Walmart, world’s largest retailer and donor of millions to GOP, no longer funding election objectors

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, on Tuesday became the latest company to cease donations to all U.S. lawmakers who opposed President-elect Joe Biden’s election certification in the wake of last week’s deadly Capitol building riots.

The political action committee (PAC) overseen by Walmart Inc. confirmed to Newsweek on Tuesday its move to “indefinitely suspend” all contributions to members of Congress who sought to block the January 6 Electoral College vote count that officially certified Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump. The lawmakers included in this latest pushback are all Republicans—147 across the House and Senate. The Arkansas-based retail giant cited last week’s riot as its primary motivation for halting tens of millions in donations to the seditious GOP politicians.

According to OpenSecrets.org, Walmart made about $4.8 million in political contributions in 2019. That is in addition to the more than $6.4 million given away in lawmaker lobbying efforts during that same year. Trump himself was the largest single recipient of Walmart donations in 2019.

“We examine and adjust our political giving strategy at the end of every election cycle, and that review will continue over the coming months,” the company wrote in an emailed statement. “However, in light of last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, Walmart’s political action committee is indefinitely suspending contributions to those members of Congress who voted against the lawful certification of state electoral college votes.”

The move to blacklist donations to those 147 Republicans follows similar announcements Monday by other massive companies, including American Express, Dow Inc., AT&T Inc., General Electric Co., Verizon Communications and Comcast Corp. The corporate America backlash will directly affect the top two House Republicans, Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise, who both voted “yes” to challenging Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania and Arizona. Their challenge to the state electoral votes followed weeks of failed legal challenges from the Trump administration and certification from each state’s election officials. Florida Senator Rick Scott, who will seek funding as the incoming head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s 2022 election efforts, will also be cut off from Walmart and other corporate donors.

PayPal on Tuesday removed the accounts of groups that raised and sent money to participants in last week’s riot. An organization that sold a widely ridiculed “Camp Auschwitz” t-shirt worn by a Virginia man at the riot was also banned from the financial transaction platform.

Hallmark, the greeting card company, announced its request for “sedition caucus” senators Roger Marshall of Kansas and Josh Hawley of Missouri to return Hallmark’s past contributions.

In addition to halting funds to members of Congress, several groups took action against the president personally for his role in instigating last week’s violent D.C. riots.

The Professional Golfer’s Association of America (PGA) announced Monday its move to withdraw its 2022 championship from Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course. Two academic institutions, Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and Wagner College in New York, announced their moves to rescind honorary degrees awarded to Trump decades ago.

Other corporate giants including Coca-Cola and Citigroup have moved to cut off the GOP lawmakers. And JPMorgan Chase & Co announced its plan to suspend all political donations to both Republicans and Democrats over the next six months as the finance giant reconsiders its lobbying policies.