New England Patriots owners Robert (center) and son Jonathan (left) Kraft attended Tuesday night’s Brookline premiere of “Black Mass.” (Evan Lips – New Boston Post)
Many think of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft as a friend and supporter of President Donald Trump, but his political donations tell a different story.
Kraft, who has never made a political contribution to President Trump, has been more active in giving political contributions over the past two years, donating a total of $22,800, according to Federal Election Commission records. That includes money to a group that supports former vice president Joe Biden’s presidential run and politicians who despise the sitting president.
In the 2020 presidential election cycle, Kraft has given $5,000 to the pro-Richard Neal American Working Families PAC, which has endorsed Joe Biden for president; $10,000 to the Experienced Leadership Matters PAC, formed to support Newton city councilor and Democrat Jake Auchincloss’s run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts’s Fourth Congressional District; $2,800 to U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III’s failed U.S. Senate run against fellow Democrat Ed Markey; and $5,000 to the NFL’s Gridiron PAC.
American Working Families PAC has praised Biden, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, and many other members of the Democratic Party.
Notably, the organization states: “Joe Biden spent a lifetime fighting for working people. AWF believes he would be the most experienced and effective candidate for President. We tried to draft him to run in 2016 and we are excited to endorse him in 2020.”
The aforementioned Neal and Kennedy, two members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, both voted to impeach President Trump earlier this year. Kennedy supports the Green New Deal, Medicare-for-All, universal childcare, and eliminating student loan debt, but never provided details on how he would pay for those plans.
Auchincloss, who will likely be Kennedy’s successor in the Fourth Congressional District, is no Trump fan, either. The Democrat, who supports federalizing the proposed ROE Act state abortion expansion bill and sanctuary cities, made his thoughts on the president clear in a tweet last month, after the first presidential debate.
“Last night, Donald Trump was an unhinged, dangerous and racist embarrassment to the United States. He is an existential threat to the nation. We must do everything we can to elect @JoeBiden and end this national nightmare.”
Last night, Donald Trump was an unhinged, dangerous and racist embarrassment to the United States. He is an existential threat to the nation. We must do everything we can to elect @JoeBiden and end this national nightmare.
Only one of Kraft’s political donations this election cycle can indirectly be tied to people supporting Trump’s re-election. The National Football League’s Gridiron PAC gives to candidates of both major parties, according to Open Secrets.
In 2020, 61 percent of Gridiron PAC’s contributions have gone to Republicans, while 39 percent have gone to Democrats. In 2018, however, 54 percent of the political action committee’s donations went to Democrats and 46 percent went to Republicans. So far in 2020, the PAC has given $5,000 apiece to Republican U.S. senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, but it has also given the same amount to Democrats Ed Markey and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, as well as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
A spokesman for Kraft in the New England Patriots organization could not immediately be reached for comment.
New England Patriots owners Robert (center) and son Jonathan (left) Kraft attended Tuesday night’s Brookline premiere of “Black Mass.” (Evan Lips – New Boston Post) 
