Malcolm Rivera
Menards is a Wisconsin-based hardware chain owned by billionaire John Menard Jr. In 2015, it was reported that Menard had donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative group that spent heavily to support Republican Gov. Scott Walker's recall election campaign in 2011 and 2012. This donation sparked debate among political observers, with some alleging corruption due to the subsequent tax breaks received by Menards from the state. In 2016, following a violation of federal labor laws, the company also delayed expansion plans until a more favourable presidential administration was in place, with 97% of its political donations that year going to Republicans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Donated to politicians or political campaigns? | Yes, Menards has donated to political campaigns. |
| Donated to political parties? | Yes, 97% of the company's political donations in 2016 went to the Republicans. |
| Donated to specific politicians? | Yes, Menards has donated to Scott Walker, Donald Trump, and Barack Obama. |
| Donation amounts | Menards donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, $12,000 to Scott Walker's campaigns, and $10 million to Menard's racing team. |
| Other notes | John Menard, the owner of Menards, is a billionaire and was a friend of Donald Trump. |
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What You'll Learn
- John Menard Jr. donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth
- John Menard Jr. donated $12,000 directly to Scott Walker's campaigns
- Menards and Donald Trump were once good friends
- % of Menards' political donations in 2016 went to Republicans
- Melania Trump filed a $50 million claim for damages against John Menard
John Menard Jr. donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth
John Menard Jr. is the owner of the Wisconsin-based hardware chain Menards and is the richest person in Wisconsin, with a net worth of $8.6 billion as of 2013. In 2016, it was reported by Yahoo News that Menard donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative "dark money" group, in the lead-up to Governor Scott Walker's recall election. This was not the first instance of Menard's political donations, as 97% of the company's political donations in 2016 went to Republicans.
Menard's donation to the Wisconsin Club for Growth was part of a larger effort to support GOP Governor Scott Walker and Republican state senators in their 2011 and 2012 recall elections. The club was one of the organizations investigated by prosecutors in the "John Doe 2" case, which involved Walker's campaign and other conservative groups. Court documents suggested that Walker encouraged donations to the club because it could accept unlimited funds.
In addition to his political donations, Menard has also been involved in other controversies, including a falling out with his longtime friend and business partner, Steve Hilbert, and accusations of sexual harassment. Despite these controversies, Menard has maintained a presence in political circles and was named to President Donald Trump's economic advisory group in 2020.
While Menard has made donations to political causes, it is important to note that Menards Inc. has not reported any federal lobbying during the 2024 election cycle. The company itself did not donate, and the funds came from individual members or employees.
John Menard Jr.'s donation of $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth illustrates the significant influence that wealthy individuals can have on political campaigns and the efforts they may take to support their preferred candidates.
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John Menard Jr. donated $12,000 directly to Scott Walker's campaigns
John Menard Jr. is the owner of the Wisconsin-based hardware chain Menards. In 2015, it was revealed that he had secretly donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative "dark money" group. This donation was made to support GOP Gov. Scott Walker and Republican state senators in their 2011 and 2012 recall elections. In addition to this, John Menard Jr. also donated $12,000 directly to Scott Walker's campaigns.
These donations appear to have benefited Menard and his company. Following the donations, Walker, as chair of a state economic development corporation, awarded Menard's company up to $1.8 million in special tax credits. Additionally, the state Department of Natural Resources eased pressure on Menard's company, despite previous clashes over citations for violating state environmental laws and illegal dumping of hazardous wastes.
The relationship between Menard and Walker is illustrative of the influence that "dark money" can have on politics. "Dark money" refers to political spending by nonprofit organizations that are not required to disclose their donors. In this case, Menard's secret contribution to the Wisconsin Club for Growth allowed him to support Walker's campaign without revealing his identity, potentially influencing policy decisions and benefiting his company.
While the exact motivations behind Menard's donations are unknown, it is clear that they have had a significant impact on Wisconsin politics and governance. The tax breaks and relaxed environmental regulations that followed suggest that Menard's contributions may have played a role in shaping the state's economic and environmental policies. This case highlights the complex and often hidden dynamics of campaign financing and its potential consequences for public policy.
In addition to his donations to Scott Walker's campaigns, John Menard Jr. has also been involved in other political contributions. In 2016, following a falling out with then-president Barack Obama, Menard directed 97% of the company's political donations to the Republican Party. This shift in political allegiance influenced the company's expansion plans, as they delayed building a new store until a more favourable administration was in place.
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Menards and Donald Trump were once good friends
John Menard, the owner of the Wisconsin-based hardware chain Menards, and former US President Donald Trump were once good friends. Menard got to know Trump through the businessman Steve Hilbert, who was a longtime friend of Menard. The trio and their partners socialised together at Hilbert's lavish homes in St. Martin and Florida, and Trump's estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
In 1998, Menard and Hilbert became business partners, creating MH Equity Private Equity. Hilbert had previously partnered with Trump on the purchase of Manhattan's General Motors Building, and through this connection, Menard got to know Trump. The three couples also donated together to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative dark money group.
