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Politics

Dr. Ouncessides with vitality trade after receiving oil, gasoline donations

Dr. Oz sides with energy industry after receiving oil, gas donations

dr Mehmet Oz has championed the oil and gas industry as he sees to win a coveted Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

The former TV personality’s vocal support for the energy business follows years of industry donations to his nonprofit and then his campaign, according to financial records reviewed by CNBC. Oz also has a personal stake in oil and gas through investments in two major energy companies, according to his financial disclosures.

Pennsylvania’s next senator will be a key vote for the energy industry, as it has a major presence in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania is the nation’s second-largest natural gas producer after Texas and the third-largest coal producer, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Oz backed the energy industry this year as Americans felt the strain from spiking gas prices. In a recent interview, he ripped President Joe Biden after he called on companies that run gas stations to bring down prices at the pump.

“Now, they’re blaming the energy companies for the gas prices. And I’m thinking, like most Americans, what are you talking about? I mean, you did things that make it, make it impossible for these companies to exist, ” Oz said in a July interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. He called Biden’s comments “class warfare.”

As Oz champions oil and gas in his bid to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate, both his campaign and personal coffers have benefited from the industry and its executives.

Oz, a veteran physician and television host, is running against Democrat John Fetterman for a Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. Oz is trailing Fetterman by just under 8 percentage points in an average of recent polls, according to RealClearPolitics. Fetterman’s campaign has raised over $25 million, while Oz and his team have brought in just over $18 million, according to data from the nonpartisan OpenSecrets.

Oz and his wife, Lisa, have a financial stake in the industry he has championed, as they own shares of oil and gas giants ConocoPhillips and Pioneer Natural Resources, according to their financial disclosure report. The filing notes they own shares of ConocoPhillips valued between $15,001 and $50,000 and Pioneer stock valued between $1,001 and $15,000.

Oz’s connections to the industry formed before he pursued politics.

His nonprofit HealthCorps, which promotes itself as a group aiming to help teens with their health and wellness, has seen at least $210,000 in contributions from gas and oil producer Continental Resources since 2016, according to the group’s annual financial reports. Continental’s support has continued into Oz’s Senate bid: The company’s founder and chair, Harold Hamm, endorsed Oz for Senate in an April campaign video.

The backing from energy industry leaders has led to contributions to Oz’s campaign.

Hamm is among a group of over a dozen oil and gas industry leaders who have combined to contribute over $200,000 to Oz’s campaign since he announced his run for Senate late last year, according to a CNBC review of Federal Election Commission filings. Others with ties to the oil and gas business who have donated at least $2,900 to Oz’s campaign include Jimmy Haslam, an owner of the Cleveland Browns and chair of Pilot Company, a business that owns fueling stations across the country. His father and Pilot founder, James Haslam II, also donated to the Oz campaign.

Other top energy donors in recent months include Brad Cox, the chair of oil producer Cox Operating, and Janet Cafaro, the president of Silcor Oilfield Services, FEC records show.

Jimmy Haslam and his wife, Susan “Dee” Haslam, combined to give $50,000 to the per-Oz super PAC American Leadership Action.

Jimmy and Dee Haslam told CNBC in a statement that they have “tremendous respect for the long, successful career Dr. Oz has had in the private sector and appreciate that he now wants to serve his country by bringing his expertise and experience to the United States Senates.” The Haslam family, as of 2015, had a net worth of $6 billion, according to Forbes.

Representatives for Cox and Cafaro did not return requests for comment.

Hamm told CNBC in a statement that he considers Oz a “friend.” He said the two have known each other for almost a decade, with the goal of bringing HealthCorps’ services into Oklahoma schools.

Hamm explained that he believes Oz will be a key advocate for the energy sector, which has enriched the oil billionaire. He and his family have a net worth of at least $21 billion, according to Forbes.

“Dr. Oz will champion American energy in the US Senate much like he’s championed health his entire career,” Hamm said.

The nonprofit’s annual reports from 2016 through 2020 give a range of how much donors contributed to HealthCorps. Continental Resources regularly ranked among the Oz group’s top backers. The company is often listed as donating between $50,000 and $99,999 during those years. A HealthCorps filing says it received a range of $10,000 to just under $25,000 from Continental in 2018.

In its earlier filings before 2016, HealthCorps lists Continental as either a “national” or a “community” sponsor. The group’s website notes that its national sponsors contribute $1 million and its community donors write checks for $250,000. The disclosures pre-2016 do not say or show a range of how much the company gave those years.

Oz’s support from the massive energy industry coincides with an apparent shift in his opinion on fracking, which allows companies to drill deep into the earth for oil and gas resources. Critics say that fracking hurts the environment by harming water supplies and polluting the air.

Before Oz ran for Senate, he repeatedly wrote columns that took aim at fracking, noting its potential threat to public health, Vice reports.

“And in Pennsylvania, there are multiple reports of air and water contamination, possibly from hydraulic fracturing sites, causing folks breathing problems, rashes, headaches, nosebleeds, numbness, nausea and vomiting,” Oz said in a 2014 column critical of fracking.

Brittany Yanick, a spokeswoman for the Oz campaign, said the candidate has not changed his view on fracking and is a strong supporter of the drilling method. She also took aim at Fetterman’s position on the issue.

“As a scientist, Dr. Oz understands that, like with COVID, the Biden administration is ignoring the science and the benefits of natural gas in order to satisfy the radical Left, the same liberal Democrats that are supporting radical environmental measures and funding John Fetterman’s campaign,” Yanick said in an emailed statement. “John Fetterman has called fracking a ‘stain’ on Pennsylvania, he’s called for a moratorium on fracking, and he would be a rubber stamp for the failing Biden Agenda.”

Fetterman has a mixed history with where he stands on fracking. Inside Climate News reported that Fetterman dropped his support for a fracking moratorium after his failed 2016 primary run for Senate. His position evolved after the state moved toward stricter regulations on fracking.

Emilia Rowland, a spokeswoman for Fetterman’s campaign, told CNBC that “John does not support a ban on fracking in Pennsylvania and that includes a moratorium on new fracking sites.” She said he hasn’t taken any campaign money from the fossil fuel industry.

“John believes fully heartedly that we have to preserve the union way of life for the thousands of workers currently employed by the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania and the communities where they live. We can’t just abandon these people, and tell them to go learn how to code,” Rowland said in a statement. “It’s a totally false choice that we have to choose between jobs and a clean environment. That’s just not true. We can have both.”

