Major corporations that poured money into President Donald Trump's political operation are quietly preparing for potential payback if Democrats take control of the House after the midterms, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The Journal reports that a group of major companies—many of them technology firms—that invested millions of dollars in Trump's pet projects and political operations has begun readying for a possible wave of congressional investigations. Citing anonymous insiders, the report says some companies have set up internal task forces to rehearse responses to subpoenas and information demands, while others are writing new checks to Democrats and hiring the party's former operatives. The preparation reflects a familiar Washington pattern: the party out of power in the White House has historically gained House seats in midterm elections, and congressional committees wield subpoena authority that can compel document production and public testimony from private companies.

Meta recently directed $5 million each to two nonprofits tied to House and Senate Democratic leadership, according to The Journal. Paramount, the media company that controls CBS and streamed Trump's White House UFC fight, has hired a former legislative director to President Joe Biden. Prediction-market firm Kalshi has brought on former aides to Barack Obama and Biden. OpenAI chief Sam Altman spent the summer hosting Washington dinners for Democratic lawmakers. The flurry of Democratic hires and donations underscores how deeply the technology sector has embedded itself in both parties' political apparatuses in recent years, as regulators and lawmakers have scrutinized issues from antitrust to artificial intelligence.

"Get right with God," Democratic strategist and Silicon Valley donor adviser Cooper Teboe told The Journal, describing his advice to companies that have courted Trump while ignoring Democrats. "You're going to be totally f— next year, or you're going to figure it out this year," Teboe said. "And you're going to make amends—and amends are going to be much more costly than they were previously."

Insiders told The Journal that executives at Meta and Palantir have discussed the likelihood of facing requests for information, future congressional hearings, and even subpoenas.

With Trump remaining in the White House for two more years, executives expect his administration to stonewall any Democratic oversight requests. That leaves the companies themselves as the softest targets, The Journal noted, since they have less room to ignore a summons from Capitol Hill. Unlike administration officials, private companies face legal exposure for defying congressional subpoenas, a risk that has shaped corporate behavior in prior high-profile oversight fights.

Source: Raw Story | Wall Street Journal