Published
Thu, Jan 5, 2017, 22:58
- The head of the promotions company, which owns Coachella among other entities, denies funding anti-LGBT causes.
AEG's Philip Anschutz has struck back against allegations that he and his Anschutz Foundation have donated to anti-LGBT groups.
A story that circulated earlier today, based on previous claims by The Washington Post and Greenpeace, pointed towards donations by Anschutz—whose AEG company owns Goldenvoice, who promote Coachella and FYF, among other properties—to groups like the Family Research Council and National Christian Foundation, which are anti-LGBT rights and anti-abortion.
Now Anschutz has released a statement denying that he or his charitable Anschutz Foundation have ever donated to "any organization with the purpose or expectation that it would finance anti-LGBTQ initiatives."
"Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news—it is all garbage," he said. " I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation. We are fortunate to employ a wealth of diverse individuals throughout our family of companies, all of whom are important to us—the only criteria on which they are judged is the quality of their job performance; we do not tolerate discrimination in any form."
"When it has come to my attention or the attention of The Anschutz Foundation," he added, "that certain organizations either the Foundation or I have funded have been supporting such causes, we have immediately ceased all contributions to such groups."