Target continues to donate to anti-gay politicians.

Months after the news broke that the Target Corporation had donated thousands of dollars to anti-LGBTQ candidates and PACs and the public outcry and call for a boycott of the retailer which led to the company promising to end such donations, a new report has surfaced from The Daily Awl’s Abe Sauer that the company continued to donate to anti-gay candidates AFTER the news originally broke.

According to documents filed with the FEC in October 2010, Target continued donating to a bevy of anti-gay politicians even after Steinhafel apologized and committed to reforming the review process for future political donations. These donations even included some of the same anti-gay politicians the company had already been criticized for supporting.

On Aug 5, 2010, facing an outbreak of bad publicity over reports of Target’s political giving both in the 2010 election and beyond, Chairman, President and CEO Gregg Steinhafel released a statement. In it, he apologized for how the company’s decision had affected many “in a way I did not anticipate.” Steinhafel wrote that “… later this fall, Target will take a leadership role in bringing together a group of companies and partner organizations for a dialogue focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including GLBT issues.” It being late fall, we reached out to check in on Target’s prioress.

“As previously indicated, we’re taking a thoughtful and planful approach to this issue. Target is engaged in ongoing dialogue, both internally and externally, with a variety of leaders and expects to have more to share soon regarding our plans.” That’s the extent of the details a Target spokesperson would give us on Target’s “leadership role.”

Among the anti-gay politicians to receive donations from Target include Senator Mike Crappo (Rep-ID) and Washington State Representative Dave Reichert. A handful of PRO-candidates also received some money:

Supporters of gay equality did get some money. In September, Target PAC gave $1,000 to Chuck Schumer. It also sent a whole $500 to Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Congressman that anti-gay leader Bradley Dean accuses of supporting LGBT rights as a way to bring Sharia law to America.

But donations such as $1,000 to Kelly Ayotte (reported on September 22), who resigned her state post in protest of the legalization of gay marriage and same sex adoption, are far more the norm.

That same day, there is a record of a donation by Target PAC to Spencer Bachus, who voted to ban same-sex adoption. Michigan’s David Camp, who, in addition to supporting a Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage, voted against protecting gays from job discrimination based on sexual orientation, also reported money. Through October, Target PAC thousands of dollars in donations were recorded to Michael Crapo and Dave Reichert, both supporters of anti-gay Constitutional amendments, and Rob Portman, a supporter of banning gays from adopting. Portman’s position on other gay rights won’t surprise. On October 4, a donation was reported: $2,000 to David Dreier, whose position on gay rights is quite a bit of theatre.

After the Steinhafel statement, Target PAC’s money also flowed to other PACs, including $8,500 to Every Republican is Crucial PAC, Freedom and Security PAC and the Majority Committee PAC, all three supporters of both Michelle Bachmann and Roy Blunt.

Most surprising though are Target’s post-apology donations to John Kline and Erik Paulsen, two vehement anti-gay equality candidates. Part of the July outrage over Target’s political giving included these same two candidates.

On September 22, Target PAC recorded a donation to Erik Paulsen. Paulsen, a former Target employee and a favorite of Focus on the Family’s James Dobson, recently voted against the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal. He has also come out against classifying anti-gay attacks as hate crimes. His position on gay marriage is as expected.

I gave Target the benefit of the doubt when this story originally broke; after all, nearly all corporations give monies to both sides of the political spectrum (hedging your bets so they always back the “winner”), but this is inexcusable. Target markets itself as the upscale, liberal, hip answer to redneck Wal-mart. Supporting right wing, hate group candidates, some of whom support gay genocide in Africa, is immoral and unacceptable.

Target apparently hasn’t learned its lesson.

Let them know how you feel.

– Michael Strangeways