Belgian multinationals AB InBev and UCB donated to US election result deniers
Through their US subsidiaries, Belgian multinationals AB InBev and UCB have donated money to American politicians who denied the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election, De Standaard reported on Tuesday.
Political action committees, or PACs, linked to the US subsidiaries of the two companies have donated money to politicians who disputed the results of the last presidential election.
While corporate PACs supporting politicians is a common practice in the United States, supporting politicians who have denied the election results is controversial.
After the storming of the Capitol on 6 January 2021, many companies pledged to stop supporting the 147 members of the US Congress who voted against certifying the results of the 2020 US presidential election. However, many of these companies have since reversed their pledge.
Support for 19 Congress members
AB InBev's support stands out. In 2023 and 2024, 19 of the 147 Congress members who voted against certifying the election results received support from the PAC affiliated with Anheuser Busch, the brewing company's US arm.
UCB Inc. said its support for politicians is based solely on their views on innovation and equitable access to healthcare.
Of the 172,000 dollars the PAC donated to federal candidates, 106,000 went to Republican candidates, of which 55,500 went to election result deniers. AB InBev did not respond to questions from De Standaard about the support.
Support from the PAC linked to the pharmaceutical company UCB Inc. is more modest. In 2023 and 2024, it gave a few thousand dollars to two politicians who challenged the election results. UCB Inc. said its support for politicians is based solely on their views on innovation and equitable access to healthcare.
Trump supporters storm the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 in Washington, DC, protesting the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory over President Trump in the 2020 election © PHOTO GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
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