San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York donated $2,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in June, according to reports. York was arrested on Monday in Ohio on charges of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. The prostitution charge was later reduced to disorderly conduct, and York received a one-day jail sentence and paid a fine of $1,285.
The DCCC has not yet commented on whether it will return the donation. A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee criticized the DCCC, stating they are "so desperate for cash they’ll cling to $2,500 through a prostitution scandal."
York has a history of contributing to Democratic candidates, with donations dating back to 2012. His contributions include support for Kamala Harris' Senate campaign, Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, and Rep. Ro Khanna's reelection campaign. In total, York has donated over $40,000 to Democratic candidates.
In 2016, York publicly opposed North Carolina's House Bill 2, legislation that he stated overturned protections for LGBTQ+ people. The 49ers organization released a statement at the time, asserting that the bill did not align with the values of their organization, the country, or the majority of North Carolinians. York also contributed $75,000 to efforts aimed at repealing the bill.
In a 2017 interview, York discussed his political views, pushing back against characterizations that he was a far-left figure. He described himself as not being "the most left-wing person in the world" and stated that many of the issues he supported were "common sense issues."
York's most significant single donation was $5,000 to the America 2.0 PAC, established by former Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, in March 2021. He later contributed an additional $19,400 to Ryan.
York did not respond to inquiries regarding his political donations or whether the DCCC would reimburse his contribution. Rep. Khanna also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.