Still, Oz appears more vocal than Fetterman in publicly supporting the oil and gas industry. In a recent op-ed, he said it’s “gross, and deeply unpatriotic” for oil companies to charge high gas prices while their businesses are making massive profits. Fetterman namechecked Chevron, Exxon and Shell in the op-ed.

Oz has rubbed elbows with industry officials during his campaign.

He was invited to a June “energy industry meet and greet” by longtime lobbyist Missy Edwards. The invite says the meeting was set to take place at Edwards’ offices in Washington. Her current clients include Southern Company and General Motors, OpenSecrets says.

A spokeswoman for General Motors said she was “not sure if GM had a representative in attendance.” Edwards and a representative for Southern Company did not return requests for comment.

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Health

U.S. Covid Vaccine Donations Will Go to ‘Large Vary’ of Nations

First U.S. Vaccine Donations Will Go to ‘Wide Range’ of Nations in Need

And the president has pledged to donate up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. However, these cans, which are also manufactured in the Emergent facility, are not approved for domestic use and may not be released in other countries until the regulatory authorities deem them safe. If they weren’t cleared for release, Mr. Biden would have to agree to donate more of the three vaccines used here in order to fulfill his 80 million pledge.

The president has described vaccine donations as part of an “entirely new effort” to increase vaccine supply and significantly expand manufacturing capacity, most of it in the United States. To further expand the offering, Mr. Biden recently announced that he would support the waiver of intellectual property protection for coronavirus vaccines. He also made Mr. Zients responsible for developing a global vaccine strategy.

But activists say it’s not enough to simply donate overdoses and support renunciation. They argue that Mr Biden needs to create the conditions for pharmaceutical companies to transfer their intellectual property to vaccine manufacturers abroad so that other countries can set up their own vaccine manufacturing operations.

Peter Maybarduk, director of the Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines program, on Thursday called on the government to invest $ 25 billion in “urgent public vaccine manufacturing in locations around the world” to generate eight billion doses of vaccine within a year using mRNA To create and “share” technology. these vaccine prescriptions with the world. “

When asked recently whether the United States would be ready, Andrew Slavitt, a senior health advisor to the President, sidestepped the question, saying only that the United States would “play a leadership role” but still “global partners across the board.” World ”. ”

On Thursday, Mr Zients said the United States would repeal the Defense Production Act “priority assessment” for three vaccine manufacturers – AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi – that do not make coronavirus vaccines for use in the United States. The shift means companies in the United States supplying vaccine manufacturers “can make their own decisions about which orders to fill first,” Zients said.

This could free up supplies for foreign vaccine manufacturers and allow other countries to ramp up their own programs.

Abdi Latif Dahir contributed to the coverage.

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Health

First U.S. Vaccine Donations Will Go to ‘Vast Vary’ of Nations in Want

First U.S. Vaccine Donations Will Go to ‘Wide Range’ of Nations in Need

And the president has pledged to donate up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. However, these cans, which are also manufactured in the Emergent facility, are not approved for domestic use and may not be released in other countries until the regulatory authorities deem them safe. If they weren’t cleared for release, Mr. Biden would have to agree to donate more of the three vaccines used here in order to fulfill his 80 million pledge.

The president has described vaccine donations as part of an “entirely new effort” to increase vaccine supply and significantly expand manufacturing capacity, most of it in the United States. To further expand the offering, Mr. Biden recently announced that he would support the waiver of intellectual property protection for coronavirus vaccines. He also made Mr. Zients responsible for developing a global vaccine strategy.

But activists say it’s not enough to simply donate overdoses and support renunciation. They argue that Mr Biden needs to create the conditions for pharmaceutical companies to transfer their intellectual property to vaccine manufacturers abroad so that other countries can set up their own vaccine manufacturing operations.

Peter Maybarduk, director of the Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines program, on Thursday called on the government to invest $ 25 billion in “urgent public vaccine manufacturing in locations around the world” to achieve eight billion doses of mRNA in one year. Technology and “share these vaccine recipes with the world.”

When asked recently whether the United States would be ready, Andrew Slavitt, a senior health advisor to the President, sidestepped the question, saying only that the United States would “play a leadership role” but still “global partners across the board.” World ”. ”

On Thursday, Mr Zients said the United States would repeal the Defense Production Act “priority assessment” for three vaccine manufacturers – AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi – that do not make coronavirus vaccines for use in the United States. The shift means companies in the United States supplying vaccine manufacturers “can make their own decisions about which orders to fill first,” Zients said.

This could free up supplies for foreign vaccine manufacturers and allow other countries to ramp up their own programs.

Abdi Latif Dahir contributed to the coverage.

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Politics

Klobuchar to Suggest Ban on Prechecked Containers in Political Donations

Klobuchar to Propose Ban on Prechecked Boxes in Political Donations

Senate committee chairman Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota will enact legislation Monday banning political campaigns from routing online donors to recurring donations by default. This practice has attracted criticism for tricking backers into giving inadvertent gifts, sometimes in the thousands of dollars in total.

The planned introduction of the law follows a non-partisan recommendation by the Bundestag Electoral Commission that Congress should restrict the practice of pre-checking boxes that automatically encourage donors to make repeated donations. The FEC unanimously voted 6-0 in favor of recommending the change after a New York Times investigation found that contributors’ refunds and fraud claims against former President Donald J. Trump rose.

Ms. Klobuchar, who heads the rule committee that oversees the administration of the federal elections, calls the draft law the RECUR law to “save every participant from unwanted repetitions”. She currently has only Democratic co-sponsors, including Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, who is the second-largest Democrat in the Senate leadership and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But Ms. Klobuchar said she was confident she could attract Republican co-sponsors after the FEC’s three Republican commissioners joined the Democrats in recommending the ban on the practice – a rare moment of agreement at an agency, often driven by a party-political deadlock is defined.

“We have to make sure that we encourage people who can only make small contributions so that their voices are heard but not exploited,” said Ms. Klobuchar in an interview.

In a statement, Mr Durbin said he was “proud” to introduce the bill with Ms. Klobuchar. “In a bipartisan recommendation, the Bundestag Electoral Commission called on Congress to take action to stop the fundraising practices that were outrageously used by the Trump campaign and that led contributors to recurring payments,” he said.

The Times investigation found that Mr. Trump’s cash shortage political operation had his online employees become unintentional repeat donors by checking a box to withdraw additional donations every week last fall. Their inquiries also included a second pre-checked box labeled a “money bomb”. Over time, the campaign added text, sometimes in bold or capital letters, that obscured the opt-out language. Soon banks and credit card companies saw a flurry of fraud complaints.

