Bernie Sanders’ anti-Netflix crusade hits the skids after filings expose awkward twist
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., used campaign funds to pay for a subscription to Netflix from January to March despite his long-running criticism of the streaming service's tax practices, Federal Election Commission records show.
Over the years, Sanders has repeatedly criticized Netflix for allegedly not paying its "fair share" of taxes and for raising prices on consumers as its executives grow wealthier. In contrast to these criticisms, the senator’s campaign began paying the streaming service $46.79 a month in January to cover a "subscription."
"Corporate greed is Netflix doubling its profit last year to a record $5.3 billion, avoiding over $1 billion in taxes [and] blaming a 10.7% price increase on ‘inflation’ squeezing $1.35 billion from its 75 million subscribers while its CEO became $200 million richer in the pandemic," Sanders wrote in March 2022.
Sanders has also, on multiple occasions, criticized Netflix for paying $0 in federal taxes. Netflix has sharply reduced its federal tax liability for some years by using a variety of corporate tax credits.
"Your $8.99 Netflix subscription is more than the company paid in federal income taxes last year (nothing)," the senator posted to social media in 2019. "We are going to make massive corporations finally pay their fair share."
Senate campaigns have only released their financial information up to March, meaning that Sanders’ donor-funded Netflix subscription may be ongoing.
Sanders' campaign did not respond to a request for comment after being reached by Fox News Digital Tuesday morning.
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The Vermont senator has faced criticism in the past over his use of campaign funds.
In 2023, Sanders transferred $200,000 in donor cash to the Sanders Institute, a nonprofit organization run by his wife and stepson. Since then, Sanders has continued to semi-regularly use his campaign account to fund his family charity.
"The facts present in this case and the family ties involved certainly raise legitimate concern," Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, told Fox News Digital at the time. "If the nonprofit and its executive director are truly producing work and actually earning the money, it is not illegal, but it is frowned upon. On the other hand, if nothing or very little is being done to legitimately earn the money, then it is highly likely a serious campaign finance violation has taken place."
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The over $550,000 in donor funds Sanders in donor funds Sanders spent on private jets during his 2025 "Fighting Oligarchy" tour has also fallen under scrutiny.
"You don't expect a socialist to fly commercial do you?" conservative political communications consultant Matt Gorman said. "There's no bigger hypocrite than the liberal who chastises us for eating meat and using gas stoves, yet flies in private jets."
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates interviewed Sanders for a segment in his Netflix original series titled "What's Next? The Future with Bill Gates" in 2024.
The senator’s use of campaign funds to pay for a streaming service is relatively unusual.
Campaign finance records show that only five political committees, including one belonging to Sanders, have made payments to Netflix for expenses described as some form of subscription over the past ten years.