Name: 'We have the receipts': Analysis reveals $170 million in corporate gifts to GOP lawmakers who voted to overturn Biden win
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'We have the receipts': Analysis reveals $170 million in corporate gifts to GOP lawmakers who voted to overturn Biden win

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--Screengrabs.A new analysis entitled "Bankrolling the Disenfranchisers" calls out the corporate and trade association political action committees that—despite any condemnation of last week's attack on the U.S. Capitol—poured millions in campaign contributions to who voted to object to President-elect Joe Biden's win over President Donald Trump. Wednesday by Public Citizen, the analysis finds that these groups have given roughly $170 million to the slate of anti-democratic lawmakers since the 2016 election cycle. Nineteen of the 100 PACs gave more than a million dollars over the past four years. Topping the list is the National Association of Realtors, which gave $2,061,307. The $1 million+ givers also include weapons behemoths like Lockheed Martin at $1,410,500 and communications giants like AT&amp;T at $1,617,000.The analysis further notes that 46 of the PACs funded at least 50% of the election certification objectors. The National Association of Home Builders, for example, contributed to 123 out of the 147 lawmakers, and the American Bankers Association funded 120 of them.The contributions fly in the face of remarks many of the associations issued in response to the Capitol attack. The analysis cites as one example American Bankers Association president and CEO Rob Nichols' saying that January 6 marked "a dark day for our democracy" and asserting the violence "should shock and sadden all of us."Beyond words of condemnation, some trade groups responded by they'd withhold campaign contributions. But Public Citizen says the groups aren't taking sufficient action. In fact, "they deserve criticism for waiting so long.""Moreover," the group continued, "temporary actions, if that's all these turn out to be, constitute nothing more than a PR sham. Deferring contributions for a few months at the beginning of an election cycle is no penalty whatsoever." The analysis adds: Donald Trump has trampled on the norms that bind our society and political system since long before he announced his candidacy for president and continued to do so throughout his presidency. Business leaders stood silently while Trump hacked away at the foundation of our country because they welcomed his gifts to them. [...]Many of the disenfranchisers have been enabling Trump's assault on democratic norms and the rule of law throughout his presidency. The corporate benefactors listed in this analysis have likewise helped these lawmakers offer aid and comfort to Trump. To truly chart a different course, Public Citizen urged the corporate groups to shut down their "campaign finance operations for good and return our democracy to the voters."That means ending their PACs and "forswearing any contributions to unregulated super PACs and to outside groups that spend money to influence elections but keep their donors' names secret."According to Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president at Public Citizen, "The harrowing events of last week's insurrection show us how precious and vulnerable our democracy is.""We must rededicate America's grand experiment to its foundational principle," she said, "which is rule by the people—not wealthy corporations and special interests."Report typos and corrections to: .A Georgia man who attacked Capitol Police on January 6 and told one “you’re gonna die tonight” has pleaded guilty to assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon.Jack Wade Whitton, 32, of Locust Grove, Georgia, entered the plea to one of the more serious felony charges to date among the 870 defendants arrested in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol. His , if accepted by a federal judge, would carry either sentencing range from 63 to 78 months, or 78 to 93 months.“Whitton was part of a mob that confronted law enforcement officers at the Archway leading into the Capitol Building from the Lower West Terrace,” according to a Department of Justice news release. After another rioter kicked an office guarding the Capitol, Whitton jumped in.“Whitton kicked at this officer, who was still on the ground. He then grabbed another MPD officer, first by his baton, then by the helmet and the neck of his ballistic vest. He pulled him down and started to drag the officer down a set of steps in a prone position. Others joined him in dragging this officer into the crowd, where other rioters beat the officer with weapons, including a flagpole and baton.”As at Raw Story, “Whitton, allegedly told an officer, "You're going to die tonight," and later boasted in a text message that he had "fed him (an officer) to the people.""Idk (I don't know) his status," Whitton wrote in the text message to a friend, referring to the officer. "And (I) don't care tbh (to be honest)."According to , the attack left one of the officers with head wounds that required staples to close. This was after rioters "ripped off his helmet, maced him, took his gas mask and MPD-issued cell phone, kicked him, struck him with poles, and stomped on him."He used a metal crutch to beat one Capitol Police officer and kicked another. Afterward, he boasted of his bloody hands and that he “fed an officer to the people,” according to court documents.After MAGA Republicans bristled at being described as "semi-fascist" by President Joe Biden, Donald Trump is complaining about fascists. "I just learned that the great and brilliant Ken Starr has, sadly, passed away," Trump posted to his Truth Social website. "He was a true American patriot who loved our country and the law.""I so appreciated his support and his thoughts that our cause against fascists and other mentally sick people in our country is just," Trump wrote.It was an interesting position from the former president who long complained about anti-fascists, a position shortened to antifa.One day before the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Trump argued that those who identify as antifa are part of a "terrorist organization."One day before the 2020 election, Trump was complaining about "the antifa anarchists, rioters and looters, who have caused so much harm and destruction in Democrat [sic] run cities."Less than a month before the 2020 election, Trump attempted to sic the FBI on antifa via his Twitter account."Get them FBI, and get them now!" Trump demanded.But Republicans have been frustrated since Biden branded the MAGA wing as "." and of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) have both complained about the phrase.Authorities rushed to respond on Tuesday after an explosion at a Boston university."One person was taken to the hospital Tuesday evening after a package delivered to a building at Northeastern University exploded when it was opened, school officials confirmed," NBC Boston . "Northeastern University said the package was delivered to Holmes Hall on Leon Street around 7 p.m. and detonated when a staff member opened it. That person suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital."The city's emergency medical services multiple units responded and one patient was taken to an area hospital.Boston's ABC affiliate Boston Police Department's bomb squad, Boston EMS and the Boston Fire Department were all on the scene."Emergency vehicles swarmed the area and a portion of the private university’s West Campus was blocked off by police. Alarm bells were sounding from several buildings," the Boston Globe reported. The newspaper the explosion happened in Holmes Hall, which it noted "houses several academic departments."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Copyright © 2022 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | | | For corrections or concerns, please email corrections@rawstory.com. | {{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}

--Screengrabs.A new analysis entitled "Bankrolling the Disenfranchisers" calls out the corporate and trade association political action committees that—despite any condemnation of last week's attack on the U.S. Capitol—poured millions in campaign contributions to who voted to object to President-elect Joe Biden's win over President Donald Trump. Wednesday by Public Citizen, the analysis finds that these groups have given roughly $170 million to the slate of anti-democratic lawmakers since the 2016 election cycle. Nineteen of the 100 PACs gave more than a million dollars over the past four...

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The Raw Story (also stylized as RawStory) is an American online tabloid founded in 2004 by John K. Byrne. It covers current national and international political events and publishes its own editorials which tend to advocate for progressive positions. The Raw Story is a news site, bringing attention to stories that it sees as downplayed or ignored by other media outlets.

'We have the receipts': Analysis reveals $170 million in corporate gifts to GOP lawmakers who voted to overturn Biden win

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