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Jump to: 2016; 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020;
-- 2015 --
July 28: Most of Donald Trump's Political Money Went To Democrats — Until 5 Years Ago
https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/07/28/426888268/donald-trumps-flipping-political-donations
-- 2016 --
April 25: What Donald Trump’s Political Donations Reveal About Him
As it turns out, there are some things even Trump’s money can’t buy
It’s unclear what, if any, favors Trump actually received from any specific politicians to whom he donated. But the donations that most make one wonder what favors he was hoping for were those made during the 2014 election cycle, just as his current White House run took shape.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/what-donald-trumps-political-donations-reveal-about-him-180861/
October 4: Trump Used Foundation Funds for 2016 Run, Filings Suggest
Such contributions, if they were made solely for Trump’s benefit, could violate federal self-dealing laws for private foundations.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/10/04/trump_used_foundation_funds_for_2016_run_filings_suggest.html
October 5: Donald Trump Has Often Donated to Prosecutors Investigating His Business
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has, on multiple occasions, donated to state attorneys general who were considering investigations related to his businesses.
A review of political donation records found that Trump has given about $140,000 to a dozen people who were state attorneys general or attorney general candidates between 2001 and 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Trump recently paid a fine of $2,500 to the IRS following revelations that his charitable foundation made a $25,000 donation to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in 2014, when she was deciding whether to investigate Trump University. Under IRS rules, the foundation is barred from using charitable funds to engage in politics.
Trump has repeatedly criticized what he describes as a “rigged” political system during his bid for president, boasting that he knows how the system works because of his own experience making political contributions. “When I want something I get it,” he said at an Iowa rally in January. “When I call, they kiss my ass. It’s true.”
In explaining the contributions to attorneys general, Alan Garten, general counsel at the Trump Organization, said the onus should be on the office of the attorney general to return contributions if necessary—which is what some prosecutors did.
http://fortune.com/2016/10/05/donald-trump-political-donations-attorney-general/
November 1: Last minute, Adelson flushes Trump campaign with cash
Adelson's money will be going to a superPAC called Future 45, which has in recent weeks run anti-Clinton ads comparing Clinton to former President Richard Nixon.
Without much time to spare, casino magnate and Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson donated to Donald Trump’s campaign for president in a big way on Monday, after having pledged last spring to fund the unconventional candidate’s path to victory.
Coinciding with a visit by Trump to Las Vegas, Adelson – who has long prioritized issues concerning Israel in his political calculations – donated $25 million to his campaign, Fox News reported, describing the billionaire as “going all in on the Republican nominee” just one week before Election Day.
https://www.jpost.com/US-Elections/Last-minute-Adelson-flushes-Trump-campaign-with-cash-471380
-- 2017 --
Undated: Company Political Contributions and Endorsements
http://guide.ethicalpurchasing.info/home
-- 2018 --
February 28: Who are the top 10 recipients of NRA money?
https://www.ajc.com/news/national/senators-house-members-who-offered-condolences-after-shooting-called-out-for-donations-from-nra/tpitHXUY9jDH3pr4f7f7cM/
May 5: Rosie O’Donnell’s campaign donations to Dems went over legal limit
Rosie O’Donnell made illegally over-sized campaign donations to at least five Democratic federal candidates, according to a Post analysis of campaign filings.
The liberal comedian has regularly broken Federal Election Commission rules limiting the total any one person can give to an individual candidate at $2,700 per election. The limit applies separately to primaries, runoffs and general elections.
“Nothing nefarious,” the outspoken star and Donald Trump arch-nemesis wrote in an email to the Post. “I was not choosing to over donate.
“If 2700 is the cut off — [candidates] should refund the money,” she wrote. “I don’t look to see who I can donate most to … I just donate assuming they do not accept what is over the limit.”
https://nypost.com/2018/05/05/rosie-odonnells-campaign-donations-to-dems-went-over-legal-limit/
May 8: How Putin's oligarchs funneled millions into GOP campaigns
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/05/08/putins-proxies-helped-funnel-millions-gop-campaigns
May 25: Publix suspends political contributions amid statewide protests
The supermarket giant acknowledges its support of [republican] Adam Putnam has "led to a divide in our community."
Publix, facing consumer boycotts, student protests and threats to its wholesome image for its generous support of Adam Putnam's bid for governor, announced Friday it is suspending all corporate campaign contributions immediately.
