dark money

It looks like Katharine McPhee’s ties to antigay Republicans run way deeper than initially reported

By · 13 comments · Updated on January 29, 2024

Welp, it’s official. Katharine McPhee is no longer invited to the kiki. She’s kicked out. Banned. Persona non grata.

It all started last weekend when Jezebel reported that the American Idol alum appeared to have made two separate $250 donations earlier this year to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, or NRSC, a group working to maintain the GOP’s majority in the Senate so that they can continue doing stuff like, oh, you know, chip away at LGBTQ rights.

McPhee’s largely queer fanbase was appalled by the news.

Well, get ready to be even more appalled, people, because it appears as though McPhee has actually given waaaaay more than just $500 to antigay Republicans. And she’s been doing it waaaaay longer than just this election cycle.

According to the Federal Election Commission’s online database of individual contributions, a self-employed singer by the name of Katharine McPhee who lives in Los Angeles has donated nearly $4,000 to numerous Republican causes and campaigns since 2008.

McPhee made three donations, totaling $1200, to the McCain/Palin campaign in 2008, plus an additional $1200 to the Republican National Committee that year. In 2018, she gave $1000 to the NRSC, plus another $500 in 2020, as previously reported.

And that’s just according to public records at the Federal Election Commission. Who knows what other antigay organizations and super PACs she’s been privately funding as well?

Of course, McPhee is free to give money to whatever political party, organization, or hate group she chooses. The problem is, while privately bankrolling antigay Republicans, she’s been publicly declaring herself an LGBTQ ally.

In addition to appearing on American Idol and Smash, and starring in the Broadway musical Waitress and doing charity events for groups like Gay Men’s Health Crisis, her Twitter page is filled with references to gay culture and shout outs to her gay fans (who she lovingly/cringingly calls “my gay boys”), as well as re-tweets in support of LGBTQ people.

On top of that, she surrounds herself with real LGBTQ allies, like Megan Hilty, Kristin Chenoweth, Shoshana Bean, and Lin Manuel Miranda.

Sooooo why is she giving thousands and thousands of dollars (gay dollars, might we add) to antigay causes?

It’s a very good question. And one she has yet to answer.

Since the news broke, McPhee has been radio silent on social media. Which is odd, since before all this, she tweeted almost daily. In fact, one of her most recent tweets was this sassy gay joke that was sorta funny before everyone learned she’s been secretly funding homophobia.

So how’s Gay Twitter handling the news that McPhee isn’t who she pretends to be? Not well. Take a look…

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