Overall, the Trump operation with the Republican Party reimbursed donors who donated through the online processing site WinRed $ 122.7 million – more than 10 percent of each dollar raised. In contrast, the online reimbursement rate for President Biden’s campaign with the party at ActBlue, the corresponding Democratic processing agency, was 2.2 percent.

While the practice of pre-checking boxes is now far more common among Republicans, Democrats have previously used the tactic as well. Some prominent Democratic Party committees continue to use it. And Mr Trump continued the practice in his post-presidency period.

Ms. Klobuchar’s legislation would require all political committees to be given “consent” to receive donations, and it specifically states that pre-checked boxes do not meet this requirement.

“If you have experience and look at this, you know that it is just pure fraud,” said Ms. Klobuchar of the pre-examination practice, “and it is not something that should be allowed in the future.”

Ms. Klobuchar said the FEC’s unanimous vote was “very helpful” in providing impetus for their legislation. This is a stand-alone bilateral bill, but it could be incorporated into other election-related laws. The Democrats are pushing for legislation that would result in a major overhaul of the elections, but the bill’s prospects remain bleak.

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Politics

Donations Surge for Republicans Who Challenged Election Outcomes

Donations Surge for Republicans Who Challenged Election Results

WASHINGTON – Republicans who vocalized the loudest urge to come to Washington on January 6th to try to undo the loss of President Donald J. Trump, overturn the elections and fuel the grievances that make the deadly one The Capitol Rebellion sparked have profited amply in the aftermath, according to new campaign data.

Senators Josh Hawley from Missouri and Ted Cruz from Texas, who led the challenges to President Biden’s victory in their chamber, raised more than $ 3 million each in the three months following the January 6 attack on the Capitol in campaign donations.

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who described the rampage as the “1776 moment” and was later exempted from committee duties for advocating bigoted conspiracy theories and advocating political violence, raised $ 3.2 million – more as the solo campaign of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader, and almost every other member of the house leadership.

An analysis by the New York Times of the recent Federal Election Commission revelations shows how the leaders of the effort to undo Mr Biden’s election victory have benefited from the indignation of their supporters for raising huge sums of campaign money. Far from being punished for promoting the protest that became fatal, they have performed well in a system that often rewards the loudest and most extreme voices and uses insurrection anger to build their political brands . The analysis examined the individual campaign accounts of the legislature, not the joint fundraising committees or the leadership’s political action committees.

“The outrage machine is powerful at generating political input,” said Carlos Curbelo, a former Republican Congressman from Florida.

Shortly after the storming of the Capitol, some prominent corporations and political action committees vowed to end support for the Republicans who had fanned the flames of anger and conspiracy that led to violence. But any financial setback for Corporate America seems to have been dwarfed by a flood of cash from other areas.

North Carolina representative Madison Cawthorn, a freshman who urged his supporters to “gently threaten” Republican lawmakers to get them to question the election results, collected more than $ 1 million. Representative Lauren Boebert from Colorado, who, like Ms. Greene, compared January 6 to the American Revolution, raised nearly $ 750,000.

The amounts reflect an emerging incentive structure in Washington where the biggest provocateurs can convert their notoriety into achievements of small donors who can help them achieve even higher levels of notoriety. It also shows the appetite of a Republican electorate who subscribes to Mr Trump’s false claims of widespread electoral fraud and seeks to reward those who have worked to undermine the outcome of a free and fair election.

Most of the dozen companies that pledged to cut off Republicans who advocated overturning the elections kept that promise and withheld political action committee donations for the last quarter. But that didn’t matter to the loudest voices on Capitol Hill, as a energetic base of pro-Trump donors stood by their side and more than made up for the deficit.

“We’re really seeing small donors emerge in the Republican Party,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist. “In the past, the Democrats have benefited most from small dollar donations. We see Republicans catch up quickly. “

Legislators have long benefited greatly from divisive reporting, particularly on important events that match the emotions of an angry or fearful electorate. However, the new records illustrate a growing gap between those who raise money through a bombastic profile – often supported by substantial fundraising expenses – and those who have turned their attention to serious political work.

When provocative newbies like Ms. Greene, Ms. Boebert, and Mr. Cawthorn took in high dollar numbers, other more conventional members of their class in competitive districts – even those who were praised for their fundraising ability – had lagged significantly.

For example, Ashley Hinson of Iowa and Young Kim of California, both against the election challenges and working on bipartisan bills, each made less than $ 600,000.

Ms. Greene, Ms. Boebert, and Mr. Cawthorn raised more money than the top Republicans on the most powerful committees in Congress, such as Funds, Budget, Education and Labor, Foreign Policy and Homeland Security.

In many cases, Republican lawmakers who started the flames of violence on January 6 have since benefited from posing and appealing to their supporters as victims of a political backlash developed by the Washington establishment.

“Pennsylvania didn’t obey its own state’s electoral law, but the establishment didn’t want to hear it. But that’s not what I work for, ”Hawley wrote in a fundraising message in January. “I objected because I wanted to make sure your voice was heard. Now Biden and his woken up mob are coming after me. I need your help.”

Ms. Greene raised funds from a successful attempt to ban her from committees, led by angry Democrats who were outraged by her earlier talk in support of the execution of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and who encouraged her supporters to say “Stop the Steal” on January 6th In the days before and after the unusual vote, she raised $ 150,000 every day, surpassing it every time.

“The DC swamp and fake news media are attacking me because I am not one of them,” was one such call. “I am one of you. And they hate me for it. “

However, Mr. Trump’s polarizing nature also helped some Republicans who held him accountable for his conduct in connection with the January 6th events.

Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the No. 3 Republican who voted for the indictment against Mr. Trump, raised $ 1.5 million, and Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who founded an organization, raised $ 1.5 million to lead the Republican Party away from allegiance to Mr. Trump. raised more than $ 1.1 million.

“It is obvious that there is a strong market for Trumpism in the Republican base,” said Curbelo. “There is also a strong market for truth-finding and constitutional support.”

Mr. Conant questioned how the increase in fundraising for some candidates was directly related to the Capitol attack. He said the conservative news media had generally “moved on” from reporting.

Instead, he said Republican voters were “very nervous” about the direction of the country under democratic control and ready to support Republicans who they saw as a fight against a liberal agenda.

