Who’s Spending More On CrowdStrike: Democrats Or Republicans?

Following President Trump calling out CrowdStrike in a call with the Ukrainian president, CRN took a look at which political committees and candidates for office have spent the most money with the cybersecurity vendor.

Under The Microscope

President Donald Trump's name-checking of CrowdStrike during a July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has brought renewed scrutiny to the role of the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based security vendor in investigating the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). A record of the phone call was released Wednesday in response to pressure from the U.S. House of Representatives.

CrowdStrike has been an equal opportunity provider of endpoint security products and incident response services to both Democratic and Republican political committees and candidates for office, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data. CrowdStrike first made its mark in politics by tracing the summer 2016 DNC breach back to two hacker groups with suspected Russian ties.

Here's a deep dive into how much Democratic and Republican-affiliated campaigns and committees have spent with CrowdStrike, what they were buying from the cybersecurity vendor, and when they made their purchases.

10. Bernie 2020

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $7,200

Purpose Of Allocation: Software

The principal campaign committee for Democrat Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential run spent the entire sum with CrowdStrike on May 20, 2019.

Sanders represented Vermont in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 2006, and in the U.S. Senate from 2007 to the present. He first ran for president in 2016, but lost the Democratic primary to Hillary Clinton 54 percent to 46 percent.

All told, Bernie 2020 received $36.2 million in contributions in the first half of 2019, and spent $18.9 million on operating expenditures, according to FEC filings.

9. Bredesen For Senate

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $15,188

Purpose Of Allocation: Software

The principal campaign committee for Democrat Phil Bredesen's U.S. senate run spent the entire sum with CrowdStrike on June 7, 2018.

Bredesen served as Nashville's mayor from 1991 to 1999, and was the governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011. He came up short in the 2018 U.S. Senate race, losing the general election to Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn 55 percent to 44 percent.

All told, Bredesen for Senate received $10.9 million in contributions and a $7.5 million loan from the candidate himself, and spent $19.3 million on operating expenditures, according to FEC filings.

T-7. National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC)

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $18,000

Purpose Of Allocation: Tech Consulting, Computer Support

The Republican Party committee for the U.S. Senate spent $675 with CrowdStrike on July 24, 2018, for computer support, and followed that up on Aug. 24, 2018, with a $17,325 tech consulting engagement with CrowdStrike.

The National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) helps elect Republican incumbents and challengers through fundraising. Other services include media and communications-based campaigns, as well as research and strategy planning.

The NRSC received $93.4 million in contributions during 2017 and 2018, and spent $71.4 million during that time on operational expenditures. Since the start of 2019, the NRSC had gotten $30.9 million in contributions, and has spent $19.4 million on operating expenditures.

T-7. Friends Of Bernie Sanders

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $18,000

Purpose Of Allocation: Software

The principal campaign committee for Democrat Bernie Sanders' U.S. Senate seat spent the entire sum with CrowdStrike on Feb. 1, 2019.

Sanders represented Vermont in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 2006, and in the U.S. Senate from 2007 to the present. He is currently the ranking minority member on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, and is the former chair of the U.S. Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

All told, Friends Of Bernie Sanders received $829,000 in contributions in the first half of 2019, and spent $1.3 million on operating expenditures during that time, according to FEC filings. Despite transferring $5.5 million to the Bernie 2020 presidential committee during the first half of 2019, Friends Of Bernie Sanders still has $3.2 million of cash on hand midway through 2019.

6. Priorities USA Action

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $28,000

Purpose Of Allocation: Software

The Democratic Party super political action committee (PAC) spent the entire sum with CrowdStrike on Aug. 24, 2016.

Priorities USA Action was founded in 2011 to support then-President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election effort, and was the primary super PAC supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

All told, Priorities USA Action received $186.8 million in contributions during 2015 and 2016, and spent $26.7 million on operating expenditures during that time, according to FEC filings. The bulk of the Priorities USA spending during that time - $133.4 million - was on independent expenditures, and the group also contributed $30.1 million to other committees during 2015 and 2016.

5. EMILY's List

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $39,150

Purpose Of Allocation: Computer Services

The Democratic-leaning political action committee (PAC) spent $36,337 with CrowdStrike on Aug. 10, 2017, and the remaining $2,813 with the company on Dec. 20 of that year.

EMILY's List was founded in 1985 to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights to political office. The group's name is an acronym – short for Early Money Is Like Yeast – referencing the importance of receiving donations early in a political race to attract subsequent donors.