The popular retailer, facing a rapidly escalating public relations crisis fueled largely by social media and the debate over guns, issued a statement at the start of the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend acknowledging the "divide" that it has caused by its unprecedented financial support of Putnam's campaign.
https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/05/25/publix-suspends-political-contributions-amid-statewide-protests/
June 1: President Donald Trump has announced that he’s pardoning conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza for federal campaign contribution limit violations that D’Souza pleaded guilty to in 2014.
http://time.com/5298003/donald-trump-dinesh-dsouza-michael-cohen/
June 14: New York Goes After the Trump Foundation
A new lawsuit from the state attorney general claims the president's charity engaged in a years-long pattern of illegal behavior.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/06/new-york-ag-says-trump-charity-funded-campaign/562832/
June 28: Trump’s Executive Order Rewards Private Prison Campaign Donors
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2018/06/28/452912/trumps-executive-order-rewards-private-prison-campaign-donors/
July 15: Elon Musk touts environmental, human rights bonafides in an effort to downplay political donations
Elon Musk defended himself in the face of widening criticism over money he sent to a Republican political-action committee, with the billionaire touting his support for environmental and humanitarian causes that he insisted outstripped his political contributions.
In news first reported by The Hill on Saturday, federal election filings showed that Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder sent nearly $40,000 to Protect the House, a GOP PAC designed to help Republicans
According to Open Secrets, Musk has distributed his wealth fairly evenly among politicians and PACs of both major parties, which he defended in principle in a series of posts on Twitter.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/15/elon-musk-downplays-gop-donations-touts-environment-and-human-rights.html
July 26: Trump's and the Koch Brothers' War on Disclosure
Weaker disclosure rules at the Treasury Department are just one part of a big-money campaign to keep political spending in the dark—even as foreign money fears spike.
The Treasury Department’s recent move to expand the cloak of secrecy that shrouds political “dark money” groups has triggered understandable outcry from watchdogs and Democrats worried about foreign interference in U.S. elections. Under the new rules, nonprofits that spend money on elections are no longer required to share the names of their big donors with the Internal Revenue Service.
https://prospect.org/article/trumps-and-koch-brothers-war-on-disclosure
August 1: Federal Contractors Made Illegal Pro-Trump Super PAC Contributions, Complaint Says
Watchdog group wants FEC to investigate
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/federal-contractors-made-illegal-pro-trump-super-pac-contributions-complaint-says
August 6: Trump’s legal defense fund hasn’t listed any legal expenses: Tax documents
... a growing number of people from across the political spectrum have been asking what has become of the fund. Multiple sources who have been questioned by investigators told ABC News on the condition of anonymity that their requests for assistance either went completely unanswered or resulted in no financial assistance.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-trump-donors-made-largest-contributions-legal-defense/story?id=57061721
August 7: The steel industry is maxing out its political contributions to Donald Trump
https://qz.com/1350686/after-tariffs-nucor-ak-steel-and-united-states-steel-donated-to-trump-2020/
August 22: Michael Cohen, Trump’s former longtime personal attorney, pleads guilty to illegal campaign contributions 'at the direction of a candidate for federal office'
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-cohen-president-trumps-longtime-personal-attorney-reaches/story?id=57310974
August 31: Republican Lobbyist Steered Foreign Money to Trump’s Inaugural Committee
Republican lobbyist Sam Patten, who previously worked with the Trump campaign’s data firm, is the latest to be nabbed in the Mueller probe.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/paul-manafort-associate-sam-patten-charged-with-illegal-foreign-lobbying
September 7: More than 90% of the political donations made by Alphabet employees have gone to Democrats over the past 14 years, according to a study by a political data startup.
The findings from GovPredict, which has backing from the prestigious Silicon Valley tech incubator Y Combinator, could light a fire under US President Donald Trump's theory that Google has a liberal bias.
Democratic candidates and causes have received $15.5 million from Alphabet staff members since 2004, according to GovPredict, while just $1.6 million went to Republicans.
https://www.businessinsider.com/google-staff-love-donating-to-the-democrats-govpredict-2018-9
October 3: Could corporations be making secret contributions in Trump midterms?
https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/10/could_corporations_be_making_secret_contributions_in_trump_midterms.html
October 4: Are Your Political Campaign Contributions Tax Deductible?
In addition to showing your support by voting in the 2018 election, you may have also have chosen to make a financial contribution to your candidate of choice during their campaign.
Though giving money to your candidate of choice is a great way to get involved in civic discourse, political donations are not tax deductible. According to the IRS:
“You can’t deduct contributions made to a political candidate, a campaign committee, or a newsletter fund. Advertisements in convention bulletins and admissions to dinners or programs that benefit a political party or political candidate aren’t deductible.”
This includes Political Action Committees (PACs), as well. And while you can’t write off campaign contributions, you can set aside $3 of your taxes to go to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund on your 1040 federal income tax return.
https://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-deductions-and-credits-2/are-your-political-campaign-contributions-tax-deductible-11380/
October 7: What Happens to Campaign Contributions After Elections?
