Omar Bennett
Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company headed by Warren Buffett, has been scrutinized for its political donations, particularly during the 2022 election cycle. While the company itself does not have a Political Action Committee (PAC), its subsidiaries have made notable contributions to various campaigns. In 2012, Berkshire Hathaway and its subsidiaries, notably BNSF Railway, donated over $500,000 to political campaigns and committees, with Buffett personally contributing $30,000 to the Obama Victory Fund 2012 and the Democratic National Committee. More recently, the company has been noted for its donations to federal and state lawmakers with specific political stances, such as opposition to voting rights legislation and support for election audits. The lack of transparency in disclosing donations has led to increased investor scrutiny and potential risks to the company's reputation and bottom line.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Donated to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation | During the 2022 election cycle |
| Donated to federal lawmakers who opposed creating a Congressional January 6th investigation | N/A |
| Donated to state officials who voted for anti-voter legislation | During the 2022 election cycle |
| Donated to state officials who supported 2020 election audits | N/A |
| Key company staff made large donations to anti-democracy federal legislators | During the 2022 election cycle |
| Donated to the Obama Victory Fund 2012 and the Democratic National Committee | N/A |
| Total donations in the first quarter of 2012 | $500,000 |
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What You'll Learn
- Berkshire Hathaway donated to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation in the 2022 election cycle
- The company donated to state officials who supported 2020 election audits
- Berkshire Hathaway does not have a PAC, but its subsidiaries donated over $500,000 to political campaigns in 2012
- The company's CEO, Warren Buffett, is a longtime Democratic supporter
- Berkshire Hathaway has not reported any outside spending in the 2024 election cycle
Berkshire Hathaway donated to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation in the 2022 election cycle
Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company headed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, has been found to donate to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation during the 2022 election cycle. While the company itself does not have a Political Action Committee (PAC), a review of its subsidiaries reveals a history of political donations.
In 2012, Berkshire Hathaway and its subsidiaries contributed more than $500,000 to political campaigns and committees. During this period, Buffett, a longtime Democratic supporter, personally donated $30,000 to the Obama Victory Fund 2012 and the Democratic National Committee. However, the majority of the 2012 donations came from BNSF Railway, a company acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2010.
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, Buffett remained largely silent about whom he was supporting. While he initially backed billionaire Mike Bloomberg, he later contributed to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Arizona Senate candidate Mark Kelly's campaign.
During the 2022 election cycle, Berkshire Hathaway donated to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation. The company also contributed to state officials who supported 2020 election audits and voted for anti-voter legislation. Additionally, key company staff made substantial donations to anti-democracy federal legislators during this period. These actions have brought increased scrutiny to the company's political spending, with investors expressing a heightened interest in the recipients of such donations.
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The company donated to state officials who supported 2020 election audits
Berkshire Hathaway has donated to state officials who supported 2020 election audits. During the 2022 election cycle, the company contributed at least $100,000 to elected officials who continued to question the validity of the 2020 election results through election audits. These recipients include Republican lawmakers in closely contested battleground states who voted for an outside, partisan review of the 2020 election, often referred to as an "audit."
The company's political spending has been a subject of interest, with organizations like OpenSecrets and American Democracy Scorecard providing tools to track its contributions. These organizations aim to strengthen democracy by shedding light on the flow of money in American politics.
Berkshire Hathaway's donations to supporters of 2020 election audits align with other contributions that raise concerns about the company's commitment to democratic values. For instance, the company has also donated to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation and the creation of a Congressional January 6th investigation.
While the specific recipients of the donations are not named, the available information suggests that Berkshire Hathaway's political contributions have favored individuals who promote election misinformation and seek to restrict voting rights. These actions have potential implications for the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power.
It is worth noting that organizations themselves cannot contribute directly to candidates and party committees. The reported figures represent contributions and spending by affiliates of Berkshire Hathaway.
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Berkshire Hathaway does not have a PAC, but its subsidiaries donated over $500,000 to political campaigns in 2012
While Berkshire Hathaway does not have a Political Action Committee (PAC), its subsidiaries donated over $500,000 to political campaigns in 2012. This included donations to federal and state politicians and political committees.
