U.S. News reported on Oct. 29, 2024, that Herbert “H” Fisk Johnson III, SC Johnson’s chairman and CEO, had given $1,662,689 to Republican causes during the 2024 cycle, according to OpenSecrets data. The listing also recorded $25,700 in contributions to Democrats.
Richard Uihlein and his wife, Elizabeth, had given over $2.7 million to Republican candidates and causes this cycle, the OpenSecrets data shows. A GOP megadonor couple, Richard Uihlein once reportedly gave more than $4 million to the Tea Party Patriots, one of the groups that participated in the “March to Save America” rally before the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. On the other side, Richard’s cousin Lynde Bradley Uihlein is a top Democratic donor.Lauren Lasry, chief of staff at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, is also a top Wisconsin donor to Democrats. Lasry’s husband, Alex, is a former co-owner and senior vice president of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. He worked in the Obama and Biden administrations, and unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Wisconsin in 2022.As for donors to Republicans from Wisconsin, Diane Hendricks has donated by far the most this cycle. Hendricks and her late husband, Kenneth, co-founded ABC Supply in 1982, and the company now reportedly is the largest wholesale exterior building products distributor in the country. According to Forbes, Hendricks is the richest self-made woman in America, with a net worth of approximately $22 billion. A longtime conservative donor and Trump supporter, she spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention in July.The Forest County Potawatomi Community, a federally recognized Native American tribe in Wisconsin, has also been a major source of Republican or related funds in the state this cycle. The Potawatomi, who have approximately 1,400 tribal members and employ more than 2,000 people, have donated in federal elections for years, but the 2024 cycle marks their most active, and the first time donations associated with the tribe were higher for Republicans than Democrats, according to OpenSecrets data.Two other business billionaires also make the list of top Republican donors in Wisconsin.Herbert Fisk Johnson III, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson & Son, Inc., has donated more than $1.6 million to Republican causes this cycle. Johnson, the fifth generation of his family to lead the cleaning and pest control products company, has an approximate net worth approaching $5 billion, according to Forbes.And Ronald Wanek, the chairman of Ashley Furniture Industries, donated roughly $250,000 to Republican causes this cycle with his wife, Joyce. According to Forbes, Wanek has a net worth of approximately $6 billion.
In an August 1994 complaint, the U.S. Department of Justice alleged that SC Johnson and Bayer agreed to limit competition in U.S. household insecticides: Bayer licensed Johnson to use cyfluthrin, declined to license competitors and abandoned its planned Laser product. The companies consented to a proposed judgment without admitting liability; it required access to cyfluthrin licenses and barred certain agreements.
as March 1988 and continuing to the present, Johnson and Bayer entered into an agreement to unreasonably restrain trade and commerce and lessen competition in the manufacture and sale of household insecticides in the United States in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. 1. 12. For the purpose of forming and effectuating this agreement, defendants did the following things, among others: (a) Bayer licensed Johnson to use Clyfluthrin in household insecticides in the United States, and granted Johnson a right of first refusal for exclusive rights for the United States on future active ingredients developed by Bayer for household insecticides; (b) Bayer refrained from licensing Johnson's competitors to use or sell Cyfluthrin; and (c) Bayer ended its plans to market Laser and compete with Johnson in the United States household insecticides market. V Competitve Effects 13. Defendants agreement and activities have had the following direct, substantial, and reasonably foreseeable effects, among others: (a) Incentives for Bayer to compete with Johnson in the manufacture and sale of household insecticides in the United States have been substantially reduced; and (b) Competition generally in the market for the sale of household insecticides in the United States has been unnecessarily and unreasonably restrained. VI Prayer For Relief Wherefore, plaintiff prays: 1. That Johnson and Bayer be enjoined and restrained from entering into any agreement or understanding the purpose or effect of which is to allocate or divide territories or markets for the sale of household insecticides; 2. That Johnson and Bayer be enjoined from entering into any exclusive license for an active ingredient patented by Bayer without plaintiff's prior approval; 3. That Johnson and Bayer be enjoined from entering into or carrying out an exclusive license to make, use or sell Cyfluthrin in the United States without plaintiff's prior approval; 4. That Johnson be enjoined and restrained from obtaining from anyone an exclusive license for any active ingredient for use in any household insecticide without prior notice (and if necessary, provision of additional information regarding the arrangement) to plaintiff; 5. That plaintiff have such other relief as may be just and proper; and 6. That plaintiff be awarded its costs in this action. Dated: August 3, 1994. Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General; Robert E. Litan, Deputy Assistant Attorney General; Mark C. Schechter, Deputy Director,
OpenSecrets reports that SC Johnson & Son-related contributions totaled $1,204,502 in the 2024 election cycle: $1,114,205 (93.07%) to Republicans and $82,972 (6.93%) to Democrats. The figures cover reported contributions of $200 or more and reflect a two-year election cycle.
