Big tech companies like Google and Microsoft, as well as telecommunications giants like Comcast and Verizon are among the nearly 1,000 people and groups who donated at least $ 200 to the committee organizing President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s reduction inauguration ceremony this month .
The list of donors published by the committee on Saturday night was largely filled with individual donors, including key donors to Democrats like Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons; Richard C. Blum, the husband of Senator Dianne Feinstein of California; and Donald Sussman, a hedge fund mogul.
The opening committee did not list any of the amounts reported by these 959 donors as of December 31, the end of the period covered in the voluntary disclosure.
Actual donation amounts may not be known until 90 days after inauguration if the committee is required by law to disclose the names and amounts of all donations over $ 200. There are no legal restrictions on how much a donor can give to a charter committee, but Mr. Biden’s committee has voluntarily capped contributions from individuals to $ 500,000 and corporations to $ 1 million.
Many of the large companies that traditionally make large contributions to inauguration events are missing. Some have stated that they will not donate as the event will be largely virtual due to the pandemic. Others have said that they are focusing their donations on helping people affected by an economic downturn caused by coronavirus.
The technology and telecommunications industries, a major source of funding for Mr Biden’s campaign, and the groups that support them are well represented on the list. Donations also come from Qualcomm, a California-based semiconductor and software company, and Charter Communications. a cable company.
Google was included on the list for providing free online security protection to the inaugural committee, said José Castañeda, a Google spokesman.
Other corporate donations came from the Enterprise Holdings Political Action Committee, affiliated with the company that owns the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands.
Also on the list are health care companies including Anthem Inc., health insurance giant MedPoint Management, which provides medical group management services, and Masimo Corporation, manufacturer of electronic patient monitors.
The transition of the president
Updated
Jan. 8, 2021, 10:32 p.m. ET
Boeing Company, the aerospace and military contract giant, is also listed as a donor.
The Biden team banned donations from the oil, gas, and coal industries, as well as registered lobbyists.
Unions such as the American Federation of Teachers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union contributed.
There were also a ton of celebrities on the list – as was the case with Mr. Biden’s presidential campaign – including Barbra Streisand.
An inauguration spokesman declined to comment when asked Saturday how much Mr Biden’s committee raised overall.
The fundraiser looks set to pale compared to the record of $ 107 million Mr. Trump raised for his inauguration four years ago. Donations of up to $ 5 million from great supporters including Sheldon G. Adelson, a casino manager and major Republican donor.
Mr. Biden has urged his supporters not to travel to Washington for the January 20 inauguration as there will be few major personal events outside of the swearing in ceremony.
Details of the inauguration schedule have not yet been released, and the planning of the event was also affected by the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday by Trump supporters in an outbreak of violence that raised safety concerns related to the swearing-in ceremony.
Organizers said the opening ceremonies will include a “virtual concert” with some notable performers, a ceremony to commemorate those killed by the coronavirus, and a virtual event similar to the Democratic National Committee’s extensive appeal last year, which includes short videos from all 57 states and areas.
However, the initiating committee has still tried to raise large donations by offering a number of unusual perks. Companies contributing $ 1 million and individuals contributing $ 500,000 will receive an invitation to a virtual event with Mr. Biden and Jill Biden, the future first lady, along with a photo, and a similar event with the chosen one Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.
Fundraisers continue, and the committee sends out a solicitation to donors on Saturday night shortly after it publishes the tentative list of donors.
“Our team is creating a new style of initiation that blends traditional elements with creative programming and local events across the country. That is why we are committed to it today, ”says the donation email that was sent to recipients in various parts of the country.
According to the email, the committee “wants to ensure that we have a strong presence across the country as part of our grassroots donor initiation program.”
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