When 139 House members and eight senators objected to the results of the presidential election last month, corporate America revolted. More than 30 major companies vowed to cut off donations to those officials.
But the biggest business donors were not companies, but rather the nation’s most powerful trade associations. And unlike corporate donors like AT&T Inc. that have stopped giving funds to these elected officials, only two of the top five trade associations have pledged to pause giving. None said they would permanently end donations.
“That [a pause] to me is sort of the coward’s way out, and essentially meaningless,” ...