During the Ukraine war, SC Johnson said it continued Russian manufacturing, made no new investments and suspended advertising, citing the welfare of 200 employees; it also reported aid for Ukrainian staff and $500,000 for Save the Children. Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld gave the company an F for remaining in Russia; the company questioned rating inconsistencies.
The company has donated $500,000 to Save the Children for children and families impacted and is matching every $1donated b S.C. Johnson employees to Save the Children.
RACINE, Wisc. — S.C. Johnson & Son is defending its decision to remain in Russia after receiving a grade "F" from a Yale Universiy professor tracking American businesses staying there during the Ukraine war.
The FTC alleged that SC Johnson’s planned 1997 acquisition of Dow Brands assets could lessen competition in stain-remover and glass-cleaner markets. In a consent order settling the charges, the agency required SC Johnson to divest Dow’s Spray ’n Starch, Spray ’n Wash and Glass Plus businesses to Reckitt & Colman.
Consent order settles charges that Johnson's acquisition of Dow brands would adversely affect competition and potentially raise the prices consumers pay for soil and stain removers and glass cleaners. The consent order requires the divestiture of Dow's "Spray 'n Starch", "Spray 'n Wash", and "Glass Plus" businesses to Reckitt & Colrnan.
OpenSecrets’ lobbying table lists SC Johnson reports on legislation including the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, recycling measures, the WIPPES Act and tax and appropriations bills in the 118th Congress. The table counts each quarterly filing as a separate report; it does not state the company’s positions on the bills.
<table id="DataTables_Table_0"> <thead> <tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Bill Number</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Congress</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Title</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">No. of Reports & Specific Issues*</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>H.R.6053 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2023</td> <td>4</td> </tr><tr> <td>H.R.7024 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024</td> <td>4</td> </tr><tr> <td>S.3127 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2023</td> <td>4</td> </tr><tr> <td>S.1189 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023</td> <td>3</td> </tr><tr> <td>H.R.6159 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023</td> <td>3</td> </tr><tr> <td>S.1194 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Recycling and Composting Accountability Act</td> <td>3</td> </tr><tr> <td>H.R.4040 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Recycling and Composting Accountability Act</td> <td>3</td> </tr><tr> <td>S.2438 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Department of
The Human Rights Campaign corporation listing gives SC Johnson 25/25 for inclusive culture, 20/20 with no penalty, and 50/50 for inclusive benefits. The supplied listing does not provide a date or further explanation of the scoring.
CARB said SC Johnson settled in December 2023 for $3,000 after an investigation found its Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Vinegar Gel exceeded California VOC limits, contributing 0.06 tons of excess emissions over three years. The company cooperated, stopped sales when notified, and said it would not market or sell the gel as a general-purpose cleaner.