All told, EMILY's list received $45.6 million in contributions during 2017 and 2018, and spent $51.8 million on operating expenditures during that time, according to FEC filings. In the first eight months of 2019, EMILY's list received $11.4 million in contributions, and spent $17.6 million on operating expenditures.

4. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $88,667

Purpose Of Allocation: Security Monitoring, Publications/Subscriptions

The Democratic Party committee for the U.S. Senate spent $13,907 with CrowdStrike in February 2018 on publications/subscriptions, and followed that up with $37,530 of spending in May 2018 on security monitoring and a $37,231 charge in February 2019 also for security monitoring.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is dedicated solely to electing Democrats to the U.S. Senate. Services provided by the DSCC include grassroots organizing, candidate recruitment, and providing campaign funds for tight races.

The DSCC received $111.8 million in contributions during 2017 and 2018, and spent $52.4 million during that time on operational expenditures, according to FEC filings. Since the start of 2019, the DSCC has gotten $31.7 million in contributions, and has spent $19 million on operating expenditures.

3. National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $159,614

Purpose Of Allocation: Computer Support

The Republican Party committee for the U.S. House of Representatives spent $39,5000 with CrowdStrike in April 2017, $40,000 with the company in July 2017, $114.18 with CrowdStrike in August 2017, $40,000 with the company in May 2018, and another $40,000 with CrowdStrike in June 2019.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) supports the election of Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives through direct financial contributions to candidates and Republican Party organizations. Other services provided by the NRCC include technical and research assistance to GOP candidates and party organizations, voter registration, and education and turnout programs.

The NRCC received $115.9 million in contributions during 2017 and 2018, and spent $78.6 million during that time on operational expenditures, according to FEC filings. Since the start of 2019, the NRCC has gotten $34.5 million in contributions, and has spent $26.9 million on operating expenditures.

2. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $553,506

Purpose Of Allocation: Recount Legal Services, Headquarters Legal Services,

The Democratic Party committee for the U.S. House of Representatives spent $500,000 with CrowdStrike on April 26, 2018, for recount legal services, and followed that up in November 2018 with another $53,506 charge for headquarters legal services.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) works to elect Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. Services provided by the DCCC include recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield politically notable or close elections.

The DCCC received $250.7 million in contributions during 2017 and 2018, and spent $145.5 million on operating expenditures during that time, according to FEC filings. Since the start of 2019, the DCCC has gotten $62.9 million in contributions, and has spent $32.1 million on operating expenditures.

1. Democratic National Committee

Amount Spent On CrowdStrike: $663,035

Purpose Of Allocation: Data Services Subscription, Technology Infrastructure Maintenance, Technology Consulting, Technology Services, Data Service, Legal Fees

The formal governing body for the U.S. Democratic Party began its relationship with CrowdStrike by spending: $11,186 on May 5, 2016, primarily for technology consulting; $39,239 on May 11, 2016, for a data services subscription; $113 on June 20, 2016, for a data services subscription; $99,350 on July 11, 2016, primarily on technology infrastructure maintenance; and $117,921 on Aug. 3, 2016, for technology infrastructure maintenance.

At the 2016 election came and went, the Democratic National Committee spent the following on a data services subscription: $1,913 on Sept. 14, 2016; $33,750 on Oct. 28, 2016; $99,188 on Nov. 30, 2016; $9,547 in December 2016; $68,935 on Jan. 25, 2017; and $52,110 in February 2017.

Over the past 14 months, the DNC has turned to CrowdStrike for: $24,975 of data service on July 26, 2018; $26,501 of technology service and legal fees in August 2018; $47,813 of technology consulting on Feb. 7, 2019; and $30,495 of technology consulting in July 2019.

The Final Tally

All told, campaigns and committees have spent $1.59 million with CrowdStrike since the company's founding in 2011, according to FEC data. Democrats accounted for $1.41 million (87.8 percent) of the spending, while Republicans accounted for the remaining $177,614 (11.2 percent) of the proceeds.

On the Republican side, all of the money spent with CrowdStrike came from committees directly connected to the GOP. On the Democratic side, $1.31 million of money spent with CrowdStrike came from committees or groups directly affiliated with the party, $64,337 came from Political Action Committees (PACs) that support the party, and $40,387 came from candidates running for president or U.S. Senate.

CrowdStrike Founder and CEO George Kurtz emphasized in an interview with CNBC Wednesday that the company is "nonpartisan," telling viewers that "we protect both Democrats and Republicans." The company didn't respond to a request for additional comment from CRN.