As of late August 2024, 4 U.S. federal businesses — the Division of Protection, the Division of Well being and Human Companies, the Division of State and the Division of Veterans Affairs — had donated six-figure sums to Kamala Harris’ presidential marketing campaign.
The donations didn’t come from the businesses themselves, however from people who work for them.
Because the 2024 U.S. presidential marketing campaign gathered momentum in late August, a declare that 4 U.S. federal businesses had donated to Vice President Kamala Harris’ marketing campaign unfold on-line.
One X user claimed the Division of Protection (DOD), the Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS), the Division of State (DOS) and the Division of Veterans Affairs (VA) had all contributed six-figure sums to the Democratic candidate’s trigger by late August (archived).
The X person additionally shared a TikTok video of a lady making the identical declare (archived).
Collectively, the X put up and TikTok video had amassed greater than 2.6 hundreds of thousands views as of this writing.
“Why are our tax {dollars} funding campaigns,” one TikTok person commented. “Is not that towards the legislation?” one other requested.
https://www.tiktok.com/@unapologeticallysouthern/video/7407430882597850398
Requested if she might present a supply for her claims, the TikTok person who posted the in-question video then printed another recording the place she claimed to cite Open Secrets, a nonprofit and nonpartisan group devoted to monitoring cash in politics (archived):
Nonetheless, an e mail change with Open Secrets and techniques and additional proof revealed the claims had been false.
Listed Companies Did not Donate to Harris Marketing campaign
§ 734.503 Allocation and reimbursement of costs associated with political activities.
The prices related to the political actions described in § 733.502(c) of this chapter will not be paid for by cash derived from the Treasury of the US. Prices related to a political exercise are deemed to not be paid for by cash derived from the Treasury of the US if the Treasury is reimbursed for the prices inside an inexpensive time frame.
The Hatch Act additionally prohibits federal employees from collaborating in sure political actions to make sure a nonpartisan administration of the packages they perform.
Open Secrets and techniques tracks donations and outlines the organizations they arrive from. On pages that element donations that come from federal businesses, it included the disclaimer:
NOTE: Organizations themselves can’t contribute to candidates and occasion committees. Figures on this web page embody contributions and spending by associates.
By “associates,” Open Secrets and techniques described organizations that rely upon a given federal company. For instance, affiliates of the DOD embody the Air Nationwide Guard or the Protection Well being Company, amongst others.
A request for clarification from Open Secrets and techniques confirmed that the donations listed underneath every federal company got here from its staff.
“It is secure to imagine that 100% of the cash described right here is coming from staff of those numerous authorities businesses,” Open Secrets and techniques particular person contributions researcher Alex Baumgart wrote in an e mail. “There actually is not another approach for cash affiliated with a authorities company to make its method to a politician.” Subsequently, donations from people are authorized.
In reality, donations from federal staff can go to both occasion and both presidential candidate. For instance, as of this writing within the 2024 election cycle, DOD staff had collectively donated $242,906 to former U.S. President Donald Trump and $206,429 to Harris. Nonetheless, as an entire, Democratic federal candidates had acquired 56.87% of the donations, whereas Republican federal candidates had acquired 43.13% of the donations from DOD staff.
In the meantime, a big majority of HHS staff had donated to the Democratic occasion (94.3%) — giving $194,717 to Harris and $28,307 to Trump.
The image at the DOS was extra complicated. Whereas staff had made a big donation to the Republican Nationwide Committee ($708,510) — the biggest they made by far — that they had given extra to Harris ($191,972) than Trump ($18,475).
Lastly, VA employees had donated practically twice as a lot to Harris ($203,508) than to Trump ($117,718).
Open Secrets and techniques can maintain monitor of donations as a result of the legislation states events and campaigns must keep receipts and records of all contributions.