An investigation by CARB staff revealed that SCJ sold, supplied, and offered for sale in California, nonaerosol general purpose cleaner products that were not in compliance with CARB’s Consumer Products Regulations. The Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Vinegar Gel contained concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that exceeded the standards specified in the California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 94509(a). The violation contributed to 0.06 tons of excess VOC emissions in the General Purpose Cleaner (nonaerosol) category over a period of three years.
The FEC profile for the S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Political Action Committee lists $158,500 in receipts, all from individuals, and $237,900 in disbursements for Jan. 1, 2025–Oct. 14, 2026. It reports $237,700 in contributions to other committees and no independent expenditures.
ProPublica’s itemizer lists a $1,000 contribution from the S. C. Johnson & Son PAC to Ron Johnson For Senate, Inc. on Sept. 12, 2014. It also shows PAC contributions to the committee totaling $8,700 across entries dated from 2014 through 2020.
<table> <thead> <tr> <th>Contributor</th> <th>Date</th> <th>Amount</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>Sept. 22, 2020</td> <td>$2,500</td> </tr> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>June 14, 2018</td> <td>$1,000</td> </tr> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>June 28, 2016</td> <td>$1,700</td> </tr> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>June 14, 2016</td> <td>$1,000</td> </tr> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>Dec. 10, 2015</td> <td>$1,000</td> </tr> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>Oct. 6, 2015</td> <td>$500</td> </tr> <tr> <td>S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc Political Action Committee</td> <td>Sept. 12, 2014</td> <td>$1,000</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
OSHA records show a follow-up health inspection at SC Johnson’s Sturtevant, Wisconsin site, opened Aug. 25, 2021. One repeat citation was issued Feb. 11, 2022, with an initial penalty of $2,070; the record says it was deleted following an informal settlement. The inspection page still listed the case as open.
OpenSecrets reported that the S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Political Action Committee raised $111,500 and spent $51,850 during the 2021–2022 cycle. Its reported contributions were split 54.29% to Democrats and 45.71% to Republicans; the listed data were based on FEC releases through March and April 2023.
54.29% to Democrats, 45.71% to Republicans</td> <td>$17,500</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Contributions to this PAC from individual donors of $200 or more (list donors)</td> <td>$111,500</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
The Human Rights Campaign’s corporate profile for S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. lists a 5-out-of-5 score for workforce protections. The supplied evidence gives no additional detail about the criteria or assessment date.
A proposed class action filed in California federal court alleges that S.C. Johnson falsely markets Ziploc bags and containers as microwave-safe and freezer-suitable despite knowing that, when used as directed, their materials shed microplastics into food. Law360 identifies the case as Cheslow v. S.C. Johnson & Son, filed in April 2025; the supplied evidence does not establish an outcome.
S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. falsely markets Ziploc bags and containers as "microwave safe" and suitable for use in freezers despite knowing they are made from materials that shed microplastics into food when the products are used as directed, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.
OpenSecrets’ archived profile reports $1,204,502 in political contributions, including 92.36% from individuals and 7.64% from PACs, and shows a 2024 lobbying figure of $317,492. It notes contributions came from PACs and associated individuals—not the organization itself—and says one of two SC Johnson & Son lobbyists in 2023 had previously held government jobs.
On March 10, 2017, SC Johnson & Son settled a California Air Resources Board case over selling or supplying a shoe freshener that exceeded the VOC limit for the Fabric Refresher—Aerosol category. The company paid $122,800 to resolve the case.
On March 10, 2017, a Consumer Products case was settled with SC Johnson & Son, Inc. for selling and/or supplying a non-compliant shoe freshener product that exceeded the VOC limit for the Fabric Refresher - Aerosol category, as specified in Title 17, CCR, Section 94509(a). SC Johnson & Son, Inc. paid $122,800 to settle this case.
In a mid-year FEC report filed July 23, 2025, covering January 1 through June 30, the S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. PAC reported $2,000 in contributions to federal candidates, committees, and other political committees. It reported $3,000 in receipts and $2,100 in total disbursements for the period.