Who controls California politics? A new index tracks the state’s top political donors
When it burst into widespread use as a result of the 1976 movie All the President’s Men , the phrase “Follow the money” referred to political influence or corruption and how to track it. Fifty years later, the meaning of the phrase hasn’t changed much—but following the money is now magnitudes more complex. With the proliferation of political action committees and the blessing of the U.S. Supreme…
California's political landscape is heavily influenced by a small group of wealthy donors and corporations, according to a new project tracking political spending across the state. The California Oligarch Index, created by researchers Jim Freeman and his team, reveals that despite comprising only 0.1% of the state's population, the top 99 individual and corporate political donors spent more money on campaigns and lobbying from 2005 to 2024 than the remaining 99.9% combined.
This amounted to approximately $5.8 billion, not including the hundreds of millions spent against Proposition 40, a measure aimed at imposing a tax on the ultra-wealthy.
Key companies and individuals dominating the political scene include Chevron, DaVita, the California Association of Realtors, and Philip Morris/Altria. These entities have spent millions supporting pro-wealth agendas, often opposing social justice efforts and regulations aimed at protecting the environment and workers. Freeman noted that while some of these corporations share political interests, they largely align with the interests of the ultra-wealthy and are less transparent about their activities.
Other notable spenders include health care giant Kaiser Permanente, utility company Pacific Gas & Electric, AT&T, and ride-hailing service Uber. Despite their significant influence, some individual donors like Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Gap co-founder Doris Fisher, and members of the Walton family have also contributed substantially to pro-business policies.
The research also highlights a significant presence of law enforcement groups in the top 99 political spenders, largely advocating for increased budgets and enforcement of local and state correctional systems.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