“It’s worth being high-profile,” said Conant. “It’s further evidence that Milquetoast doesn’t offer a lot of grassroots support in the middle of the road. That doesn’t mean you have to be pro-Trump. It just means that you have to take strong positions and then connect with those supporters. “

But if the Republican Civil War has paid campaign dividends for both sides, individual Democrats involved in prosecuting Mr Trump for the insurrection in his impeachment have not achieved similar success.

With $ 3.2 million in the quarter, Ms. Greene raised more than the sum of all nine impeachment executives – although she received widespread applause in liberal circles for her case against the former president. According to the data, three of the managers have raised less than $ 100,000 each in the past three months.

With money flowing into campaigns, the January 6 attack also resulted in high security spending.

The Federal Election Commission expanded guidelines allowing lawmakers to use campaign submissions to install home security systems in their homes, and Capitol Hill Top Security urged lawmakers to consider upgrading their home security systems to Include panic buttons and key rings.

Campaign filings show that nearly a dozen lawmakers have made payments of $ 20,000 or more to security companies in the past three months, including Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, who voted to convict Mr. Trump; Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, who gave a harrowing report on the uprising; and Representative Eric Swalwell, Democrat of California and one of the impeachment executives against Mr. Trump.

Mr. Cruz and Mr. Hawley were also some of the biggest security issues.

Lauren Hirsch and Jeanna Smialek contributed to the coverage.

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Politics

Company donations to GOP beneath scrutiny

Corporate donations to GOP under scrutiny

Several large corporations in Georgia have criticized the state’s controversial new election restrictions signed by GOP Governor Brian Kemp last week.

However, some of these companies are silent about whether they will continue to make donations to Kemp and other Georgia Republicans who support the law.

CNBC reached out to six companies to ask if they would continue to make corporate donations to Georgian politicians who support the new law. Three answered. One of them, Coca-Cola, pointed to its decision to stop all political donations after the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill.

The new law creates some hurdles for postal voting and includes greater legislative control over the conduct of elections. Companies like Delta attacked the law because it was too restrictive.

Various interest groups have said the bill specifically affects black voters, who were instrumental in the Democrats’ surprise victories in two US Senate elections earlier this year and last year’s presidential election.

There is even talk of an idea supported by President Joe Biden to move this year’s Major League Baseball All Star Game out of Atlanta.

Kemp and other Georgia Republicans have defended the law and dismissed corporate concerns.

Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, spoke out against the law in a memo from CEO Ed Bastian on Wednesday. The company has historically supported Kemp and several sponsors of the law through its Political Action Committee. As of 2018, the PAC has given over $ 25,000 to Kemp and several GOP lawmakers.

A Delta spokeswoman wouldn’t say whether the company would stop donating to Kemp and the other supporters of the law.

“With regard to DeltaPAC and our political contributions, we have solid procedures in place for reviewing candidates prior to each submission to ensure they are in line with both Delta’s position on aerospace and business priority issues and our values,” said Lisa Hanna, the Delta spokesperson. said in an email. “Past contributions do not mean that DeltaPAC will contribute to a candidate in the future.”

The Delta representative also said that “due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no individual donations have been made to Georgia State House or Senate candidates since prior to 2020”.

Critics are calling for companies like Delta to be more accountable.

“Today you have to balance your political spending with your rhetoric,” said Bruce Freed, president of the bipartisan Center for Political Accountability, which tracks corporate money in politics. “You have passed the point of no return, it’s no longer just for access or free,” he noted, referring to previous calls to boycott some Georgia-based companies.

“They are now realizing that there is such a deep reaction from consumers and the general public that it affects not only their reputation but also their bottom line,” explained Freed, explaining how companies are now viewing the public response to their corporate donations.

For Coca-Cola, it was about sticking to a policy it introduced after the deadly pro-Trump uprising at the Capitol. James Quincey, CEO of Coca-Cola, called Georgia law “unacceptable” in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday. In a statement on Thursday, Quincey added that the company’s “focus is now on supporting federal legislation protecting access to voting and addressing the repression of voters across the country.”

“We suspended all political donations in January, and this hiatus continues,” said Ann Moore, a Coca-Cola spokeswoman. Moore said the suspension of the company’s contributions affects state-level candidates, not just federal candidates.

As of 2018, Coca-Cola has donated more than $ 25,000 to sponsors of the Georgia Voting Restrictions Act. That total includes over $ 10,000 for Kemp’s gubernatorial campaigns between 2018 and 2020.

“We haven’t set a schedule, but we’re still thinking about how to use these resources,” said Moore when asked if the beverage giant had any plans to resume the posts.

Home Depot, also headquartered in Atlanta, recently said in response to Georgia’s electoral law that it would work to ensure its employees across the country have the resources and information to vote.

However, the company wouldn’t say whether it would continue to support lawmakers who support the law.

“Our employee-funded PAC supports candidates on both sides of the aisle advocating for business and retail-friendly positions that create jobs and economic growth,” said Sara Gorman, a Home Depot spokeswoman. “As always, future donations will be assessed based on a number of factors.”

Home Depot has given Kemp and the lawmakers who sponsored the bill at least $ 30,000.

AT&T is based in Texas but gave more than $ 70,000 to Kemp’s campaign and Georgia Bill sponsors. A video on Twitter shows the Black Voters Matter group protesting outside AT&T headquarters on Monday.

AT&T CEO John Stankey told CNBC in a statement:

“We understand that electoral laws are complicated, not our company’s expertise and ultimately the responsibility of elected officials. However, as a company, we have a responsibility to get involved. This is why we work with other companies through groups like the company around the table in support of efforts to improve each person’s ability to choose. “

“That way, the right knowledge and expertise can be used to make a difference on this fundamental and critical issue,” added Stankey.

UPS and Southern Company Gas, two Georgia-based companies that have donated through their PAC to either various sponsors of the bill or to Kemp’s campaign, did not respond to a request for comment.

UPS previously said it believes “electoral laws and statutes should make it easier, not harder, for Americans to exercise their voting rights.” The invoice was not addressed directly.

After the January 6 uprising, UPS announced that it would suspend all PAC contributions for the time being.

Read the full statement from John Stankey, CEO of AT&T, below:

“We believe that the right to vote is sacred, and we support electoral laws that make it easier for more Americans to vote in free, fair, and safe elections.

We understand that electoral laws are complicated, not our company’s expertise and ultimately the responsibility of elected officials. But as a company, we have a responsibility to get involved. That’s why we partner with other companies through groups like the Business Roundtable to support efforts to improve each person’s electoral skills. In this way, the right knowledge and expertise can be used to make a difference on this fundamental and critical issue.

