Sephora says it did not donate to Trump, after online calls for boycott

2 weeks ago 29

Beauty retailer Sephora has said it did not marque ample donations to President-elect Donald Trump's campaign, aft viral societal media posts called for a boycott of the institution and different fashionable retail outlets implicit alleged donations.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Sephora told CBS News it was alert of "incorrect accusation circulating connected societal media," and said Sephora "does not marque firm donations to governmental candidates. Sephora's ngo is to make a welcoming quality buying acquisition for all."

Calls for a boycott grew aft viral societal media posts, including 1 TikTok video with implicit 11 cardinal views, alleging Sephora and different retailers donated to Trump. The video ended with the line, "I anticipation we each recognize the duty for this Christmas season."

The idiosyncratic who posted the video did not respond to a petition for comment.

Laws governing institution donations

The Federal Election Campaign Act prohibits corporations from utilizing wide funds from making nonstop contributions to candidates successful national elections.

However, corporations whitethorn acceptable up governmental enactment committees (PACs) funded by voluntary worker contributions. Or companies tin marque unlimited contributions to Super PACs which indirectly enactment candidates done advertizing and advocacy.

Executives and different firm employees whitethorn lend arsenic individuals to candidates, and accusation astir donations erstwhile a donor contributes much than $200 are publically available, according to Brendan Glavin, Deputy Research Director of Open Secrets, a run concern watchdog group.

"When you spot those boycott lists, what you whitethorn beryllium seeing is an aggregation of each the wealth that employees of the enactment gave to the candidate," said Glavin.

Campaign concern records bespeak that individuals associated with Sephora's genitor institution LVMH, a France-based institution with American divisions, donated $318 to Trump's run during the 2024 predetermination cycle, according to Open Secrets. By comparison, they donated a full of implicit $35,000 to Harris' campaign. Foreign nationals are barred from contributing to national elections, and lone LVMH employees who are U.S. citizens oregon imperishable ineligible residents tin legally donate.

Open Secrets investigation besides shows LVMH did not lend to immoderate campaigns done PACs successful 2024. The U.S. subsidiaries of foreign-based companies tin legally form PACs funded by American employees oregon direct contributions to Super PACs arsenic agelong arsenic nary overseas nationals nonstop the contribution.

Sephora's Americas divisions' erstwhile main executive, Jean-Andre Rougeot, donated exclusively to Democratic campaigns, FEC records show, and its existent CEO, who took her presumption successful April 2024, has not made governmental donations.

Home Depot, Kohl's and different companies contradict donations

Other companies, including Kohl's and Home Depot, besides refuted societal media claims of Trump run contributions aft calls for boycotts.

A spokesperson for Kohl's told CBS News, "Kohl's does not marque monetary contributions to governmental candidates oregon campaigns, does not enactment governmental organizations, and does not person a company-sponsored Political Action Committee."

FEC records amusement nary governmental donations from Kohl's CEO Tom Kingsbury this cycle. And overall, employees and individuals associated with Kohl's contributed more to Harris' statesmanlike run than to Trump's, records indicate.

A spokesperson for Home Depot told CBS News, "The Home Depot (and The Home Depot Foundation) does not springiness wealth to statesmanlike campaigns oregon endorse statesmanlike candidates."

According to FEC filings and investigation by Open Secrets, the institution and its affiliated PAC made nary nonstop donations to Trump's campaign, However, Home Depot's firm PAC donated $270,000 to some the National Republican Senatorial and Congressional Committees.

Overall, employees and associates of Home Depot acting individually gave much to Harris' run than to Trump's, with Harris receiving $197,312 to Trump's $115,858, according to Open Secrets.