Tag: Janus v. AFSCME

Following the 2016 presidential election, unions witnessed a barrage of attacks on the labor sector. Most notably, the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Janus v. AFSCME gave public workers the choice to opt out of unions and not pay membership dues. Many labor organizers predicted the adoption of such “right-to-work” laws would be a death call for unions, which have already seen their share of workers decline over the last 35 years. The AFSCME and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) did lose a vast majority of agency fee payers, or employees who opted out of union membership and still paid union fees before the SCOTUS ruling, according to analysis by Bloomberg Law. Overall, union membership stayed steady and financial consequences have yet to be seen. Despite recent blows, unions have dug in and continue to wield financial influence. On the political front, contributions from labor groups continue to play a significant role in elections. Contributions to federal candidates, parties and committees from the labor sector hit a record high in 2016 to the tune of $218 million. Since 1990, the total amount of contributions from labor increased by more than 300 percent.

Here are 10 companies that are influencing politics by donating huge amounts of money to political groups in 2018. Campaign contributions directly to political candidates are limited for individuals and companies alike. But since 2010, companies can pour millions of unregulated and uncapped "soft money" into independent Super Political Action Committees (PACs) to influence the outcomes of federal elections without contributing to an individual candidate. Open Secrets has compiled a list of the largest organizational political contributors to Democratic and Republican or liberal and conservative outside groups. According to Bloomberg, Sheldon Adelson has contributed over $200 million to conservative candidates and causes in recent years. Uline has donated $31.7 million so far in 2018, more than it spent for the 2016 cycle, according to Open Secrets. According to Open Secrets, Fahr LLC has donated $29.4 million to the current election cycle so far, and that may be just the beginning, since the corporation's 2016 contributions topped $90 million. In 2016, the hedge fund donated $59 million, giving slightly more to Democrats than Republicans. Through nonprofit Americans for Prosperity (which also donates millions to further Republican causes), the Koch brothers have organized to defeat transit projects in several cities, according to the New York Times. The company's donors gave more to Democrats in 2016, but favor Republicans so far this year.

Here are 10 companies that are influencing politics by donating huge amounts of money to political groups in 2018. Campaign contributions directly to political candidates are limited for individuals and companies alike. But since 2010, companies can pour millions of unregulated and uncapped "soft money" into independent Super Political Action Committees (PACs) to influence the outcomes of federal elections without contributing to an individual candidate. Open Secrets has compiled a list of the largest organizational political contributors to Democratic and Republican or liberal and conservative outside groups. According to Bloomberg, Sheldon Adelson has contributed over $200 million to conservative candidates and causes in recent years. Uline has donated $31.7 million so far in 2018, more than it spent for the 2016 cycle, according to Open Secrets. According to Open Secrets, Fahr LLC has donated $29.4 million to the current election cycle so far, and that may be just the beginning, since the corporation's 2016 contributions topped $90 million. In 2016, the hedge fund donated $59 million, giving slightly more to Democrats than Republicans. Through nonprofit Americans for Prosperity (which also donates millions to further Republican causes), the Koch brothers have organized to defeat transit projects in several cities, according to the New York Times. The company's donors gave more to Democrats in 2016, but favor Republicans so far this year.