We are an active member of the BRT and fully support its policy statement on the right to vote. Easily accessible and secure voting is not only a valuable right and responsibility, but also the best way to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. “

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Politics

Congressional fundraisers foyer corporations that suspended donations after Capitol riot

Congressional fundraisers lobby companies that suspended donations after Capitol riot

The supporters of US President Donald Trump gather in front of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Probal Rashid | LightRocket | Getty Images

Fundraisers for congressional candidates and party campaign groups are campaigning for companies to resume political donations after many have suspended their contributions, according to those familiar with the matter.

Dozens of companies have at least temporarily suspended donations from their political action committees following the January 6 uprising in the Capitol that resulted in at least five deaths. That day, more than 145 Republican lawmakers – encouraged by then-President Donald Trump – voted to contest the results of the electoral college that certifies Joe Biden as the next president.

Most companies have since stated that they are reviewing the policies of their PACs that they will be giving money to in the future. Some companies decided to pause indefinitely posts for GOP lawmakers who questioned election results. Other companies chose to suspend donations to candidates across the political spectrum.

These corporate PACs can typically give up to $ 5,000 to a candidate and around $ 15,000 to a national party committee.

CNBC policy

Read more about CNBC’s political coverage:

Fundraisers for individual candidates running for reelection in Senate and House races – along with fundraisers for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Senatorial Democratic Campaign Committee, the National Republican Congress Committee, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee – have turned to corporations encouraging them to resolve their restrictions to pick up and make contributions again, people said.

They spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak freely about ongoing private conversations.

The NRCC recently put together a list of corporate donation guidelines that fundraisers are expected to use as a tool to persuade companies to donate again, one respondent said.

People and groups with ties to Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell have actively reached out to companies to get them to donate again, another person said.

Representatives of the congressional committees did not return a request for comment. Some companies did not deny being contacted by political fundraisers.

However, computer giant Dell Technologies said it has no plans to change its mind.

“We have no intention of re-examining the decision to suspend contributions to members of Congress whose statements and activities during the post-election period did not comply with Dell Technologies principles,” a company spokesman told CNBC. “Our employee-run PAC Board meets regularly to review current events and vote on important decisions such as changes to PAC submissions. All PAC submissions are publicly known so you can stay informed of future updates.”

JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup officials said they are continuing to review their policies and refuse to comment. Both banks took a break and began reevaluating their PACs’ contributions.

A Goldman Sachs spokesman said the bank hadn’t heard from anyone when they could make contributions again. A UPS spokeswoman said the company’s stance on post interruption was unchanged and, to the best of her knowledge, the company had not heard from anyone on the matter.

Some other companies, including Amazon, Facebook, AT&T, and Marriott, haven’t returned requests for comments.

The candidates are preparing for the 2022 mid-term elections, in which a third of the Senate and all of the House’s seats will be up for grabs. The elections are expected to be expensive, and fundraisers believe they will need corporate money to replenish the campaign fund.

The Democrats, who have the smallest majority in the Senate, have 14 seats for re-election in that chamber. Republicans have 20 Senate seats up for re-election, including Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, who questioned the 2020 election results. Cook Political Report rates its seat as a “solid Republican”. Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Ted Cruz, R-Texas and other Senators who pushed back the 2020 election results will not stand for re-election next year.

Axios reported on March 7th that the NRSC had the greatest success in collecting digital donations using Hawley’s name compared to any other Senator except the chairman of the committee, Senator Rick Scott of Florida.

Democratic fundraisers are urging companies to resume donations, citing their determination to oust Republican lawmakers who encouraged and advocated the false election narrative that sparked the uprising.

Republican fundraisers, on the other hand, have warned donors of the Democrats’ intent to raise the corporate tax rate.

Since the January uprising, some companies and groups of companies have announced their plans for the interim campaign.

Microsoft announced last month that its PAC will “suspend contributions for the duration of the 2022 election cycle to all members of Congress who have voted against the certification of voters.” The company added that the PAC would “suspend contributions for the same period of time to government officials and organizations that supported such objections or suggested that the election be overturned”.

The Chamber of Commerce said in a March memo it would not continue its ban on contributions to lawmakers who questioned election results. The Business Advocacy Group said it would “evaluate our support for candidates – Republicans and Democrats – based on their position on issues of concern to the Chamber and their demonstrated commitment to government and the rebuilding of our democratic institutions.”

“We do not believe that it is appropriate to judge members of Congress solely by their votes on the election certificate,” said the chamber.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect a UPS spokeswoman said the company’s stance on political contributions was unchanged. In a previous version, the company name was incorrectly specified.

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Politics

Lincoln Venture backers take into account chopping off donations in wake of misconduct allegations

Lincoln Project backers consider cutting off donations in wake of misconduct allegations

John Weaver is shown on a campaign bus in Bow, NH, in this January 20, 2016 file photo. The Lincoln Project launched in November 2019 as a super PAC that allowed its executives to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.

Charles Krupa | AP

The Lincoln Project, a group of conservative activists that made a splash with viral ads targeting former President Trump, is at risk of losing financial support after one of its founders is accused of sexual misconduct.

Several wealthy donors are considering cutting off their support for the organization, according to people close to these financiers. They pay particular attention to the results of an outside investigation into whether other leaders were aware of the alleged harassment of several men by co-founder John Weaver, these people added.

Some of those close to the donors declined to be named because they were concerned about retaliation from the leaders of the Lincoln Project and their allies.

Despite numerous reports to the contrary, the Lincoln Project – its original members include Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign leader Steve Schmidt, the author and former advisor to the George HW Bush campaign, Rick Wilson, and conservative attorney George Conway – denied being aware of any misconduct allegations against Weaver until recently. The group condemned Weaver’s conduct on January 31st.

Weaver told the New York Times in January that he was a withdrawn gay man and that he was “really sorry for these men and everyone and for abandoning so many people.”

The Lincoln Project said Thursday that it is “retaining a top notch outside professional to review Mr. Weaver’s tenure with the organization and establish both accountability and best practices for the Lincoln Project”.

The FBI is also investigating the allegations against Weaver, according to independent journalist Yashar Ali, who cited sources who claimed they were being contacted by agents.

The Lincoln Project did not respond to subsequent CNBC requests for comment.

The group will continue to need financial assistance as it continues its stated mission of targeting pro-Trump politicians and the former president. The group has reportedly tried to start a media company. There is already a live online show called “LPTV”. A United Talent Agency representative, who reportedly held talks to increase the group’s media presence, did not respond to a request for comment.

