Pride Month - Political donations from UFC PAC favor anti-LGBTQ pols
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June is Pride Month and the UFC, via its outfitting partner Venum, is going to make a Pride fight kit available for UFC fighters who want to support Pride Month inside the octagon. The fight kit features the fighter’s name and uses a rainbow pattern.
Upon this announcement, I looked into how the UFC and organization president Dana White donates to politicians and political parties to see if the UFC taking part in Pride Month matches where its money goes. It does not. The UFC and White overwhelmingly donated to parties and candidates who have a poor record on LGBTQ rights.
White contributes money individually and via the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC. I looked at contributions from both.
The below joined are part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC. I list the names of the contributors (over $200) and the amount they contributed between 2017-2020.
Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC Donors (Between 2017-2020):
Lawrence Epstein - $20,000
Hunter Campbell - $15,000
Andrew Schleimer - $15,000
Dana White - $15,000
Craig Borsari - $10,000
Peter Dropick - $2,500
Richie McKnight - $2,500
Marc Ratner - $3,000
Donald J. Campbell - $500
Vanessa Vanegas - $250
Phillip Erwin - $250
Jon Williams - $250
Samuel Mirkovich - $250
UFC PAC Contributions (2017-2020)
Mitch McConnell Senate Committee - In 2019-2020, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Mitch McConnell Senate Committee
Thom Tillis Committee - In 2019-2020, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Thom Tillis Committee
Amodei for Nevada - In 2019-2020, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $2,500 to Amodei for Nevada
Walden for Congress - In 2019-2020, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $1,000 to Walden for Congress
Republican Party of Nevada - In 2019-2020, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $1,000 to Republican Party of Nevada
Heller for Senate - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $7,500 to Heller for Senate
Victory & Freedom PAC - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Victory & Freedom PAC
Virginia Foxx for Congress - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Virginia Foxx for Congress
Montanans for Tester - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Montanans for Tester
Amodei for Nevada - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Amodei for Nevada
Manchin for West Virginia - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Manchin for West Virginia
Martin Heinrich for Senate - In 2017-2018, the Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC gave $5,000 to Martin Heinrich for Senate
UFC PAC total: $52,000
Dana White’s Contributions above and beyond Ultimate Fighting Championship PAC donations:
America First Action - $1,000,000
Republican National Committee - $29,600
Kimberly Klacik - $2,800
Greg Walden - $2,700
Claire McCaskill - $2,700
Jon Tester - $2,700
Martin Heinrich - $2,700
Jacky Rosen - $2,000
Dan Rodimer - $1,000
Total: $1,046,200
Below is information on the individuals who received money from Dana White or UFC PAC:
Mitch McConnell - U.S. Senator (R) from Kentucky
McConnell said in 2015, “I’ve always felt that marriage is between one man and one woman and the Supreme Court has held otherwise. That’s the law of the land.”
McConnell voted to ban same sex marriage.
McConnell voted against expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation.
McConnell was rated 20% by the ACLU on his civil rights voting record.
McConnell was rated 0% by the Human Rights Campaign for his anti-LGBTQ stance and votes.
Thom Tillis -U.S. Senator (R) from North Carolina
Tillis voted to constitutionally define marriage as one man and one woman.
Tillis voted against amendment which sought to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination in public schools, grades K-12.
Tillis refused to condemn HB2, a roundly-criticized state law that banned cities and municipalities from passing discrimination protections for LGBTQ people.
Mark Amodei - U.S. Congressman (R) from Nevada
Amodei said Nevada should not recognize civil unions between same-sex couples and said Nevada should restrict marriage to be only between a man and a woman.
Greg Walden - Former U.S. Congressman (R) from Oregon (did not seek reelection in 2020)
Walden voted yes on the Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Walden voted yes on banning same-sex adoptions in DC.
Walden was rated 13% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record.
Walden was rated 25% by the Human Rights Campaign for his mixed voting record on LGBTQ issues.
Dean Heller - Former U.S. Senator (R) from Nevada. Heller was the only Republican Senator to lose re-election in the 2018 mid-terms.
Heller’s campaign noted he supports traditional marriage between one man and one woman and would work to defend Nevada values in Congress.
Heller voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would have made it illegal for places of employment to discriminate against an individual on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation,
Virginia Foxx - U.S. Congresswoman (R) from North Carolina
Foxx voted yes on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman.
Foxx co-sponsored and voted to amend the Constitution to define traditional marriage.
Foxx voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
Foxx was rated 0% by the Human Rights Campaign for his anti-LGBTQ stance and votes.
Jon Tester - U.S. Senator (D) from Montana
Tester voted against limiting HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. Said punishing a private organization that gives women reproductive health care is “a very sorry idea.”
Tester opposed a 20-week ban on abortions, wanted to keep it legal.
Joe Manchin - U.S. Senator (D) from West Virginia
Manchin opposes same-sex marriage, but considers it settled law.
Martin Heinrich - U.S. Senator (D) from New Mexico
Heinrich supports same-sex marriage.
Heinrich voted to prohibit sexual-identity discrimination in schools.
Heinrich co-sponsored and voted to enforce anti-gay discrimination in public schools.
Heinrich signed Respect for Marriage Act, which lets states recognize same sex marriage.
Jacky Rosen - U.S. Senator (D) from Nevada, defeated Dean Heller (above).
Rosen supported the Equality act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, jury service, public accommodations, and the use of federal funds.
Rosen received perfect scores from the Human Rights Campaign each year she has been in office.
Claire McCaskill - Former U.S. Senator (D) from Missouri
McCaskill endorsed same-sex marriage.
McCaskill signed the Respect for Marriage Act.
Kimberly Klacik and Dan Rodimer lost their bids to serve in office.
Voting information: OnTheIssues
Donation information: OpenSecrets