Corporate Donations Under Scrutiny
A new report from the Center for Political Accountability (CPA), a nonpartisan organization that tracks financial disclosures, reveals that more than a dozen US companies that signed a 2021 letter urging Congress to strengthen the Voting Rights Act continue to contribute to state political groups that actively work to undermine that legislation. The data, shared exclusively with The Guardian, includes giants like Airbnb, DoorDash, Target, and Zillow.
These companies signed the letter in July 2021, along with more than 200 other firms, in support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which sought to restore key protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, weakened by the Supreme Court in 2013 in the case Shelby County v. Holder.
The Role of 527 Groups
527 groups are tax-exempt political organizations overseen by the IRS. Unlike political action committees (PACs), which are regulated by the Federal Election Commission, these groups often operate with less visibility but have enormous influence in state elections, supporting key races that can define control of legislatures and attorney general offices.
According to the CPA, since 2010, public corporations and trade associations have contributed $1 billion of the $2.5 billion raised by these groups. Historically, 62% of corporate contributions go to Republican groups, while 38% go to Democrats.
The Shift After January 6
The Capitol attack on January 6, 2021 prompted a brief rethink among corporate leaders, many of whom criticized Donald Trump's role in inciting the violence. The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), a 527 group, came under scrutiny after it was revealed that it sent robocalls encouraging people to attend a “Stop the Steal” rally in front of Congress, which preceded the attack.
However, companies have resumed their donations to RAGA and, in some cases, have become new contributors. For example, Google reduced its contribution from $100,400 in 2018 to $50,000 in 2022, but in the current election cycle it has already donated $325,000 to RAGA.
Impact on State Policies
State attorneys general have been key in Supreme Court cases that reverse decades of precedent. The court gave a major victory to a Republican attorney general from Alabama in the case Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v Wade. This summer, the court also ruled in favor of a Republican attorney general from Louisiana in Louisiana v Callais, which struck down key components of the Voting Rights Act. RAGA praised the ruling, saying in a May statement that “no group of elected officials has a greater impact than Republican attorneys general.”
Jeanne Hanna, vice president of research at the CPA, explained: “A $100,000 contribution that ends up impacting a handful of state races can change a state legislature, can change an attorney general's office. It's a trickle-up effect in state and federal politics, for a much lower price.”
2026 Cycle Figures
In the 2026 election cycle, Republican 527 groups are raising more than their Democratic counterparts. The top Republican groups have raised $240 million so far, while Democrats have raised $197 million. Corporate contributions represent 39% of RAGA's fundraising and 33% of the Republican Governors Association (RGA), totaling $63 million for both groups. In comparison, corporate contributions to their Democratic counterparts totaled $54 million.
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), which focuses on competitive legislative races, has raised $55 million so far this cycle. Contributions to Super PACs have also increased, totaling $517 million this year, nearly a third of all corporate political spending since 2010, according to Public Citizen.
Call for Consistency
Bruce Freed, president and co-founder of the CPA, noted: “These groups are helping elect officials who are undermining not only the broader environment that companies need to succeed, but also the commitments these companies are making to their employees, their consumer base, and their investors. There has to be an alignment between company policies, where their contributions go, and what they enable.”
The CPA and the Wharton School released a report this month recommending that corporate boards have more active oversight of political spending and that companies adopt policies requiring regular reporting and disclosure of how political groups use funds.