However, in 2013, the partnership between Menard and Hilbert fell apart, and Menard was accused by Hilbert's wife, Tomisue, of sexual harassment. This led to a legal battle that involved Trump's wife, Melania, who had worked with MH Equity to market a line of luxury skincare products. After gaining full control of the equity fund, Menard cancelled the contract with Melania's company, leading her to file a $50 million claim for damages. Trump then took to Twitter to criticise Menard, but after a federal judge ruled in Melania's favour, the dispute disappeared from the media, and an agreement was presumably reached.
In 2020, it was reported that Menard and Trump were once again working together, as Menard was set to help the president plan an economic rebound. Trump also included Menard in his list of "esteemed executives, economists, scholars, and industry leaders" who would form the "Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups". It appears that the feud between the two was long gone, and they had rekindled their once-good friendship.
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97% of Menards' political donations in 2016 went to Republicans
In 2016, Menards, the Wisconsin-based hardware chain, was found in violation of federal labour laws. Two weeks later, the company announced it would delay building a new store in New Philadelphia, Ohio, until President Barack Obama was replaced by a more favourable administration. Indeed, 97% of Menards' political donations in 2016 went to Republicans, according to Open Secrets.
John Menard, the mega-billionaire owner of Menards, was once good friends with Donald Trump. The two were introduced by the "fabulously wealthy" Indianapolis businessman Steve Hilbert, who had partnered with Trump on the purchase of the General Motors Building in Manhattan in 1998. Menard and Hilbert were also business partners, having co-founded MH Equity Private Equity in 2005. However, in 2013, the two had a falling out, and Menard was accused by Hilbert's wife, Tomisue, of sexual harassment. This led to a legal dispute that also involved Melania Trump, who filed a $50 million claim for damages against Menard.
Despite this, Menard and Trump eventually rekindled their relationship. In 2015, it was reported that Menard gave $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, a conservative dark money group, to boost Governor Scott Walker's 2012 recall campaign. Trump also donated to Walker's campaign, though only $10,000. The Club for Growth spent millions of dollars to help Walker and other Republican state senators win their recall elections in 2011 and 2012. The donation by Menard has been criticised as a "grotesque example of the corrupting influence of money in politics". However, others have argued that it is not surprising for a business to donate to a Republican-favouring group, and that Menard's company is a major employer in the state.
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Melania Trump filed a $50 million claim for damages against John Menard
Melania Trump argued that she suffered financial damages due to the cancellation of the contract. She claimed that she had marketed a skin care product line that never went on sale and that New Sunshine failed to make $750,000 in negotiated payments to her. A federal judge in Indianapolis ruled that Melania Trump "had a valid contract to develop, market and sell skin-care products" and allowed her to proceed with an arbitration hearing in New York, where she sought up to $50 million in financial damages.
The dispute between Melania Trump and John Menard was not an isolated incident. It stemmed from a falling out between Menard and Steve Hilbert, a longtime friend and business partner of Menard's. Hilbert and his wife, Tomisue, had also developed a friendship with Donald and Melania Trump. However, in 2013, the partnership between Menard and Hilbert fell apart, and Menard accused Tomisue Hilbert of sexual harassment. This led to a series of lawsuits and counter-suits between the two men, with the Trumps taking Hilbert's side.
As a result of the legal battle, Menard cancelled the contract with New Sunshine, which was created by MH Equity Private Equity, a company that was now solely controlled by Menard. This directly impacted Melania Trump's business endeavours and caused her to take legal action against Menard. While Melania Trump was successful in the initial stages of the dispute, the ultimate outcome of the $50 million claim for damages is not publicly known. The media coverage of the dispute ended, and whatever agreement was reached between the lawyers for Menard and the Trumps has never been reported.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Menards has donated to political campaigns. In 2016, 97% of the company's political donations went to Republicans. Menards' owner, John Menard Jr., also donated $1.5 million to the Wisconsin Club for Growth to boost Governor Scott Walker's 2012 recall campaign.
While there is no clear indication that Menards donated directly to Donald Trump's campaign, the company did delay building a new store in New Philadelphia, Ohio, until President Barack Obama was replaced by Trump, who they deemed a more favourable president. John Menard Jr., the owner of Menards, was also a friend of Donald Trump and donated to the Wisconsin Club for Growth alongside him.
While Menards has donated mostly to Republicans, the company has also received tax credits from Democratic governments. Under former Democratic Governor Jim Doyle, Menards was authorised to receive up to $1.5 million in tax credits over three years.
Yes, Menards has been accused of corruption by critics due to its donations to political campaigns. In particular, the $1.5 million donation by John Menard Jr. to the Wisconsin Club for Growth in support of Governor Scott Walker's recall campaign has been called "a grotesque example of the corrupting influence of money in politics" by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign executive director, Matt Rothschild.
