Press ReleasesInsurrection Index

Public Wise’s Insurrection Index Launches ‘Donations Against Democracy’ Watch List to Track All Corporate Donations to Insurrectionists Running for Public Office

07.06.2022

MEDIA CONTACT
Addie Bullock
Mallory Royer

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Insurrection Index, an online, public database documenting the  individuals, organizations and companies in positions of public trust who promoted, funded, attended or amplified the events on and leading up to January 6, 2021, launched Donations Against Democracy: Corporate Insurrectionist Watch List, tracking the 310 companies and political action committees who continue to fund insurrectionists elected officials and candidates, including many companies who have resumed their giving after previously halting their donations in the wake of January 6, 2021.

The 310 organizations on `Corporate Insurrectionist The Watch List’ have given financial support to 159 federal politicians, including Rep. Barry Loudermilk, Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Mo Brooks, Rep. Scott Perry and Rep. Matt Gaetz and given a total of $19,391,788 since January 6, 2021. 51 of the companies on this list previously made statements in the days following the insurrection pledging to stop, pause or reassess political donations and have since resumed activity. The Donations Against Democracy list tracks all donations to federal elected officials who attended, promoted, funded or voted against certification in an effort to demand justice and hold all involved parties responsible for their role in the January 6 insurrection. The list is updated regularly, with plans to expand to state level data.

“The deadly events of January 6, 2021 go beyond the alt-right individuals that gathered at the Capitol and the MAGA Republicans who promoted, planned, and paid for the insurrection. Private and public companies at every level continue to fund insurrectionist politicians and many are violating previous public statements pledging to end political donations to individuals who pose a threat to democracy,” said Christina Baal-Owens, Executive Director of Public Wise. “This ongoing effort to challenge free and fair elections and the voices of millions of Americans is rooted in white supremacy. The American people deserve to know that the companies they trust with their health insurance, their cars and their air travel funded and continue to fund politicians who played a key role in January 6th’s violent attack against American democracy.”

The Insurrection Index, which launched on the 1st anniversary of January 6, 2021, is designed to empower voters, political parties, organizations and media to identify insurrectionists in positions of public trust, including holding public office, running for public office and in positions funded by taxpayer dollars. The database currently has 1695 total records, including 1264 individuals, 431 organizations and 172 candidates for public office.

Public Wise and its partners built the Index using social media, the dark web, press, court dockets, campaign finance information, FEC information, tracking the Donald.Win and Patriot.Win networks, FOIA requests and public statements. Those partners include Accountable.USAdvance Democracy Inc, American OversightCampaign for AccountabilityMedia Matters Action Network, and the Tech Transparency Project. The Elias Law Group provided legal advice and support.

In addition to their work around the Insurrection Index, Public Wise is targeting several key states in this election cycle facing some of the most pressing threats to voting rights access, including Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, and Georgia.