Top US firms that backed Voting Rights Act donate to groups working to undermine it
Watchdog data shared with Guardian shows contributions to Republican Attorneys General Association and others
TL;DR
- Companies that signed a letter supporting the Voting Rights Act are contributing to groups working against it.
- These contributions are made to 527 organizations, which are tax-exempt political groups influential at the state level.
- Some major tech companies have resumed or increased donations to these groups after a pause following the January 6th insurrection.
- The Republican Attorneys General Association (Raga) has received significant corporate donations, despite past scrutiny.
- State-level races, influenced by these donations, can have a major impact on policy, including voting rights and abortion access.
- Overall, Republican 527 groups are raising more money than their Democratic counterparts this election cycle, with a large portion from public companies.
- Corporate contributions to 527 organizations that assist governor, attorneys general, and legislative races total $1 billion since 2010.
- Experts suggest corporate boards need more oversight of political spending to ensure alignment with company values.