims about the 2020 presidential election, refusing to certify its results, or attempting to overturn them. In some cases, they have also supported schemes to submit fraudulent certificates to override Biden's victory in battleground states.
For example, Texas candidate David Middleton received contributions from General Motors and Home Depot after he tweeted that 'the 2020 election was stolen from Trump' and participated in 'Stop the Steal' rallies. Similarly, North Dakota candidate Drew Wrigley had an idea to demand statewide recounts of absentee and mail-in ballots, which appeared to endorse the use of false electors.
The companies are supporting candidates who have the power to undermine elections, such as attorneys general, who play a key role in administering and defending fair elections. By backing these election deniers, corporations risk undermining democracy and creating an unstable business environment.