Capitol riots: AT&T, Mastercard are reportedly still donating to GOP group involved in insurrection

The insurrection at the Capitol that occurred last January 6 led to many big-name corporations speaking out and condemning those who were involved, even ceasing to give political donations. However, a new report reveals which major corporations are continuing their donations to the Republican group that took part in the creation of the Capitol riots.

A report published on Popular Info this week, written by Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria, and Rebecca Crosby revealed parts of the robocall sent out on January 5 by the Republican Attorneys General Association urging fellow Republicans to come to Washington DC for disgraced former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally. The rally would ultimately take place hours before a mob of Trump supporters would storm the Capitol and leave five people dead.

The report cites that the robocalls are proof of RAGA’s involvement in creating the mob that would break into the Capitol to try and stop the certification of Trump’s loss and Joe Biden’s victory. They further note that corporations that still donate to RAGA are just as complicit in the insurrection as the rioters and the groups involved themselves.

The outlet went on to approach some of the corporations involved such as Yelp, Smile Direct Club, AT&T, and Mastercard expressing concerns over their past donations to RAGA especially in light of the Capitol riots. The corporations expressed concern over the aftermath of the insurrections, IRS filings revealed that they continued to make donations anyway.

Yelp made a donation of $15,000 to RAGA as of the organization’s latest filing. Last June 17, Smile Direct Club was revealed to have donated $25,000 to RAGA while Mastercard donated $25,000 to the Republican group back in March. Mastercard told the outlet in January following the riots that they are ceasing any political donations especially to those who voted to overturn the election in Congress.

Meanwhile, dozens of rioters are awaiting trial after getting arrested and detained for their involvement. One rioter, in particular, named Karl Dresch, received a dressing down from the federal judge tackling his case during a plea hearing.

Dresch, who is from Michigan, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of “willfully and knowingly parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building” as part of an agreement with prosecutors to allow him to avoid more jail time. However, this was not settled on without some criticism from DC District Judge Amy Berman Jackson.

“We’re not here today because he supported the former president,” said Jackson. “Millions of people voted for him and did not heed his call to descend on the nation’s Capitol. He was arrested because he was an enthusiastic participant in an effort to subvert and undo the electoral process,”

“Your vote doesn’t count any more than anyone else’s,” added Jackson. “You don’t get to cancel them out. Patriotism means loyalty to the country...not a single head of state.”