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Microsoft Cuts Cash to Congress Members Who Voted Against Electoral College Results
The tech giant also revealed that it will change the name of its committee after employees spoke out against several of the company’s political contributions.
Microsoft has announced that its political action committee won’t financially contribute to upcoming campaigns for members of U.S. Congress who voted against confirming the Electoral College results of the presidential election.
The tech giant also revealed that it will change the name of its committee after employees spoke out against several of the company’s political contributions. The Microsoft Political Action Committee will now become the Microsoft Corporation Stakeholders Voluntary PAC, or MSVPAC.
Microsoft suspends donations for politicians who attempted to overturn the 2020 election
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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsoft has announced that it will suspend all donations for the upcoming 2022 election cycle for any members of Congress, state officials, and organizations that voted to object to the certification of electors in the 2020 election or supported attempting to overturn the election.
The company temporarily suspended all political contributions after the January 6th attack on the Capitol, with Microsoft taking the time to decide “whether to suspend further donations to individuals who voted against certification of the Electoral College.” Today’s announcement makes that decision a permanent one for the coming election cycle, but only for politicians who attempted to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. (Other politicians will still be eligible for Microsoft’s donations.)
Microsoft President Brad Smith discussed Microsoft s donations to politicians through its MSPAC.
Smith says you have to write a check and then you re invited and participate when speaking about political donations.
Microsoft recently paused donations through the MSPAC in response to criticism from its employees.
Updated Jan. 25, 7:00 a.m. ET: Microsoft released the transcript of President Brad Smith s comments and clarified that it will announce a decision regarding further donations on February 15, 2021.
Microsoft President Brad Smith defended Microsoft s donations to political campaigns through its Microsoft Political Action Committee (MSPAC) in a meeting with employees on Thursday, January 21, 2021. These statements come from a meeting that has been transcribed by Pinboard and reviewed by CNBC. Smith states that donating to politicians is the way the political process works and that working with politicians benefits Microsoft in several areas.