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/042716/what-happens-campaign-funds-after-elections.asp
October 7: Wall Street Is Booming Under Trump. But Many of Its Donors Are Embracing Democrats.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/07/us/politics/wall-street-election-donations.html
October 18: Trump 2020 raises unprecedented $100 million
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/10/trump-2020-raises-100-million/
October 26: History of Donald Trump's political donations
https://ballotpedia.org/History_of_Donald_Trump's_political_donations
November 1: Intel, Purina have pulled political contributions to Rep. Steve King
The Anti-Defamation League has also asked House Speaker Paul Ryan to strip King of his chairmanships
Republican Iowa Rep. Steve King has lost two more corporate supporters: Pet food company Purina and chip maker Intel Inc. have joined dairy company Land O’ Lakes in pulling their financial contributions over his incendiary racial remarks.
Purina is part of the Nestle S.A. NESN, +0.59% portfolio.
“Our PAC contributions are typically made to elected officials from both parties who represent the local communities where we have operations and associates,” Purina said in a tweet Wednesday. “Representative King’s recent statements are in conflict with our values and we are no longer contributing to his campaign.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/intel-purina-join-land-o-lakes-in-pulling-political-contributions-to-rep-steve-king-2018-10-31
November 27:
December 13: Trump Inaugural Fund and Super PAC Said to Be Scrutinized for Illegal Foreign Donations
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/us/politics/trump-inauguration-investigation.html
December 14: Tax Return Shows Mercer Family Funded Climate Skeptics Last Year With More Than $4 Million
Rebekah Mercer and her father, Robert Mercer, have also supported Steve Bannon, Breitbart and Cambridge Analytica.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tax-return-shows-mercer-family-fueled-climate-skeptics_us_5c12be38e4b0cce3ea29d15f
December 15: Trump inaugural committee under criminal investigation
President Donald Trump's 2017 inaugural committee is currently being investigated by federal prosecutors in New York for possible financial abuses related to the more than $100 million in donations raised for his inauguration, according to sources familiar with the matter.
One source familiar with the matter says the investigation is in the early stages and investigators are generally focused on whether any inauguration money was misspent.
The investigation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal Thursday afternoon.
Citing conversations with people familiar with the investigation, which is being handled by the US Attorney's office in Manhattan, the Journal reported that prosecutors are also looking into whether the committee accepted donations from individuals looking to gain influence in or access to the new administration.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/13/politics/trump-inauguration-spending-investigation/index.html
December 19: Trump Foundation to close amid allegations money used for personal benefit
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-foundation-shutting-down-amid-allegations-by-ny-attorney-general-money-used-for-personal-benefit/
December 19: Trump Testimony From Decades Ago Indicates Knowledge of Campaign-Finance Laws
Legal experts say that could be critical if investigators pursue a case over hush-money payments to women in the 2016 campaign
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-testimony-from-decades-ago-indicates-knowledge-of-campaign-finance-laws-11545257201
December 20: Border Wall GoFundMe Campaign Reaches $4.5M, With Donations From People Calling Themselves 'Barack Obama,' 'Hillary Clinton'
While it's highly unlikely that the former U.S. president, secretary of state and the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee would have contributed to the effort, it's impossible that Oswald, the U.S. Marine who assassinated U.S. President John F. Kennedy, did, as he has been dead since November 1963.
Despite the obviously fake names, some backers of the "We the People Will Fund the Wall" GoFundMe page have used to make their donations, many appear to have donated using their real names, or have contributed anonymously, with one of the biggest donations, of $5,000, coming from an anonymous donor.
https://www.newsweek.com/border-wall-gofundme-campaign-donations-hillary-clinton-adam-schiff-1266431
December 21: Billionaire megadonor Robert Mercer cuts back on support for GOP after being scrutinized for backing Trump
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/21/robert-mercer-scales-back-gop-support-after-scrutiny-for-backing-trump.html
December 21: President Trump lashed out Wednesday at New York Democrats -- specifically, “sleazebag” former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman -- after he agreed to dissolve his charitable foundation amid a lawsuit alleging illegal conduct.
Trump’s tweets follow an announcement Tuesday by New York’s Acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood, revealing the Trump Foundation’s agreement to dissolve “under judicial supervision” amid a lawsuit brought against the foundation alleging illegal conduct and “unlawful political coordination” to benefit Trump’s personal and business interests.
“Our petition detailed a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation – including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more,” Underwood said in a statement Tuesday. “This amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.”
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-lashes-out-at-new-york-ag-after-trump-foundation-agrees-to-dissolve
-- 2019 --
-- 2020 --
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