A pro-Trump dark money funder has received large donations for Dow Chemical, CVS Pharmacy and Southern Company. Image by Getty/Robinson Air Force Base/Forward Montage

By Ari Feldman June 1, 2018

Three Fortune 500 companies have donated money to a pro-Trump dark money group whose staffers have been reported as making anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic remarks, Maplight reported.

America First Policies is a not-for-profit run by former Trump campaign officials. So far, it has received $1 million from Southern Company, a major energy conglomerate, $500,000 from CVS Health and $100,000 from Dow Chemical. The group raised $26 million total last year, and will not be forced to disclose the source of its funding until it files its first tax return, in November.

The group has been criticized in the past for having employees who have made blatantly anti-Semitic and racist remarks.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In May, Mediaite published a video showing Juan Pablo Andrade, a policy adviser for America First, going on a rant about Jews.

“The only thing the Nazis didn’t get right is they didn’t keep fucking going!” Andrade said in a Snapchat video.

The Trump administration has benefitted the three companies with a string of laws, including changes to the tax code, eliminating pieces of the Clean Power Plan and reversing bans on certain chemicals.

An America First representative gave Maplight this statement: “We don’t comment on stories by organizations funded by the radical left, including the Democracy Alliance and George Soros.” (Maplight is funded in part by a foundation run by Jonathan Soros, George Soros’ son.)

Contact Ari Feldman at [email protected] or on Twitter @aefeldman

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount