Corporations funding politicians is just bribery with extra steps. BuT iT’S lEGaL... https://t.co/slef55d2U3

— DHH (@dhh) January 22, 2021

Read this thread and think about what you can do to hold Microsoft accountable. https://t.co/KgrlAXvH5F

— Jill Wine-Banks (@JillWineBanks) January 23, 2021

The real point is PACs continue to be highly problematic:

* Corporate PACs even more so as they ultimately cross purposes.
* They pry contributions out of employees in what amount to shakedowns.
* There aren't that many "retreats."

Sure just "hate the game," but is that enough?

— Steven Sinofsky (@stevesi) January 23, 2021

20% of Microsoft’s US political funding went to US representatives who supported overturning the election results. Weird brag by this communications guy. Cc @KlyngeC https://t.co/k9FPKGwzMe

— Azeem Azhar (@azeem) January 23, 2021

I'd read her fantastic article alongside this CNN story: Microsoft President Brad Smith explains *why* it's important for the corporations employees to donate to Microsoft's PAC. It is damning and shows how the system is rigged. https://t.co/MNknmDBfHz pic.twitter.com/tr9HNJB7WB

— Daniel Schuman (@danielschuman) January 23, 2021

@Microsoft would like you to know that it mailed Hawley’s check a few days before Hawley received it.

It has not ruled out future contributions to Hawley. Nor has it asked for a refund, which is what @Hallmark did https://t.co/b4u3fYn0bS

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 23, 2021

Please keep pressure on Microsoft for funding 147 white members of the GOP Congress who voted on January 6 to overturn democracy by attempting to throw out the votes of Black Americans in a fair election. #SeditionCaucus https://t.co/ZJ4mEeF6RO

— Adam Rifkin ? (@ifindkarma) January 23, 2021

.@ProjectLincoln will have an announcement forthcoming with regard to the public actions we intend to direct against @Microsoft in the public square. It will consist of a broadcast and digital advertising campaign. It will be aimed at the Microsoft CEO. @satyanadella and the https://t.co/0gYkSF9HOS

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) January 23, 2021

Yeah I mean this is how it works? doesn’t seem very shocking at all https://t.co/qzHFGyzJbK

— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) January 23, 2021

WTF?? So much for authenticity, or scruples, or even having corporate values. Where you put your money speaks volumes about who you are. Is what they mean about corporations being psychotic? https://t.co/gAThreaFl2

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 22, 2021

Full transcript related to MSPAC donations at an employee townhall. Worth reading.https://t.co/IyNyBCbJb4

— Frank X. Shaw (@fxshaw) January 23, 2021

More context in the full transcript, to include that 80 percent of all MSPAC funding went to members who voted to uphold electoral college.
https://t.co/IyNyBCbJb4 https://t.co/ltLohekKCJ

— Frank X. Shaw (@fxshaw) January 23, 2021

Microsoft held an employee town hall today. I obtained a copy of Microsoft President Brad Smith's remarkably candid explanation of why Microsoft will continue to fund politicians whose conduct is completely at odds with the company's stated values https://t.co/EonD6XMtmL pic.twitter.com/00uL6QUk3X

— Pinboard (@Pinboard) January 22, 2021

.@fxshaw you are really, really bad at this. This means that 20% of your money - 1/5 of it - went to support people who openly instigated an insurrection. Hope you have your crisis PR agency on speed dial. You’re going to need it. @Microsoft https://t.co/u4Yyh9lnjb

— Reed Galen (@reedgalen) January 23, 2021

Want Proof of a Corrupt Political System? #conspiracyfact https://t.co/0Og07PaNzT

— Willem Middelkoop (@wmiddelkoop) January 23, 2021

Microsoft’s President @bradsmith on how he buys access to politicians. It’s almost refreshing to hear someone admit, in such plain spoke language, how money corrupts our political system. https://t.co/iDKkEx5cxS pic.twitter.com/iyIsgouD9N

— Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) January 23, 2021

I assume this is why all political donations happen https://t.co/kVcFh5l1WE

— Ed Zitron (@edzitron) January 23, 2021

.@BradSmi - you run @Microsoft. You’re telling me if you call @GOPLeader he won’t pick up the phone? I have a hard time believing that. Your continued support for people like @HawleyMO? That I believe. https://t.co/Kz2MrdGoFz

— Reed Galen (@reedgalen) January 23, 2021

Best Corporate Government structure money can buy.. https://t.co/64svQ9Y1N6

— Gregory Mannarino (@GregMannarino) January 22, 2021

These comments from the Microsoft president are amazing — just a very honest and straightforward description of how the political system works in the US, that also sounds like explicit public corruption https://t.co/bTtkrbqBRf pic.twitter.com/TMtrj2rHlH

— Tom Gara (@tomgara) January 23, 2021

Microsoft's Brad Smith gave a frank explanation to employees for why its PAC donated to GOP politicians who tried to overthrow the election:

They give money to get invited to events, to form relationships, so they can pick up the phone & ask for favors. https://t.co/U4O4JX97U3

— Avi Asher-Schapiro (@AASchapiro) January 23, 2021

.@Microsoft would like you to know that JUST 20% of Microsoft PAC contributions went to members of Congress who were attempting to undermine democracy https://t.co/JgIdTTyz0K

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 23, 2021

2. In a transcript of the meeting leaked to CNBC, Smith said that @Microsoft needs to make contributions to politicians because sending these politicians money allows him to "pick up the phone" and get "help" https://t.co/wejwhsPVUW

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 23, 2021

1. @Microsoft is one of the largest contributors to the members of Congress who tried to subvert the Democratic process

Microsoft has made NO COMMITMENTS to stop funding this group

At a company meeting on Thursday, Prez Brad Smith explained why.

And it's pretty appalling

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 23, 2021

Why hasn’t @Microsoft stopped giving to members who voted against certifying the election?

BRAD SMITH says members have told him: “Your folks have always shown up for me at my events. And we have a good relationship. Let me see what I can do to help you.”https://t.co/hlT9xFVTog

— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) January 23, 2021

This is *so* similar to arguments I’ve heard from French businessmen who privately acknowledge paying bribes to secure contracts in the Africa. Almost verbatim.

“You have to write a check to participate ...” It’s just “the way the political process works.” https://t.co/4hmQwOcaDb

— Raphael Satter (@razhael) January 22, 2021

A while back I compiled this long list of Microsoft's public statements on issues like immigration, climate, and LGBTQ rights, juxtaposed with their actual political giving https://t.co/F6U0VToKp6

— Pinboard (@Pinboard) January 22, 2021

To understand why @ProjectLincoln is going after a tech giant next ↘️ https://t.co/jB49RxQMIU

— Marietje Schaake (@MarietjeSchaake) January 23, 2021

This quote by @BradSmi, transcribed by @Pinboard, is the clearest explanation of how America’s corrupt system of monetized access & influence on Congress works that I’ve read in years.

Why do corporations have PACs & donate?

They need to “pay to play.”https://t.co/tt9Qu5m3Wk pic.twitter.com/FscdYCJFrz

— Alex Howard (@digiphile) January 23, 2021

This is everything that’s wrong with corporate donations, especially in tech.

You cannot simultaneously post messages of support for issues like racial equality while giving actual money to people who stand firmly against it. https://t.co/mi4tNCsmGO

— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) January 22, 2021

Here at Microsoft we’d like to point out *some* of our bribe money to politicians did NOT go overthrowing democracy.

We deserve credit for that, right? Right‽ https://t.co/IILXBofhSa

— ?il ?hipley (@wilshipley) January 23, 2021

Folks, the U.S. has legalized bribery for politicians. It’s just that simple. And it’s horribly wrong.

We need publicly financed elections and independent oversight of Congress. https://t.co/wVS8DAUHAI

— Andrew (@revolutionwifi) January 23, 2021

@SteveSchmidtSES worth seeing the full transcript, which answers some of your questions. https://t.co/IyNyBCbJb4

— Frank X. Shaw (@fxshaw) January 23, 2021

Microsoft’s President @bradsmith on how he buys access to politicians. It’s almost refreshing to hear someone admit, in such plain spoke language, how money corrupts our political system. https://t.co/iDKkEx5cxS pic.twitter.com/iyIsgouD9N

— Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) January 23, 2021

Uh oh Brad. Your “commitment” only matters when until you need a little tax favor? Bye bye. https://t.co/uFNFkTZLxR

— ESR (@ExSpRecords) January 23, 2021