Tell Biden: Reject Corporate Contributions for the Inauguration!
Petition to Joe Biden:
We call upon the Biden-Harris transition team to build upon their rejection of fossil fuel money and reject contributions from ALL corporate interests, as Barack Obama did for his 2009 inauguration, including contributions from Wall Street, big tech, Pharma, defense contractors, for-profit schools, and beyond.
President-Elect Biden's inauguration is just over a month away. And while Biden's inaugural committee has rightly rejected money from fossil fuel corporations, they're still planning to accept donations up to $1 million from individual corporations -- even though Barack Obama rejected corporate contributions for his inauguration in 2009.
While the fossil fuel industry is indeed pernicious and should not be afforded this opportunity to influence the Biden Administration, it's just as important to stop other corporate interests from wielding undue influence too. That's why we're mobilizing to ask the Biden inauguration committee to expand its ban to encompass all major corporate sectors.
Sign the petition: Tell Biden to reject corporate contributions for his inauguration!
This inauguration will be different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Instead of gala inaugural balls and parties happening in person, most of it will happen online. That should mean it's even less important than ever before to raise money from corporate interests to fund it.
Barack Obama's refusal to accept corporate contributions for his 2009 inauguration was a landmark move that demonstrated that inaugurations could be funded without big money. And that was at a time when the country wasn't suffering from a massive pandemic.
If the Biden-Harris administration is serious about "building back better" in a way that remedies the longstanding ills of the country, Joe Biden should not let corporate interests have this kind of unnecessary influence. Rejecting their contributions to the inauguration fund is a key step this administration can take to signal where their allegiances lie.
Add your name: Tell Biden to reject corporate contributions for his inauguration!