Bill & Melinda Gates among the leaders supporting Rep. Elise Stefanik

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik pushed “replacement theory” with the help of millions in campaign money. You might be surprised by some of the big names that are helping fund her: Bill & Melinda Gates, Marc Benioff, Sean Parker and others.

These leaders give to both Republicans and Democrats, but the question is whether they will they keep helping candidates with racist agendas.

High profile names who have financially supported Stefanik:

• Bill & Melinda Gates: $15,500 each (2018 and 2020)

• William Lauder, Executive Chairman of Este Lauder: $8,100 (2017 and 2018)

• Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce: $5,800 (2019)

• Sean Parker, Founder and Chairman of the Parker Institute: $5,800 (2022)

• Beth Ford, President and CEO of Land ‘o Lakes: $1,000 (2020)

All of these leaders - except Sean Parker - gave before The Times Union called-out Stefanik’s “hateful rhetoric” and “despicable” racist ads. But since the Buffalo mass shooting, after which Stefanik’s support for the racist “replacement theory” became national news, none of these leaders has spoken out against Stefanik or demanded that their campaign contributions be returned.