At&T's Texas Abortion Law: Funding And Influence?

AT&T has been criticized for its contributions to conservative politicians who passed Texas' abortion bill. The company is one of the top donors to the sponsors of the bill, having donated over $300,000 since 2018. AT&T has been called out by a Democratic super PAC, which launched a campaign targeting the company for backing Texas lawmakers who sponsored the abortion law. While AT&T claims to have never taken a position on abortion, their financial support for politicians who sponsored the bill has drawn scrutiny and criticism from those who oppose the legislation.

AT&T donated $300,000 to Texas bill sponsors

AT&T has donated $300,000 to Texas bill sponsors, making them one of the top donors to the sponsors of Texas' abortion ban. AT&T is the world's largest communications company and has quietly become a powerful player in conservative politics. Since 2018, the company has donated $301,000 to the bill's sponsors, according to popular.info. This has made them the largest single donor, with their donations amounting to 53% of their total in-state donations.

AT&T's funding has contributed to the election of lawmakers who sponsored the abortion ban. This has led to a Democratic super PAC, American Bridge, launching a campaign against the company. The PAC, headed in part by a former president of Planned Parenthood, will be running ads in the digital version of The Dallas Morning News. The ad will call on voters to "Tell @ATT to get #Offthebanwagon" and to stop funding anti-abortion extremists in Texas.

AT&T has responded to the criticism by stating that they have never taken a position on abortion and that their donations to Texas legislators went to both opponents and supporters of the bill. They claim that their employee PAC contributions are not based on a legislator's positions on abortion. However, critics argue that AT&T is trying to have it both ways and that their funding has contributed to the passage of the abortion ban in Texas.

The company's involvement in conservative politics extends beyond the abortion issue. AT&T is also the primary source of funding for One America News, a network that spreads conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. This has further solidified the company's position as a key player in conservative politics.

AT&T funds One America News

AT&T has been accused of funding One America News, a far-right, pro-Trump news network. One America News has been known to spread conspiracy theories and misinformation about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Reuters investigation, AT&T is the primary source of funding for One America News, with AT&T-owned television platforms accounting for 90% of the network's revenue.

In 2019, One America News founder Robert Herring Sr. claimed in a deposition that the idea to launch the right-wing channel came from AT&T executives, who "wanted a conservative network." Court records also indicate that AT&T has provided tens of millions of dollars in funding, including a five-year deal worth nearly $60 million, though an AT&T spokesperson denied this figure. Herring also allegedly promised to cast AT&T in a positive light during newscasts.

AT&T has denied funding One America News, stating that they have never had a financial interest in the network's success and that DirecTV, an AT&T-owned platform, "does not dictate or control programming." However, the relationship between AT&T and One America News has been described as lucrative, and the network's spread of misinformation has prompted backlash, including a temporary suspension from YouTube in 2020.

The controversy surrounding AT&T's funding of One America News adds to the criticism the company has received for its contributions to conservative politicians who supported the Texas abortion bill. AT&T has been accused of donating over $300,000 to sponsors of the bill, leading to backlash from women's rights advocates and Democratic super PACs. While AT&T has stated that they have never taken a position on abortion, their financial involvement with both conservative politicians and media outlets has sparked significant debate.

AT&T's stance on abortion

AT&T has been criticized for its stance on abortion, particularly in relation to the Texas abortion law, SB 8, which bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The company has been accused of donating significant amounts of money to the sponsors of this bill. According to sources, AT&T has given over $300,000 to the bill's sponsors since 2018, making it one of the top donors. In response to these accusations, an AT&T spokesperson stated that the company has never taken a position on abortion and has contributed to the campaigns of both opponents and supporters of the bill. They emphasized that their political action committees have never based contribution decisions on a legislator's stance on abortion.

However, critics argue that AT&T's silence on the issue is, in itself, taking a stance. John Oliver, host of "Last Week Tonight," called out AT&T for its response, stating that "not taking a stance on this issue right now is taking a stance." He further criticized the company for attempting to remain neutral on abortion, stating that "both sides-ing abortion isn't really the PR slam dunk that they seem to think it is."

Despite the criticism, AT&T maintains its position of not officially endorsing or supporting the Texas abortion law. The company continues to assert that its political donations are not based on a lawmaker's stance on social issues, including abortion. AT&T plans to provide financial support to employees who need to travel for abortion care, demonstrating a commitment to employee health and access to medical procedures.

While AT&T has faced backlash for its donations to politicians who supported abortion restrictions, it is important to note that they have also contributed to abortion-rights advocates. According to a spokesperson, the company's political action committees have given more money to state lawmakers advancing laws protecting abortion access than to those restricting it. However, diversity consultants and critics argue that the company's donations to anti-abortion politicians are problematic and contradict their support for abortion rights.

AT&T's political influence in Texas

AT&T, the world's largest telecommunications company, has become a powerful player in conservative politics in Texas. The company has donated large sums of money to politicians in the state, with sources claiming that they donated over $300,000 to the sponsors of Texas' abortion ban. AT&T has also contributed to the campaigns of lawmakers who opposed the bill.

AT&T has also been criticized for its funding of conservative media. A Reuters investigation revealed that the company is the primary source of funding for One America News, a network that spreads conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. AT&T-owned television platforms account for 90% of OAN's revenue.

In recent years, AT&T has faced pressure from investors and activist groups to increase transparency around its political spending. In 2019, the company agreed to disclose millions of dollars in previously untraceable contributions, including payments to President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen. Despite this increased transparency, AT&T continues to face criticism for its political influence in Texas and its impact on reproductive rights and other issues.

AT&T's donations to conservative politicians

AT&T has been criticized for its donations to conservative politicians who sponsored Texas' abortion bill. The company has been described as a powerhouse in conservative politics and is one of the top donors to the sponsors of the bill. Since 2018, AT&T has donated over $300,000 to these politicians.

In response to the criticism, an AT&T spokesperson said that the company has never taken a position on the issue of abortion and that its contributions are not based on a legislator's positions on abortion. The spokesperson also noted that AT&T contributed to the campaigns of lawmakers who opposed the bill as well as those who supported it.

However, this has not stopped the backlash from women's rights groups and Democratic super PACs, who have launched ad campaigns targeting AT&T for its funding of anti-abortion politicians. They argue that AT&T's financial support has helped to pass Texas' restrictive abortion law, which has been described as a reproductive health crisis for women in the state.

AT&T is not the only corporation that has donated significant amounts of money to sponsors of the Texas abortion bill. Other companies include Charter Communications, Berkshire Hathaway, Exelon, UnitedHealth Group, Union Pacific, and Chevron. These companies have also been criticized for their role in electing the lawmakers who sponsored the bill.

In addition to its involvement in the Texas abortion law, AT&T has also come under fire for its funding of conservative media. A Reuters investigation revealed that AT&T-owned television platforms account for 90% of the revenue of One America News, a network that spreads conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic.

AT&T's political donations extend beyond abortion legislation and include donations to Republican politicians who objected to the certification of President Joe Biden's election. Despite initially pausing its political donations to these politicians, AT&T later resumed its contributions, either directly or indirectly.

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