The PAC raised over $ 87 million, much of it from several Democratic megadonors. Those in charge of the organization were so confident that some organizers told CNBC in May they wanted to reach out to billionaire and former presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg for a donation. Records show that Bloomberg didn’t help.

Much of the Lincoln Project’s spending went towards paying vendors owned by its executives. The group was founded in December 2019.

Donor Jen Pritzker, a member of the wealthy and influential Pritzker family, suggested that given the allegations against Weaver, she could stop giving money to the group. Pritzker contributed to the joint fundraising committee of President Joe Biden and other democratic groups.

“I believed in the Lincoln Project’s mission and supported its efforts to prevent Donald Trump from being re-elected,” Pritzker told CNBC in a statement. “As a donor, I trusted that my gift would be used to further support the organization’s goals. Sexual misconduct cannot be tolerated by any organization. Anyone can be a victim, and these allegations should be handled in accordance with human rights law.”

A spokeswoman for Pritzkers Tawani Enterprises stated that she had not yet made a decision as to whether she would make a contribution in the future.

Pritzker donated $ 100,000 to the Lincoln Project in October, Federal Election Commission records show. Another family member, John Pritzker, also gave the group $ 100,000. He did not return a request for comment.

When asked by CNBC whether Jeffrey Katzenberg would stop giving the Lincoln Project, an advisor to the Hollywood power player didn’t rule it out. “Not our focus,” said the consultant in an email. Katzenberg gave the PAC $ 100,000 in August. Katzenbeg was also a major Biden bundler.

Meanwhile, CNBC has learned that two previous Lincoln project vendors will no longer work with the group.

Aaron, Thomas & Associates, who describes himself as a specialist in political direct mail, received over $ 90,000 from the group in September, records show. The company’s work with the group stopped before the Weaver allegations surfaced, but the company has decided not to take any more business from the Lincoln project.

“Absolutely not,” replied founder Fred Thomas when asked by CNBC if the Lincoln project would work again. “When we cited this work, we weren’t even aware of what it was or who it was for. We broke it up with someone else anyway,” he added, noting that his company “doesn’t want negative results from Mail. “

Anedot, a campaign donation processor used in the Lincoln Project’s final election cycle, is closing its account with the group, according to a company official who refused to be named.

“Anedot was recently made aware of certain incidents that resulted in our account team notifying the account owner that the account will be closed,” the representative said.

The non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics says Anedot received fees of over $ 3 million in the 2020 cycle. Anedot’s representative said he did not give any reasons for closing accounts.

In building its media business through the Lincoln Project, CNBC turned to Zeldavision, a live streaming production company that received over $ 1 million from the group. The company promotes a partnership with the PAC. According to the Zeldavision website, it also appears to be helping to produce the Lincoln Project’s live content.

The company did not answer whether it would stand by the PAC in the future.

Tara Setmayer, who distinguishes herself as a senior advisor on her Twitter page and has hosted an LPTV show, said she was “dismayed and disappointed” by the recent event surrounding the Lincoln project.

“It cannot be tolerated. More to say,” added Setmayer.

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Business

Banks Halt Political Donations After Professional-Trump Mob Storms Capitol: Reside Updates

JPMorgan Chase is halting all political donations from its PAC for six months.

Here’s what you need to know:

Credit…Justin Lane/EPA, via Shutterstock

Big businesses often donate to both political parties and say that their support is tied to narrow issues of specific interest to their industries. That became increasingly fraught last week, after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol and some Republican lawmakers tried to overturn Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s win in the presidential election.

A flurry of companies have since reviewed political giving via their corporate political action committees, according to the DealBook newsletter.

Some big banks are pausing all political donations:

  • Goldman Sachs is freezing donations through its PAC and will conduct “a thorough assessment of how people acted during this period,” a spokesman, Jake Siewert, told DealBook.

  • JPMorgan Chase is halting donations through its PAC for six months. “There will be plenty of time for campaigning later,” said Peter Scher, the bank’s head of corporate responsibility.

  • Citigroup is postponing all campaign contributions for a quarter. “We want you to be assured that we will not support candidates who do not respect the rule of law,” Candi Wolff, the bank’s head of government affairs, wrote in an internal memo.

Other banks, including Bank of America and Wells Fargo, said they would review their corporate contribution strategy.

Some companies are pausing donations to specific politicians. Marriott said it would pause donations from its PAC “to those who voted against certification of the election,” a spokeswoman told DealBook. She did not say how long the break would last or how the bank would decide when to resume.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, Boston Scientific and Commerce Bancshares are taking a similar, targeted approach to donation freezes. The newsletter Popular Information is tracking the responses of these and other companies that donated to lawmakers who challenged the election result.

The suspensions coincide with the first quarter after a presidential election, which is typically light on fund-raising anyway. Efforts by some companies to pause PAC donations to all lawmakers — those who voted to uphold the election as well as those who sought to overturn it — are raising eyebrows. And companies can still give to “dark money” groups that don’t disclose their donors but often raise far more money than corporate PACs.

In other fallout, the P.G.A. of America said it would no longer hold its signature championship at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.; the social app Parler, popular among conservatives as an alternative to Twitter, went dark this morning after Amazon cut it off from computing services; the payment processor Stripe banned the Trump campaign from using its services; YouTube blocked Steve Bannon’s podcast channel; and the debate continues over tech giants’ influence over public speech.

Banks are expecting heavy demand for the new round of loans, as the virus continues to surge and restrictions on activity are reintroduced.Credit…Mohamed Sadek for The New York Times

The Paycheck Protection Program reopens this week, and underserved borrowers — including women-led businesses and those run by Black, Latino and Asian owners and other minorities — will be first in line to tap the new funds, The New York Times’s Stacy Cowley reports.

Starting Monday, a group of specially designated institutions known as community lenders, which specialize in working with Black- and minority-owned small businesses, will begin accepting applications for new loans. The government said larger financial institutions and banks would begin processing loans “shortly.”

Giving community lenders a head start is intended to address complaints that the aid was not distributed equitably the last time around. Here are more details about the new program.

  • Borrowers were previously limited to just one loan, but the new funding will be available to both first-time and returning borrowers. Businesses will be eligible for a second loan if they suffered a sales drop of 25 percent or more in at least one quarter of 2020, compared with the previous year.

  • Second loans will be restricted to businesses with no more than 300 employees; initial loans are available to larger companies, generally those with up to 500 workers.

