Toyota leads the way in donations to GOP sedition caucus: report

Remember all that talk in January about corporations cutting off campaign donations to members of Congress who voted to overturn the 2020 election?

Apparently, it didn't last so long, at least for many of them. As Axios reported today, "nearly three-dozen corporate PACs have donated at least $5,000 to Republicans who objected to certifying the 2020 election."

Axios cited data from the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) showing that Toyota led the donors by a substantial margin, having given $55,000 to 37 GOP objectors this year.

"Toyota gave more than twice as much — and to nearly five times as many members of Congress — as the No. 2 company on the list, Cubic Corp., a San Diego-based defense contractor," Axios reported. "The Japanese automaker's donations this year included a February contribution to Rep. Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican who has been one of Congress' most vocal election conspiracy theorists. Biggs also helped organize the "Stop the Steal" rally prior to the Capitol attack.

Here's how the website reported Toyota's response to the story:

"We do not believe it is appropriate to judge members of Congress solely based on their votes on the electoral certification," a Toyota spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Axios. "Based on our thorough review, we decided against giving to some members who, through their statements and actions, undermine the legitimacy of our elections and institutions." The spokesperson did not respond to a follow-up about the specific threshold for statements that cross that line."

Toyota was at the top of the list, but not alone in supporting

According to CREW data shared with Axios, 34 companies have donated at least $5,000 to the campaigns and leadership PACs of one or more election objectors this year. Other notable names on the list include Koch Industries, telecom giant AT&T, health insurer Cigna and tobacco company Reynolds American.