John,

Day two of Prime Day is almost over, but that won’t stop Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, from spending on a different kind of shopping spree – lobbying Congress to extend the Trump tax cuts that have allowed them to pay a fraction of their fair share.

Bezos has seen his personal wealth skyrocket by $115 billion since 2018, a staggering 139% increase. Yet from 2013 to 2018, Bezos paid an effective tax rate of just 23.8% on nearly $5 billion of income—that's a lower rate than what a couple making $130,000 would pay when you factor in payroll taxes.

As if this wasn't enough, Bezos recently splurged $237 million on three luxury Miami properties, including a 19,000-square-foot mansion. All while Amazon's median worker salary stagnates at $34,200 and our communities lack funding for essential services.

In 2025, Congress will debate an extension of the Trump tax cuts for the rich and corporations. We're demanding answers on how much Amazon is shelling out to further rig the tax code in its favor. But we need your voice to amplify this call for transparency.

Let's make sure this Prime Day is the last one where Amazon gets away with exploiting loopholes and special breaks to whittle down its tax bill. Demand Amazon come clean about its lobbying for more corporate tax cuts.

From 2018 to 2022, Amazon paid an effective tax rate of just 8.9% on $69.3 billion in profits―less than half the 21% they should have paid.

This tax dodge saved them an estimated $1.5 billion in taxes over five years. Instead of contributing their fair share to the public good, Amazon splurged $6 billion on stock buybacks to further enrich their wealthy shareholders and $713 million on executive pay.

While Amazon and Bezos grow ever richer and spend untold amounts of money lobbying Congress to keep their tax bill near zero, our schools are crumbling, our healthcare system is strained, and affordable housing is impossible to find.

Don't let Amazon's Prime Day profits come at the expense of working families. Demand Amazon come clean about its tax-cut lobbying now.

Thank you for fighting corporate greed,

Maura Quint
Campaign Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund

-- David's email --

John,

As Amazon kicks off its annual Prime Day shopping bonanza, raking in billions in sales, it's worth remembering how little this corporate behemoth actually contributes in taxes.

In the five years after the Trump-GOP tax cuts, Amazon reported a staggering $69.3 billion in U.S. profits. Yet the tech giant paid an effective federal tax rate of just 8.9%, less than half the official corporate tax rate of 21%. That's an estimated $1.5 billion tax cut that went straight into Amazon's pockets instead of funding vital public services.

But Amazon's greed doesn't stop there. The company spent $6 billion on stock buybacks to enrich wealthy shareholders and lavished $713 million on its top executives during that same period. Meanwhile, Amazon's median employee made just $34,200 in 2022.

Now, as a battle is beginning over whether to extend expiring parts of the Trump tax cuts that benefit the wealthy, Amazon is lobbying Congress for even more tax breaks.

The American people deserve to know: How much is Amazon spending to rig the tax code in its favor? Add your name to demand transparency from Amazon on its lobbying for tax cuts. The first step in making this corporate giant pay its fair share of taxes is to find out how much it’s spending to keep all its loopholes and special breaks.

Amazon's tax dodging has real consequences for working families. Every dollar they avoid in taxes is a dollar that can't be invested in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and other vital public services.

Some of Amazon's most egregious tax maneuvers include:

• Exploiting the "accelerated depreciation" loophole to slash its tax bill by $6.5 billion over five years

• Paying $0 in federal taxes in 2017 and 2018 despite billions in profits

• Using stock-based compensation deductions to avoid $1.1 billion in taxes

While Prime Day shoppers hunt for deals, Amazon is hunting for ways to keep gaming the tax system. We can't let them get away with it any longer.

Demand answers from Amazon and help protect our democracy from corporate tax dodgers. Add your name to call for transparency on Amazon's lobbying for tax cuts.

Together, we can build a tax system that works for all Americans, not just wealthy corporations.

David Kass
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund