The Owner of Coachella Supports Anti-LGBTQ Groups

Coachella 2017 may have the best lineup in years (opens in new tab), but fans looking forward to paying ridiculous amounts of money to be surrounded by a sea of sweaty, drunken people might want to do some research into the corporation pulling the strings of the festival.

Philip Anschutz—the owner of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG Live), the company which operates Goldenvoice, the promoter of Coachella—has long been known to support a number of conservative causes. According to The Washington Post (opens in new tab), Anschutz has donated money to organizations such as Alliance Defending Freedom, Family Research Council, and National Christian Foundation, all of which are major anti-LGBT groups.

And as early as this summer, a number of advocacy groups uncovered just how far his conservative ties reach. In a press release this summer, ProgressNow Colorado executive director Ian Silverii in a said (opens in new tab):

"Phil Anschutz's extensive influence in Colorado politics has been known for years, but the degree of his support for anti-LGBTQ groups that fund extremist hate groups like Gordon Kligenschmitt's 'Pray in Jesus Name' is shocking. At a time in American history when discrimination and violence against LGBTQ citizens is on the rise, support for pro-discrimination groups puts Anschutz on the wrong side of Colorado, and on the wrong side of history."

According to Greenpeace (opens in new tab), the oil and gas billionaire is also a "financer of climate science denial groups" and attends the Koch brothers' twice-annual strategy meetings.

These ties have resurfaced (opens in new tab) this week after the release of Coachella's lineup on Tuesday.

[h/t: Consequence of Sound (opens in new tab)

Follow Marie Claire on Facebook (opens in new tab) for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.