Car manufacturer Toyota is facing calls for a boycott over a donation to a Republican lawmaker who contested the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Liberals on social media were up in arms after discovering data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that showed a $1,000 donation to Rep. Alex Mooney (R-West Virginia) on February 4 from Toyota.
The donation comes after the company said it would reevaluate its criteria for donations, following the riot at the US Capitol on January 6.
UPDATE: @Toyota, which after 1/6 said it would be "assessing our future PAC criteria," donated $1000 to @RepAlexMooney, who objected to the certification of the Electoral College in February, according to a new FEC filing
“Given recent events and the horrific attack on the U.S. Capitol, we are assessing our future PAC [political action committee] criteria,” a spokesperson said at the time.
Mooney was one of many lawmakers to object to the Electoral College result that made Joe Biden victorious in the 2020 election, leading Toyota to be accused online of everything from selling out democracy to supporting sedition. Others called for a boycott of the company, vowing to shop for vehicles elsewhere.
“Been a Toyota owner my entire life thus far. Love their cars. I even recently bought one of their cars. That said, I don’t love them enough to support a company that funds seditionists,” one Twitter user wrote.
Come on @Toyota, don't support people who tried to destroy our democracy.
#Toyota making me regret my 2020 car purchase... when my kid starts driving I won't be replacing it with a Toyota!! https://t.co/FiA9fNGKbv
— Pa que sepas: Mexicans are Native Americans! (@GW27571) April 10, 2021
Wow...It didn't take @Toyota long to sell out democracy. I currently own an eight-year old Toyota--terrific car-- and was planning to buy another soon to replace it. No longer. I'm done with the company unless it fixes this now. https://t.co/Kf6IfzZGcb
Others have pushed back against the knee-jerk reactions, pointing out that Toyota has donated hefty amounts of money to the Democrats in the past, making a boycott over minuscule support for the GOP rather fruitless.
Toyota didnt really choose one side more than the other.
But as stated by Toyota NA they may not be donating as much or anything at all to the GOP pic.twitter.com/fLuIu6PB5k
— Billy Boston Strong 🌊 (@BillyBostonStr1) April 9, 2021
All you #BlueAnons bitching about Toyota donating to a Republican, #Toyota donated FAR more to Democrats in 2020
— Samuel Culper 722, also on GAB @politiwars (@politiwars) April 10, 2021
Numerous companies such as Ford and General Motors put a pause on political donations pending a review, after the US Capitol riot.
Another corporation to find itself targeted by online protesters over resuming political donations is low-cost airline JetBlue.
It was the first to break its political donation pause this week, when it gave $1,000 to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-New York), according to FEC filings. Like Mooney, Malliotakis objected to the results of the 2020 presidential election.
As companies find themselves in the spotlight as to where their money goes in politics, critics have also been calling for a boycott of JetBlue.
“I’m very disappointed in JetBlue airlines. I like them, I fly with them, but I can’t possibly give them my business anymore if they are donating to a congresswoman who voted to overturn our presidential election,” actress and activist Rosanna Arquette tweeted.
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