  • The Small Business Administration, which manages the program, said it would begin accepting applications on Monday from community lenders seeking loans for first-time borrowers. On Wednesday, those lenders will be able to submit applications from people seeking second-round loans.

  • The S.B.A. will no longer approve loan applications instantaneously, a move that previously allowed some borrowers to receive their loan funds just hours after they applied. Now approvals will generally take at least one day.

Twitter locked President Trump’s account on Friday after he posted tweets calling his supporters “patriots” and saying he would not attend the presidential inauguration.Credit…Twitter

In the hours and days after a mob of President Trump’s loyalists stormed the Capitol, the nation’s biggest tech companies began to shut down accounts that helped incite the rampage. In the days and weeks before the attack, President Trump had used his Twitter feed and Facebook page to spread the lie that he had won the November election. It was that falsehood that helped drive the mob from to the Capitol last Wednesday after a speech by the president.

Facebook said the risks were too great to allow the president’s posts. Twitter followed suit. The focus shifted to Parler, a favorite app for right-wing figures. Citing posts on Parler that encouraged violence and crime, Apple and Google removed the app from their app stores. Then Amazon told Parler it would stop hosting it.

For Big Tech, the events of the past week raised tricky questions about politics, free speech and radicalization of people online.

How Parler, a Chosen App of Trump Fans, Became a Test of Free Speech

The app has renewed a debate about who holds power over online speech after the tech giants yanked their support for it and left it fighting for survival. Parler was set to go dark on Monday.

Stripped of Twitter, Trump Faces a New Challenge: How to Command Attention

The president became a celebrity through television, but Twitter had given him a singular outlet for expressing himself as he is, unfiltered by the norms of the office.

Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler, an App That Drew Trump Supporters

The companies pulled support for the “free speech” social network, all but killing the service just as many conservatives are seeking alternatives to Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter Permanently Bans Trump, Capping Online Revolt

The president’s preferred megaphone cited “the risk of further incitement of violence.” It acted after Facebook, Snapchat, Twitch and other platforms placed limits on him.

Facebook Bars Trump Through End of His Term

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, said the risks of Mr. Trump using the service were too great, even as Twitter lifted its lock on the president’s account.

In Pulling Trump’s Megaphone, Twitter Shows Where Power Now Lies

The ability of a handful of people to control our public discourse has never been more obvious, our columnist writes.

World Wrestling Entertainment event in Riyadh in 2019. George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, who spent more than a decade at WWE, announced the formation of a new investment firm.Credit…Fayez Nureldine/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

George Barrios and Michelle Wilson — the former co-presidents of World Wrestling Entertainment who abruptly left the company a year ago — are announcing a new project: Isos Capital Management, an investment firm focused on media, entertainment and sports. The DealBook newsletter was the first to report the new venture.

Mr. Barrios and Ms. Wilson are veterans of the sports and entertainment business, including more than a decade at WWE. “We feel really proud of everything that was accomplished during our tenure, so we’re excited about the next chapter with Isos,” Ms. Wilson said. After WWE, they both considered several opportunities — including chief executive roles — but decided instead to continue working together.

The new fund will look at companies at all stages of development, with a focus on new technologies that keep fans and subscribers engaged. “There are spaces — whether it’s video gaming, e-sports, sports betting — that will drive fan engagement, and that digital transformation will really become the vehicle to make that happen,” Ms. Wilson said. She and Mr. Barrios declined to comment on other details about the fund.

As money has poured into the industry and deal-making has picked up, the fund’s founders believe their experience and contacts set them apart; at WWE, they led the company’s aggressive international push and signed content deals with USA Network and Fox Sports, among others. The company’s media division has helped counteract declining performance in its live performance unit in recent years.

“Capital is important, but it’s fungible,” Mr. Barrios said. “What Michelle and I bring is expertise, credibility and a global network.”

  • Stocks on Wall Street and in Europe fell on Monday, a day of consolidation after the markets began the year with a rally to record highs.

  • The S&P 500 fell more than half a percent in early trading, while the Stoxx Europe 600 index dipped by percent and the FTSE 100 in Britain by 0.5 percent.

  • Twitter tumbled more than 11 percent, after the social media company on Friday permanently banned President Trump, who had more than 88 million followers, citing “the risk of further incitement of violence.”

  • Boeing fell close to 3 percent following Saturday’s crash in Indonesia of a 737-500 series passenger carrying 62 people. The Sriwijaya Air flight fell into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta.

  • Last week, U.S. stock markets pushed higher after Democrats won two Senate seats in Georgia, clinching control of the upper house of Congress, increasing investors’ expectations of more fiscal spending. The markets continued rising even after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. Democrats, pointing to Mr. Trump’s inciting of the mob, have taken steps to remove Mr. Trump from the presidency.

  • Bitcoin fell to about $35,000 on Monday, down 17 percent from a record high of $41,962 reached on Friday. The cryptocurrency has surged substantially in recent weeks; just a month ago its price was below $20,000.

  • “Bitcoin’s parabolic rise is unsustainable in the near term,” Scott Minerd, the global chief investment Officer of Guggenheim Partners, an investment company, wrote on Twitter. “Vulnerable to a setback. The target technical upside of $35,000 has been exceeded. Time to take some money off the table.”

Nothing has stopped the stock market’s momentum over the last year: not the pandemic, not record unemployment and not the Capitol riot.

But don’t take that as a sign that the market is envisioning a calm and prosperous six months ahead, writes The New York Times’s Jeff Sommer. Instead, the rally simply reflects the greed of bullish investors. Here’s what’s fueling the high hopes:

  • Interest rates remain extraordinarily low, and the Federal Reserve and other central banks have said they are determined to keep short-term rates low. When rates are low, stocks and other risky assets are comparatively attractive.

  • The pandemic is the main cause of global economic troubles and it will eventually end. With vaccinations underway, Wall Street hopes that growth in most regions and sectors will surge later this year, along with rising corporate profits.

  • With Democrats sweeping the two contested Senate seats in Georgia, the chances of at least some further economic stimulus have increased. President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. will most likely be able to deliver more aid to people in need and to local governments, which is expected to increase economic growth.

  • Truly sweeping legislative changes will be difficult, if not impossible, given the Democratic Party’s razor-thin margin in the Senate and reduced majority in the House. Some increased spending is likely, but this slim grip on power implies that big tax increases on wealthy investors and rich corporations may not happen soon.

