Donald Trump Inauguration Drew More Than 18 Corporate Donors
February 01 2017 - 12:24AM
Dow Jones News
By Rebecca Ballhaus
At least 18 major corporations gave more than $5 million to fund
President Donald Trump's inauguration festivities, according to new
disclosures, including several companies whose executives are now
serving in the new administration and whose business will be
affected by Mr. Trump's policies.
Among the top donors to Mr. Trump's inauguration fund was Exxon
Mobil, whose former chief executive, Rex Tillerson, the president
has tapped to serve as secretary of state . Exxon donated $500,000
to the fund on Dec. 19 -- less than a week after Mr. Trump
officially named Mr. Tillerson as his pick. In 2013, the company
gave half that amount to former President Barack Obama's
inauguration fund.
Two corporations -- Pfizer Inc. and the Dow Chemical Co. -- each
gave $1 million to the inaugural fund. Dow Chemical's donation came
about two weeks after Mr. Trump tapped the company's CEO, Andrew
Liveris, to head a manufacturing council .
Neither company gave to Mr. Obama's inauguration in 2013.
Mr. Trump's inaugural committee, which raised more than $90
million, doesn't have to report its donors until April. But
corporations that lobby the federal government are required to
biannually disclose contributions to inaugural committees. The new
reports only cover donations made in the final six months of
2016.
Corporate donations to inauguration funds aren't unusual. Mr.
Obama also drew millions from corporations in 2013, though he
banned such contributions to his inaugural fund four years earlier.
But corporate donations to Mr. Trump's inauguration have come under
scrutiny as the president has singled out several corporations in
recent months for criticism or praise.
The donations also follow a campaign in which corporations were
wary of linking themselves to the Republican candidate. At least
four corporations that declined to support or reduced their
donations to the Republican convention in July subsequently gave to
Mr. Trump's inauguration.
At least three other corporations each gave $500,000 to the
fund: Altria Client Services LLC, Amgen Inc. and Florida Crystals
Corp.
Donors who gave $500,000 or more to the inaugural fund were
invited to a "candlelight dinner" during inauguration weekend with
Mr. Trump and his wife, Melania, and Vice President Mike Pence and
his wife, Karen. They could also attend a separate "intimate
dinner" with the Pences and lunch alongside "select cabinet
appointees."
Microsoft Corp. donated $250,000 to the inaugural fund -- down
from $2 million to Mr. Obama in 2013, including in-kind
contributions -- and General Motors Co. donated $200,000. General
Motors has since found itself the target of Mr. Trump's Twitter
account. About 10 days after the company's donation, Mr. Trump
tweeted at General Motors warning it to make its Chevy Cruze model
in the U.S. rather than in Mexico. The auto maker's chief
executive, Mary Barra, said days later that the company wouldn't
move small-car production to the U.S.
Companies who gave $100,000 each to the inaugural fund included
Aetna Inc., Anthem Inc., Clean Energy Fuels Corp., MetLife Group,
Southern Company and Verizon Inc.
The agriculture company Monsanto Co. also donated $25,000 to the
inaugural fund. About a month later, its chief executive met with
Mr. Trump to pitch the benefits of its planned deal with Bayer
AG.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 01, 2017 00:09 ET (05:09 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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