Toyota halts donations to Republicans who opposed election certification

Toyota said it would stop donating to Republican lawmakers who opposed certifying the 2020 presidential election results, after a political action committee called out the automaker's financial support for "seditious politicians."

The decision to support those members of Congress has "troubled some stakeholders," Toyota said in a press release Thursday. "At this time, we have decided to stop contributing to those Members of Congress who contested the certification of certain states in the 2020 election. "

Toyota made the move after the Lincoln Project, a Republican-led PAC that was formed in opposition to Donald Trump, released a video ad attacking the Japanese automaker for donating to lawmakers who voted on January 6 not certify President Joe Biden's election win.

In the video, a narrator says "America's free market, democratic system has been good for companies like Toyota for a long time. So why would Toyota support politicians who tried to overthrow very system that's been so profitable for them?"

Toyota says its bipartisan PAC supports Democrats and Republicans running for Congress, and that in 2021, "the vast majority" of its contributions went to lawmakers in both parties who "supported the certification of the 2020 election."

Soon after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, dozens of corporations, including American Express, BlueCross BlueShield, Amazon, Walmart and Marriott, suspended donations to the 147 Republicans who objected to the Electoral College's votes.

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