America Votes

Trump Campaign Criticizes Booker For Past Donations From Big Pharma

A Twitter account for the Trump campaign called out Sen. Cory Booker for previously taking over $400,000 in donations from pharmaceutical companies.

Trump Campaign Criticizes Booker For Past Donations From Big Pharma
Getty Images

President Donald Trump's campaign team is taking aim at some of the potential Democratic nominees. 

After a question about pharmaceutical companies during the first Democratic debate, the Trump War Room campaign account tweeted, "FACT: Cory Booker has accepted over $400,000 from the pharmaceutical industry during his political career."

Does Sen. Booker have a history of accepting campaign money from drug companies? Yes, he does. But there are a few other important things to know. 

The Center for Responsive Politics compiles and organizes federal campaign donation details. Its records show that since 2013, Booker has taken over $411,000 from the pharmaceutical and health products industry. The key term here is "health products." That $411,000 number includes donations from medical device and nutritional supplement companies, for example. When you break out *just* money from drug makers, the donation total drops to just over $280,000. 

But there are also donations that $411,000 amount does not include. Take, for example, contributions to Booker's PAC, which equaled $56,000 from 2013-2016. It also doesn't include any donations made to Booker's local campaigns for Newark city council and mayor.

Going back to the tweet — it said Booker has accepted "over $400,000 from the pharmaceutical industry." That number may not be exactly right, but its point is accurate: Pharmaceutical companies have given Booker sizable donations.

However, putting all the numbers aside, there's a key fact that Trump War Room tweet neglects: Booker stopped accepting donations from pharmaceutical companies in 2017.

This story is reported in partnership with PolitiFact and is part of an in-depth analysis show called "What The Fact" that airs Sunday mornings on Newsy.