Thread by @JuddLegum

1. Major corporations — including @doordash, @google, @walmart, @cvs, and @microsoft — have bankrolled an ongoing multi-million dollar effort to elect @markrobinsonNC the next governor of North Carolina

Follow this thread for details

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2. Even before securing the Republican nomination for Governor of North Carolina in March, @MarkRobinsonNC had a long and well-documented record of promoting conspiracy theories, maligning LGBTQ people, using anti-Semitic tropes, and demeaning women.

3. None of this prevented the Republican Governors Association (@GOPGovs) from throwing its support behind Robinson.

In a post on X on March 5, the day Robinson won the Republican nomination, RGA chairman Governor Bill Lee (R-TN) congratulated Robinson and said the organization "look[s] forward to supporting him in the general election."

@markrobinsonNC @GOPGovs 4. Data from AdImpact obtained by Popular Information, reveals that @GOPGovs, an affiliated PAC, and an affiliated non-profit have spent more than $17.3 MILLION since June 11, 2024 on ads in support of Robinson.

popular.info/p/these-compan…

5. To put that in perspective the amount that the RGA has spent running ads to boost Robinson's candidacy in the last few months exceeds the total that Robinson's campaign has reported raising this campaign cycle ($15,757,019.87).

The actual expenditure by the RGA is far higher, as the $17.3 million does not include the cost of producing the ads, polling, or any other activities taken on behalf of Robinson.

6. On Thursday, CNN reported that in a series of posts on a pornographic message board, Robinson referred to himself as a "Black NAZI" and expressed support for reinstating slavery. He also described spying on women in public gym showers and described himself as a "perv." A separate report in the Washington Post revealed that Robinson, using the same message board, praised Hitler's Mein Kampf, calling it a "good read."

@markrobinsonNC @GOPGovs 7. Since that bombshell report, the RGA has not made any statement regarding Robinson's candidacy but, according to AdImpact data, the RGA's ads in support of Robinson's gubernatorial campaign HAVE CONTINUED TO RUN ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA

popular.info/p/these-compan…

@markrobinsonNC @GOPGovs 8. Pausing here to say if you appreciate this info, you should subscribe to the Popular Information newsletter

It's important to have ways to get news directly and not rely on algorithms controlled by right-wing billionaires

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9. Where does the RGA get all the cash to support Robinson? Much of it comes from major corporations, which can donate unlimited amounts to so-called 527 groups like the RGA. While corporate donations to federal candidates come from voluntary contributions from employees to corporate PACs, corporate donations to 527s come directly from the corporate treasury. In other words, the revenue these companies receive from customers is being diverted to bolster Robinson's candidacy.

10. @doordash, for example, has donated $625,000 to @GOPGovs this election cycle.

On June 1, 2024, the company posted a blog post celebrating Pride Month. DoorDash said that it would spend the month "celebrating the diversity and vibrancy within the LGBTQ+ community by emphasizing how race, gender, sexuality, ability, and other aspects intersect to form unique individual identities."

On June 4, 2024, the RGA received a $250,000 contribution from DoorDash. These funds, along with other large corporate contributions, helped finance the RGA's ad blitz in support of Robinson that started later in June.

11. Other major corporate contributors to @GOPGovs and its pro-Robinson ad blitz:

@Google 585K
@Walmart 570K
@CVSHealth 550K
@Microsoft 550K
@Travelers 460K
@Amazon 450K
@Deloitte 400K
@GetSpectrum 385K
@Oracle 325K
@Pfizer 300K
@CocaCola 250K
@motionpictures 250K
@WellsFargo 250K

@markrobinsonNC @GOPGovs @DoorDash @Google @Walmart @CVSHealth @Microsoft @Travelers @amazon @Deloitte @GetSpectrum @Oracle @pfizer @CocaCola @motionpictures 12. Popular Information contacted each of these companies and asked if they had any concerns that their contributions to the RGA were being used to support a candidate like Robinson.

Wells Fargo declined to comment. The other companies did not respond.

13. Many companies that support the RGA also made six-figure contributions to the Democratic Governors Association (@DemGovs). But these contributions are not equivalent. The DGA is not supporting any gubernatorial candidates that have called themselves a Nazi or advocated for the reinstatement of slavery.

@markrobinsonNC @GOPGovs @DoorDash @Google @Walmart @CVSHealth @Microsoft @Travelers @amazon @Deloitte @GetSpectrum @Oracle @pfizer @CocaCola @motionpictures @DemGovs 14. Want to share the facts about the corporate money behind @markrobinsonNC's campaign? It's all right here, with links to primary sources:

popular.info/p/these-compan…

15. I reached out to all these companies, but so far, no one has provided any comment about their support of Robinson through the RGA. If you hear anything, let me know. DMs open. Contact info in bio.