Political Action Committees, or PACs, are organizations that pool contributions from members and donate those funds to political campaigns. While organizations themselves cannot contribute to candidates and party committees, PACs allow individuals and companies to support political campaigns indirectly. This is an important distinction, as it allows companies like Berkshire Hathaway to exert influence over political campaigns without directly contributing funds.
In the case of Berkshire Hathaway, its subsidiaries made significant donations during the first quarter of 2012. Notably, more than three-fourths of the total was donated by BNSF Railway, which had a history of contributing to campaigns before being acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2010. This indicates that the company's acquisitions may have played a role in its overall political donation activity.
The public disclosure of these donations sparked discussions around the impact of corporate spending on the democratic process. It also raised questions about the transparency of companies' political donations and their potential influence on investors' decisions. As a result, there is increased scrutiny on companies' political contributions, with investors seeking to understand how their money is being used to influence policy and public opinion.
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The company's CEO, Warren Buffett, is a longtime Democratic supporter
Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is a well-known long-time supporter of the Democratic Party. In 2012, Buffett and his companies contributed over $500,000 to political campaigns and committees, with $30,000 going to the Obama Victory Fund 2012 and the Democratic National Committee. This is a relatively small sum compared to Buffett's estimated net worth of $44 billion.
Buffett's support for the Democratic Party is not just financial; he has also publicly advocated for the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power. In a statement to CNN, Berkshire Hathaway emphasised that its Political Action Committees (PACs) carefully evaluate where to make contributions:
> "Employees who serve on Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s political action committees weigh several factors when determining where to make contributions, and any future donations will be carefully evaluated in light of current events."
However, Berkshire Hathaway has faced scrutiny for its lack of transparency around political donations. The company does not have its own PAC, but a review of its 154 U.S.-based subsidiaries revealed notable donations during the first quarter of 2012. The majority of these donations came from BNSF Railway, which was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2010.
In 2022, Berkshire Hathaway was criticised for donating to federal and state lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation and supported anti-voter legislation during the election cycle. The company also donated to lawmakers who opposed creating a Congressional investigation into the January 6th Capitol riots. These actions have raised concerns among investors and the public about the company's commitment to democracy and the potential impact on its reputation and bottom line.
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Berkshire Hathaway has not reported any outside spending in the 2024 election cycle
As of February 2025, Berkshire Hathaway has not reported any outside spending in the 2024 election cycle. However, the company has a history of political donations, with its CEO, Warren Buffett, being a longtime Democratic supporter.
In 2012, Buffett and his companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, contributed over $500,000 to political campaigns and committees. Buffett personally donated $30,000 to two organisations: the Obama Victory Fund 2012 and the Democratic National Committee. The majority of the remaining donations came from BNSF Railway, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, which had a history of contributing to campaigns prior to its acquisition by Berkshire in 2010.
During the 2020 election cycle, Berkshire Hathaway did not donate to federal lawmakers who objected to certifying the election results. However, the company has been criticised for its political spending, with key staff members accused of making large donations to anti-democracy federal legislators during the 2022 election cycle. Additionally, the company has donated to state officials who supported 2020 election audits and those who voted for anti-voter legislation during the same cycle.
In response to inquiries about its political spending, Berkshire Hathaway has stated that its political action committees (PACs) "weigh several factors when determining where to make contributions, and any future donations will be carefully evaluated in light of current events." Despite this assertion, the company has faced criticism for a lack of transparency in its political donations, with investors expressing concern about the potential impact on their stock decisions.
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Frequently asked questions
It is hard to determine the exact amount donated by Berkshire Hathaway to political campaigns as organizations themselves cannot contribute to candidates and party committees. However, in 2012, Warren Buffett and his companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, contributed more than $500,000 to political campaigns and committees.
Yes, during the 2022 election cycle, Berkshire Hathaway donated to federal lawmakers who opposed voting rights legislation.
No, Berkshire Hathaway did not donate to federal lawmakers who objected to certifying the 2020 presidential election.
Yes, Berkshire Hathaway donated to state officials who supported the 2020 election audits.
OpenSecrets is a research group that tracks money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.
