Major League Baseball’s political action committee is asking for a refund after a last-minute $5,000 donation to Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith’s (R-MS) campaign received some negative press coverage.
From MLB spokesperson, about the $5,000 donation to Senate candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith: "The contribution was made in connection with an event that MLB lobbyists were asked to attend. MLB has requested that the contribution be returned."
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 25, 2018
The PAC, Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball PAC, donated $5,000 to Hyde-Smith’s campaign on Friday, according to a Saturday FEC filing from the campaign.
That means the donation came well after Hyde-Smith’s jokes about attending a public hanging and suppressing liberals’ right to vote, and her photo wearing a Confederate hat, were well-known.
Popular Information first reported the MLB donation Saturday.
While President Donald Trump has supported the senator, who’s in a special election against Democrat Mike Espy to serve the last two years of former Sen. Thad Chochran’s (R-MS) term, prominent companies have shown some regret for their donations to her.
Walmart, Aetna and other corporate giants have asked the Hyde-Smith campaign for their money back.
Among those who donated thousands to Hyde-Smith in the final days before Tuesday’s special election, according to the FEC filing: Koch Industries Inc PAC, for $5,000, and four members of the DeVos family, for $2,700 each.
