WASHINGTON—President Biden’s inaugural committee raised $61.8 million for the televised virtual event that marked the beginning of his administration, drawing donations from companies, labor unions, wealthy individuals, and voters giving in small amounts, a new campaign finance filing shows.
While the committee hasn’t detailed its spending, the fundraising total showed that even a pared-down event in the pandemic era can attract tens of millions of dollars in contributions. Due to the threat of spreading coronavirus, Mr. Biden nixed the traditionally packed evening balls and other mass events in favor of a televised program featuring actor Tom Hanks and a large public fireworks display, among other festivities.
Still, top donors were offered perks including virtual events with Mr. Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses as well as sessions with top Biden advisers. The Tuesday filing with the Federal Election Commission by the nonprofit inaugural committee is the first full accounting of Biden donors and the amounts they gave.
Mr. Biden’s inaugural haul was lower than the record $106 million raised by former President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee in 2017, but it was higher than the $53 million raised for former President Barack Obama’s 2009 inaugural celebration.
About half of the money raised by the Biden inaugural committee came from wealthy individuals donating the most the committee allowed—$500,000—or from companies, labor unions and advocacy groups. Beyond large, lump-sum donations, the committee received $12 million, or about 20% of its total, from people giving $200 or less.
Among the companies who gave $1 million—the most the committee allowed for corporate donors—were Bank of America Corp. , Lockheed Martin Corp. , Comcast Corp. , film production company Levantine Entertainment, medical technology company Masimo Corp. and Uber Technologies Inc.
AT&T Inc., Boeing Co. , Pfizer Inc. and Qualcomm Inc., which all gave $1 million to Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee four years ago, also gave the same amount to Mr. Biden’s inaugural, the filing shows.
Microsoft Corp. , Amazon.com Inc., Ford Motor Co. , General Motors Co. , Walmart Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and the National Football League were among those who donated smaller amounts or made in-kind contributions such as providing equipment or services free of charge.
Some smaller businesses also contributed, including law firms, car dealerships and Oh Boy Records Inc., the independent record label of the late country folk-singer-songwriter and Grammy winner John Prine.
Labor unions, which Mr. Biden courted during the campaign and whose pro-labor stance has marked the early days of his administration, also gave.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers donated $1 million, the filing shows. The American Federation of Teachers, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and the pipe fitters and plumbing union each contributed $250,000.
The Sherwood Foundation, a Nebraska-based social justice nonprofit chaired by Susan A. Buffett, the daughter of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, also gave $1 million.
Billionaire media investor Haim Saban, hedge-fund manager Donald Sussman and venture capitalists Chris and Crystal Sacca were among the individuals who each gave $500,000.
In a statement late Tuesday, the committee noted that as a televised event, no credential or donation was needed to participate in the inaugural events. “We engaged with millions of Americans, regardless of political party, and brought to life a civic ritual that took on unique importance in 2021,” the committee said.
The funds raised by the committee are separate from those used for the presidential swearing-in on Capitol grounds, which is paid for by Congress.
The committee wasn’t required to report its spending in the public filing released Tuesday and hasn’t made the information public. The committee also hasn’t said how it will handle any money left over.
Write to Chad Day at [email protected]
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