Menu

Topics

Connect

Comments

Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.

Elon Musk donated $40K to committee dedicated to keeping Republicans in control of Congress

Elon Musk listens at a press conference following the first launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., February 6, 2018. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was reportedly among the 50 top donors to a GOP Political Action Committee (PAC) dedicated to keeping Republicans in control of Congress, last quarter.

Story continues below advertisement

The Federal Election Commission filing shows that Musk donated USD$38,900 to the Protect the House PAC, along with Microsoft’s co-founder Paul Allen, who gave $100,000 and Houston Texans owner Robert McNair, who gave $371,500.

In total, the PAC raised over $8 million in the second quarter of 2018. Last year, SpaceX and Tesla also donated $33,900 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Musk, who The Hill reports is a friend of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, donated to a number of other candidates as well, both democrats and republicans. He donated $2,300 to Hillary Clinton during both her 2008 and 2016 presidential runs, the Center for Responsive Politics reports.

Story continues below advertisement

WATCH: Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he’ll help fix the Flint water crisis

The tech billionaire has often championed his own altruism, and at one point touted his belief in “true socialism.” He has also cited climate change as his driving force for creating the company he’s most famous for, Tesla. Recently he has advocated for a carbon tax and pledged to solve the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Story continues below advertisement

Musk later acknowledged in another tweet that most Flint homes have safe water and said he would organize an effort to add filters to houses that need them.

The daily email you need for 's top news stories.

“By the way, I am actually a socialist,” he tweeted. “Just not the kind that shifts resources from most productive to least productive, pretending to do good, while actually causing harm. True socialism seeks greatest good for all.”

Musk defended himself in the wake of criticism of his political donations by reaffirming his support for environmental issues and humanitarian causes. He tweeted Sunday morning that he donates to both parties to “maintain dialogue,” and that reports of him being a top GOP donor are “categorically false.”

“That said, I do not actually see the checks (changed that policy today). A nominal annual amount goes out automatically to both parties to maintain dialogue. I have given vastly more to humanitarian causes,” he tweeted. “Reports that I am a top donor to GOP are categorically false. I am not a top donor to any political party.”

Story continues below advertisement

Recently, Musk made headlines for offering to assist in the rescue of 12 soccer players and their coach trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand. His attempts, which included designing and building a “kid-sized” submarine to carry the boys to safety, weren’t used by the rescue team.

Advertisement

You are viewing an Accelerated Mobile Webpage.

View Original Article