The hidden flow of corporate cash to Steve King's campaign

Under intense criticism for his embrace of white nationalism, Congressman Steve King (R-IA) is strapped for cash. His last campaign finance report showed he had just $176,311 on hand, a figure dwarfed by his Democratic opponent, J.D. Scholten. While Scholten, who has raised over $1.6 million in his campaign, has been airing TV ads for weeks, King has not been able to afford a single commercial.

A recent poll showed King leading Scholten by just one point in the bright red district which gave Donald Trump a 27-point margin.

But there is a hidden flow of corporate money that is helping King stay afloat.

These corporations aren't giving money to King directly — but their cash is still financing his campaign. On October 29, the Making America Prosperous PAC, the leadership PAC of Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), gave King an infusion of $5,000, the maximum allowed under the law.

The Making America Prosperous PAC receives its funding, in turn, from some of the most prominent corporations in America. Donors to the PAC in 2018 include:

Google ($10,000)

Citigroup ($10,000)

FedEx Express ($10,000)

General Electric ($10,000)

UPS ($10,000)

AT&T ($20,000)

Aetna ($10,000)

Bank of America ($10,000)

BBVA Compass ($10,000)

PricewaterhouseCoopers ($10,000)

The corporations who donated to the Making America Prosperous PAC may not have intended to support Steve King. But they entrusted their money to Brady, and that's exactly how he's spending it.

Three corporations — Intel, Land 'O Lakes and Purina — announced this week they were ending their direct financial support of King.

For other recent contributors to Steve King, check out this report from Sludge.

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