Charles B. Johnson, the billionaire owner of the San Francisco Giants and former CEO of Franklin Resources, investigated because he donated thousands to the campaign of Lauren Boebert, who won a seat in the House in November, which Colorado represented.
Johnson and his wife, Ann, both donated $ 2,800 to Boebert’s campaign, NBC Sports reported Friday, citing recent FEC submissions. But the donations came under fire after Boebert’s remarks during the US Capitol riots in Washington, while Congress confirmed the outcome of the presidential election.
Boebert tweeted that home speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, was removed from her rooms during the riot. In the tweet, there were many politicians who asked for Boebert to be removed from Congress. In July, Boebert also came under fire for saying he hoped Q was ‘real’, citing a conspiracy theory that a senior government official was drawing back the curtain on what the so-called deep state ‘did’ to influence Americans.
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Johnson received criticism from René Brooks-Moon, the Giants’ play-by-play announcer, and Pelosi’s daughter, Christine.
Christine Pelosi told the Sacramento Bee: “It’s pathetic. It’s about crimes and it’s about someone tweeting where someone was the target of an assassination.”
Charles Johnson, 88, was forced to make a statement amid the setback. He said he was not aware that Boebert was linked to QAnon.
“Like most of the country, I watched with dismay as our Capitol was overrun last week,” he said. “I hope those who have perpetrated or encouraged violence are held accountable for their behavior. I have a long history of political contributions to Republicans and some Democratic candidates who share my strong belief in a free market system. My contributions are mine alone and is in no way affiliated with the San Francisco Giants.
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“It is often difficult to predict the future behavior of candidates, and I would never have imagined that any legitimate candidate would participate in undermining the core values of our great country. I was also not aware that any candidate to whom I I strongly believe in our democratic system where our elected representatives can debate vigorously in the halls of government, free from violence and intimidation and in a peaceful and respectful way. I hope we can return to this tradition that has served our great country for so long. ‘
The Associated Press reports that political contributions have been suspended following the riots.
Johnson has donated about $ 11 million to Republican candidates over the past five years, ESPN reported last year. Since 2000, his donations have apparently been for the campaigns of Mitt Romney, John Boehner and Ben Quayle. The New York Times reported that Johnson also made a donation to a Super Pac that supported Jeb Bush’s presidency in 2016.
This election donated Johnson to the campaigns of Republicans Tommy Tuberville, Jeff Van Drew, Burgess Owens, Kelly Loeffler, David Perdue, Madison Cawthorn and Laura Loomer. His last donations apparently went to Loeffler and Perdue, as they were in special elections and by-elections for the Senate seats in Georgia.
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In 2018, Johnson’s contribution to Cindy Hyde-Smith’s campaign also sparked controversy. She was in a run down of the U.S. senator in Mississippi against Mike Espy. The Republican was caught on video that she would be in the ‘front row’ if invited to a public hangout.