Axios: “Nearly three-dozen corporate PACs have donated at least $5,000 to Republicans who objected to certifying the 2020 election, yet Toyota leads by a substantial margin. Following Jan. 6, huge segments of corporate America rethought their political-giving programs. The new numbers suggest some large companies have decided to maintain support – even for members of Congress deeply enmeshed in the pro-Trump conspiracy theories that fueled the Capitol attack. Some prominent GOP objectors also have found they can replace any lost corporate support with small-dollar, grassroots donations driven by their reputations as pro-Trump hardliners. Data compiled by the left-leaning watchdog group CREW show Toyota gave $55,000 to 37 GOP objectors this year.”
“That equates to a quarter of the bloc that voted to nullify President Biden’s win after the Capitol siege. Toyota gave more than twice as much – and to nearly five times as many members of Congress – as the No. 2 company on the list, Cubic Corp., a San Diego-based defense contractor. The Japanese automaker’s donations this year included a February contribution to Rep. Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican who has been one of Congress’ most vocal election conspiracy theorists. Biggs also helped organize the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally prior to the Capitol attack. ‘We do not believe it is appropriate to judge members of Congress solely based on their votes on the electoral certification,’ a Toyota spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Axios. ‘Based on our thorough review, we decided against giving to some members who, through their statements and actions, undermine the legitimacy of our elections and institutions.” The spokesperson did not respond to a follow-up about the specific threshold for statements that cross that line.”