  • The election may have delivered something close to a Goldilocks alignment for the stock market. Mr. Biden’s cabinet picks so far suggest that he will govern as a centrist, and the market historically has fared well under Democratic presidents who do not have sweeping control of Congress. The possibility that the Biden administration will usher in a more efficient and inclusive government, with more spending and only moderate changes otherwise, is seen as a sweet outcome for stocks.

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Business

Small Donations Aiming to Make a Massive Splash

Small Donations Aiming to Make a Big Splash

Brett Howell, program manager at Coca-Cola in Atlanta, found a way to use his small family trust to solve big-impact environmental problems.

He was one of the leaders of a 2019 project to clean up Henderson Island, an atoll in the South Pacific with the world’s highest concentration of plastic pollution. The island, a United Nations World Historic Site, is uninhabited but is in the middle of a current that carries sea debris.

Mr. Howell also began working with other organizations to find out how to prevent the plastic from filling the beach again.

“I came up with it because I know a lot about it and I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t,” he said. “Plastic pollution in the ocean is a visual picture of climate change.”

The issue of climate change seems too overwhelming for an individual to have much impact. Sure, people can recycle, maybe call back the thermostat to save heat. But even governments with unlimited resources struggle to take meaningful steps.

However, some smaller foundations, like the Howell Conservation Fund, are trying to challenge this narrative and focus their energies and resources on a small area of ​​the environment in the hopes that it will have a significant impact.

“Philanthropy is so much more than money,” said Henry Berman, executive director of Exponent Philanthropy, who works with small foundations. “Relationships, expertise, bringing people together – these are all pieces of the puzzle to make things work. You don’t have to be Bill Gates or Mike Bloomberg for it to work. “

Howell contributed just 10 percent of the $ 300,000 operation 2019 – the return trip that year was canceled. But he brought together people with more money and different levels of expertise.

“If you’re hyper-focused, you can hit over your weight,” he said.

Several principles combine these small foundations in their efforts to slow climate change or make a difference in a local ecosystem.

It’s not surprising to believe in and talk about the science behind climate change. However, these smaller foundations have often found that they have a role to play in bringing together other interested groups of all sizes.

The Campbell Foundation, based in Baltimore, has focused on the ill health of Chesapeake Bay for over 20 years. Last year around 200 organizations received $ 18 million in grants, but it also regularly brings together diverse interests related to the waterway, including farmers, fishermen and conservationists. A big problem was the drainage of chicken waste into the water.

“I go around meeting people,” said Sarah Campbell, president of the foundation her father founded. “That kind of effort to hear all sides really matters.

“I say it’s not just about conservation,” she added. “It’s about the benefits of a healthy environment for people.”

As the only American on the expedition to Henderson Island, Mr. Howell had to do something similar. “You have to bring very different groups together,” he said.

Economy & Economy

Updated

Dec. Dec. 23, 2020 at 8:59 p.m. ET

Other members of the expedition team focused on research to understand where the plastic came from and how some of it can be recycled. And some focused on figuring out how plastic overwhelmed an untouched island.

Some smaller environmental organizations are also trying to educate people outside of environmental circles. Ms. Campbell admits that her group’s efforts did not necessarily improve the Chesapeake Bay areas, but she shows that it could have been much worse without an educational effort.

“There are a lot of stressors in the bay,” she said. “But it would be worse if we hadn’t been there. It’s not an empty area in Chesapeake Bay. It’s a vibrant region with lots of people. “

And foundations that are very knowledgeable about and caring about a particular topic can raise it with local and state government officials. The Virginia Environmental Endowment grew out of a legal settlement over a pollutant that was illegally dumped into the James River in the 1970s. This pollutant stopped fishing on the river for over a decade.

Joseph H. Maroon, the foundation’s executive director, said she used her grants to highlight what other nonprofit groups were doing. It also uses its resources to campaign for environmental issues in the state, especially for the waterways.

“We weren’t afraid to deal with public policy issues,” said Maroon.

Foundations can also push for change at large publicly traded companies by investing assets and then filing applications to become a company shareholder.

“Small foundations are often the featured shareholders on shareholder advocacy proposals,” said Sada Geuss, investment manager at Trillium Asset Management, which has a shareholder advocacy department that works with clients to prepare these motions.

Ms. Geuss said typical areas are filings aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and updating the types of chemicals a company uses. The Trillium Foundation’s customers were named a few years ago in response to requests to urge Home Depot to sell more sustainable wood and stop using plants associated with the decline of bee colonies on crops, she said .

“For some of these smaller organizations you can talk to your donors about this commitment,” said Ms. Geuss. “You can hang your hat on it. We saw them talk about how they can make their impact on fundraisers. “

If the shareholder promotions are successful, they can have a significant impact – think how much wood and how many plants Home Depot is selling. The money that is used in such campaigns could otherwise have been in a foundation.

Even foundations that do not want to be part of a shareholder motion can take steps to ensure that their investments are in line with their values. These steps can be as direct as investing in clean energy companies, or more indirect, like investing in companies that make products that help other companies become more efficient.

Foundations can be selective in the types of fixed income investments they buy, paying special attention to what the proceeds from the sale of those bonds are used for.

“Our fossil fuel analyst always reminds us that the transition will be financed through debt,” said Ms. Geuss. “We can focus more and more on green bonds and sustainable bonds to increase impact.”

Beth Renner, director of philanthropic services at Wells Fargo Private Bank, said her group reached out to clients to discuss these options before clients asked about them. One thing a foundation of any size can do is make the most of “5 and 95,” Ms. Renner said. Foundations must grant at least 5 percent of their assets each year, but they can just as strategically think about the 95 percent of their invested assets.

“How do the assets that are in investment help fuel the mission and focus?” She said. “It’s more popular in philanthropy right now.”

The Edwards Mother Earth Foundation in Seattle has followed this strategy for years. With a net worth of $ 35 million, grants totaling approximately $ 2 million annually. However, the foundation, which is focused on slowing climate change, has a portfolio of public and private investments in areas such as clean technology and sustainable agriculture.

“There are 150 family members who are committed to impact investing,” said Bruce Reed, the foundation’s operations director. “We’ve placed bets on some early-stage clean tech companies that we won’t know for a decade or 15 years if they’ll work.”

Mr Howell said he could work inside Coca-Cola to push for the use of a trash trap that collects plastic waste before it gets into the ocean. One was installed in a river in Atlanta last fall.

“I went to my boss at Coca-Cola and they let me run with it,” he said. The lesson was: “Don’t be afraid to start something new.”