Harvard elites donated to over 100 candidates in 2020, only 3 were Republican

The Harvard Corporation donated to over 100 candidates during the 2020 election cycle, and only 3 recipients were Republicans. 

The Harvard Corporation is the most powerful governing body of the university, The Crimson reports. The Corporation consists of several prominent academics, lawyers, and business people; it influences the direction of the school through selection of deans, setting of budgets, and fundraising. 

In the two years leading up to the 2020 election, this 13-member body donated at least $1,160,263 to federal candidates and political action committees according to Federal Election Commission data, as reported by The Crimson. 

According to this data, Corporation members donated $899,000 to Democrats running for office compared to only $6,600 to Republicans. 

[RELATED: REPORT: Cornell employees donated $900K to Democrats, $12K to Republicans]

Campus Reform spoke with Jordan Barton, a junior at Harvard who believes that although Harvard Corporation is biased, the members’ political preferences reflect an elite looking out for their own interests more than a progressive ideological agenda. 

“It’s a more interesting look into how the Democratic party’s elite have many existing ties to the people at administrative levels at Harvard,” Barton said. 

Harvard associates have long been affiliated with Democratic politics and several members have held prominent positions within the political party. 

Karen Mills, a current Corporation member, was nominated by former President Barack Obama to chair the Small Business Association (SBA). The Crimson reports that Mills has given more than $100,000 to Democrats since 1990.

Penny Pritzker, another current Corporation member, donated over $1.5 million dollars to Democrats since 1990. Pritzker served as Secretary of Commerce under the Obama Administration. 

[RELATED: Nearly 99% of College Board employees’ political donations go to Democrats]

Furthermore, the apparent bias favoring Democratic candidates is neither isolated to the 2020 election cycle nor Corporation members. 

In 2016, Harvard faculty overwhelmingly donated to Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. According to data compiled by The Crimson, between April and December of 2015, Harvard faculty, instructors, and researchers donated around $131,000 to presidential candidates during the primary campaigns. However, over 90% of the money went to to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. 

In 2016, Democrats received $1,641,310, or 94.68% of Harvard employees’ donations to federal candidates. By contrast, Republicans received $92,263 for 5.32% of the total.

In the 2018 cycle, Harvard employees donated $2,007,788 to Democrats as compared to $47,570 to Republicans. 

Campus Reform reached out to Harvard University for comment, but they did not respond in time for the publication of this article.