Like his potential new boss, Rex Tillerson has deep pockets and a long list of political patrons. But unlike Trump, the recent nominee for secretary of state has exclusively bankrolled Republicans.
A quick survey of campaign finance records reveal that the very generous Exxon Mobil executive donated nearly half-a-million to political candidates. And numerous former critics and ex-rivals of Trump have cashed his checks. But no Democrat has collected a dime.
In particular, the oil man was an early and enthusiastic backer of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. In March 2015, he shelled out $5,000 to the candidate’s super PAC, Right to Rise USA. And he kept the faith even when Jeb’s presidential aspirations began to dim. In September, he gave Bush $2,700, the maximum allowed per individual candidate in the primaries.
When Trump clinched the nomination, Tillerson’s presidential donations ceased. He never wrote a check for the president-elect, opting instead to focus his spending down ballot.
Notably, Tillerson airdropped cash in Wisconsin for Paul Ryan. In September, while Trump was rattling his saber in the House speaker’s direction, Tillerson was giving Ryan the maximum allowable $2,700.
That giving could have been in response to Trump’s attacks, or more likely it could be one of his spending habits. Since 2008, Tillerson has regularly bankrolled GOP brass. He’s donated a total of $6,700 to Kentucky Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in particular.
Exxon Mobil was even more generous this election cycle. Ironically, $20,000 of those dollars flowed to Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida, two senators who have raised questions about the nominee’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. After Exxon helped get him re-elected, Rubio could single-handedly sink Tillerson’s nomination by voting against him in the Foreign Relations committee.
Tillerson’s support for Republicans is not unusual considering the GOP’s voting record on fossil fuels. But it creates a contrast between the president-elect, who famously played both sides of the aisle, and his potential foreign policy chief.
More promiscuous with his political spending, Trump lined the pockets of dozens of Democrats. One of those recipients, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to lead the charge against Tillerson’s nomination.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
