Philip Anschutz, owner of AEG, the company that puts on the annual Coachella festival, has given money to anti-LGBTQ organizations for years, and a recent backlash has forced an official response.
Teen Vogue and Afropunk both reported on Wednesday that between 2010 and 2013, the Anschutz Foundation gave a combined $190,000 to Alliance Defending Freedom, the National Christian Foundation, and the Family Research Council, all of which actively work against LGBTQ rights such as same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption.
During the 2016 election season, Anschutz and his wife donated over a million dollars to Republican and conservative candidates and PACs, reports The Fader. They note that makes them one of the 100 families who donated the most money during this election cycle, according to OpenSecrets.
Anschutz released a statement on Thursday denying allegations of homophobia and saying he has ceased donations to anti-LGBTQ groups.
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“Both The Anschutz Foundation and I contribute to numerous organizations that pursue a wide range of causes. Neither I nor the Foundation fund any organization with the purpose or expectation that it would finance anti-LGBTQ initiatives, and when it has come to my attention or the attention of The Anschutz Foundation that certain organizations either the Foundation or I have funded have been supporting such causes, we have immediately ceased all contributions to such groups.
The company followed that up with a separate statement later in the day:
We are aware of recent attacks upon our owner, Mr. Philip Anschutz. These attempts to perpetuate and spread false news on a variety of topics are part of a long-running and coordinated attempt by our competitors to smear AEG and our many businesses, including our live music and facilities divisions. These attempts have failed before, and will fail again because actions speak louder than words and our track record demonstrates a strong commitment to both diversity and sustainability, two of our most critical core values.
Throughout our 20 year history, AEG and AEG Live have worked hard to create a supportive and inclusive environment that respects the rights of all employees, artists and fans, as well as promoting a philosophy of sustainability throughout the world. We believe that true creativity is best expressed in an environment where everyone has the right to say what they believe in an unbiased and uncensored environment.
When contacted for further clarification by LGBTQ Nation, AEG referred back to the statement from Anschutz and declined to comment on specific organizations reportedly on the receiving end of his donations.
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dwes09
It is reasonable that someone with wide ranging investments might not be aware of the regressive policies of a company in which they had invested as part of a complex portfolio or through mutual funds. However he is foolish to expect anyone to believe that he could have contributed money over a period of years to a group as strident as the Family Research Council without knowing what they stand for.
And though major donations to the republican party imply a support for the party platform which is extremely, and undeniably anti-gay; one would have to know specifically which candidates and which pac’s he donated to to be certain (there are after all a few traditional fiscally conservative/socially tolerant candidates and pac’s left on the right).
Ultimately, his response seems disingenuous though.
scotshot
@dwes09: There are other sites that offer lists of who he’s contributed to.
scotshot
Funny how one day he announces that he’s not contributed to any anti-gay group and the next they release a statement that AEG has ceased all donations to the same groups.
I wonder if the Anschutz’s will stop donations to the GOTP – This last cycle they gave around $1,000,000?
moose_keating
I have to say, that’s a pretty good defense.
i.e. I have no idea what the people who are running my company are doing.
Brian
I’m not buying his bull$hit. I will boycott Coachella and any act that has appeared there.
Juanjo
This gentleman is a member of a very conservative, evangelical Christian church which has a record for supporting the things that FRC etc stand for. He has personally contribute tens of thousands to a Christian group which support boycotts of what they consider gay promoting of Christian bashing television shows including such shows as Sponge Bob, Friends, and Ellen among others. He made his money in petroleum and still does, so his participation in the Petroleum Institute which is finding most of the “what climate change” rhetoric seen nowadays, so again no surprise here.
If he were to tell me he could not quote exact amounts or such minute data I would understand but he is the one who has set the selection criteria and who certainly signed off on a list of appropriate charities he is willing to support. I have never known any person or corporation which did not set criteria for donations and the parameters of the decision making process.