Donors for Biden Inaugural Committee Revealed
Big business is big on President-elect Joe Biden, with donations to his inauguration coming from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft and Boeing.
Biden’s inaugural committee on Saturday released a list of all the individuals and groups that donated to the Jan. 20 inauguration. The list, which The New York Times totaled up at 959 names, includes everyone who gave at least $200.
Federal rules require that within 90 days of the inauguration, a full list of names and amounts be published, according to Politico.
Boeing announced last month that it would be giving $1 million to the event, according to The New York Times.
That puts it in line for what the Biden inaugural committee called “VIP participation” in a virtual concert that has been planned as part of the event.
Among corporate donors, the list includes Verizon, Qualcomm and Charter Communications from the telecomunications sector, Enterprise Holdings, which operates three separate brands of car rental businesses, and health insurance giant Anthem, Inc.
The American Federation of Teachers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the United Food and Commercial Workers were among the unions giving to the inaugural event.
Google spokesman José Castañeda said it was on the list of donors because it provided online security protection without charge.
Two headlines from today’s NYT help highlight the untrammeled power of the tech titans to control Internet content and access as well as their political leanings:
“Tech Giants Cut Off Parler, All But Killing It.”
“Major Technology Companies Join List of Biden Inaugural Donors.”
— Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) January 10, 2021
via @NYTimes “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 https://t.co/0z8UBtlo3L
— José González-Colón (@Bayacibo) January 10, 2021
Some pushed back against huge chunks of corporate cash being swept up on the first day of a new administration.
“The acceptance of up to $1 million from each corporation is of particular concern given that this year’s inauguration will be predominantly remote, and costs of the event itself will be substantially down. The drive to raise so much money without a clear use for it is perplexing,” a coalition of groups, including the progressive Justice Democrats, wrote in a letter to the Biden inaugural committee
“Rejecting corporate contributions to the inauguration fund is a key step this administration can take to signal where its allegiances lie – and whether it is serious about ‘building back better’ in a way that remedies the longstanding ills of the country,” the groups wrote.
“We call upon the Biden-Harris transition team to build upon their rejection of fossil fuel money and reject contributions from ALL corporate interests, including Wall Street, big tech, Pharma, military contractors, for-profit schools, and beyond,” the groups wrote.
The inaugural committee had said it would not accept donations from any company connected in the fossil fuels sector.
Although Biden has been planning to take the oath of office at the Capitol, as is traditional, the event has been scaled down due to the coronavirus, with no inaugural parade planned.
It is uncertain whether the incursion at the Capitol on Wednesday will affect the day’s plans.
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