OLYMPIA, Wash. — Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos has donated $2.5 million to a campaign that supports gay marriage in Washington state. He became the latest in a number of high-profile companies and executives to wade into a corporate culture war over a hot election issue.
Gay marriage initiatives are on the ballot this year in four states — Washington, Minnesota, Maryland and Maine.
The donation by Bezos is believed to be the largest single donation to date in support of a gay marriage ballot measure.
Earlier this month fast-food chain Chick-fil-A set off a furor opposing same-sex unions. Other companies are brushing off fears that support for gay marriage could hurt their bottom line. General Mills Inc. recently took a stand against an amendment that would ban gay marriage in Minnesota.