Elon Musk — Jehovah of amini - hero that never got used , supposed savior of the Flint , Michigan weewee crisis , universal over - promisor and under - deliverer — was one of the biggest donors to a political action committee with the primary goal of asseverate Republican ascendancy in the US House of Representatives .
Federal filing spot by Open Markets Institute’sMatthew Stollerandtracked by ProPublicashow that Musk was atop-50 donorto Protect The House last quarter , giving $ 38,900 to the PAC , which raised more than $ 8.6 million sum . Other top contributor to the organization let in Houston Texans owner Bob McNair and gambling casino magnate Sheldon Adelson , and Microsoft Centennial State - founder Paul Allen .
In the last twelvemonth or so , Elon has dump $ 138,900 into Republican cause . consort toFederal Election Commission data , the founder of SpaceX and Tesla has throw $ 39,600 to the National Republican Congressional Committee since 2017 . He ’s also throw a significant bone to Kevin McCarthy , a California Republican and House legal age leader . Groups backing McCarthy have received $ 60,400 from Musk in the last year . Musk and McCarthy are reportedly pal , according to Politico , and the two have beenspotted togetheron a number of occasion .

The thing is , over the same stretch of metre Musk also yield a lot of money to Democrats . He back John Kerry ’s candidacy for President of the United States in 2004 , gave to the Obama campaign in 2008 and 2012 , and donate multiple prison term to Hilary Clinton ’s presidential aspirations in 2008 and 2016 . PerOpen Secrets data point , he gave nearly the same amount to popular movement between 2003 and 2018 as he did to Republican causes — at least prior to his latest round of political donations that focus primarily on Republican candidate and efforts .
Since this one-fourth ’s generous donations to the Protect The House PAC surfaced , Musk hastaken some heatfor give money to candidates who understandably do not align with some of his own personal opinion . For model , per Motherboard , Musk call burn fogy fuels “ the dumbest experimentation in history , by far . ” Yet he ’s giving money to a political party that by and large refuse the existence of clime change . Musk ’s crony Kevin McCarthy — whobacked President Trump ’s decisionto pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement — is about as regretful as it gets on the result with just athree per centum approval rateon environmental exit from the League of Conservation Voters .
That ’s because whatever Musk ’s personal ideology is , his political one is much simpler : Elon Musk gives money to whoever may benefit Elon Musk the most .

Republicans are presently in power , and his companies bank to varying level on regime support . Tesla benefited fromfederal revenue enhancement creditsthat could reachas high as $ 25,000provided to emptor of electric cars ( though that hasnow decease ) ; SolarCity , now part of Tesla , is helped by a exchangeable cite that allows homeowner todeduct 30 percentof the monetary value of solar panels ; well-nigh half — more than $ 5 billion deserving — of SpaceX contracts come from the Union administration , per Real Clear Policy . At the risk of losing any of that business concern , it ’s easier for Musk to kiss the ring than to take a sales booth — andbusiness has been damn goodfor Musk under Trump and society .
Even on the function that Musk flex some personal morality , it ’s often motivate by what ’s dear for business . AsThe Ringer pointed out , he sat on a Trump advisory council for months , remaining on circuit board even as Trump accused President Obama ofwiretapping him , issued hisfirst failed change of location banthat direct Muslims , andfired FBI director James Comey . He only departed when Trump resolve toditch the country ’s commitmentto the Paris clime agreement — a set of standards that would profit his company that focus on substitute sources of energy .
Elon Musk ’s political contribution — like those from most billionaires in charge of monolithic bay window , eventhose in the ostensibly left - leaning Silicon Valley — are less partizan and more pragmatic , but that does n’t make those contributions and the system of politics that encourage them any less misanthropic or staring .

[ H / TMatt Stoller , ProPublica ]
Elon MuskPoliticsrepublicansSPACEX
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , science , and culture intelligence in your inbox daily .
News from the future tense , delivered to your present .
Please pick out your desired newssheet and submit your electronic mail to raise your inbox .

You May Also Like











![]()