Emerson Electric Is the Biggest Supporter of Akin (Update1)

(Updated from 5:43 p.m. EDT with a comment from Honeywell, and clarification on Emerson's total donations to Akin.)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Emerson Electric (EMR) is the biggest corporate supporter of the U.S. Senate campaign for Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), who's under pressure to resign for saying women's bodies can fend off pregnancy in the case of a "legitimate rape."

Akin has received $10,000 from the St. Louis, Mo.-based manufacturing and technology company's political action committee for his U.S. Senate campaign against incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Akin has received another $26,200 from individuals who work with Emerson, according to opensecrets.org.

David Farr, who has been CEO for 12 years, has personally donated the maximum of $5,000 to Akin's campaign -- $2,500 for the Republican primary and $2,500 for the general election.

Including Akin's Senate race, Emerson's PAC has donated about a total of $29,000 to the Congressman through all his House campaigns, which included six successful races from 2000 through 2010. The Emerson Electric Co. Responsible Government Fund (the full official name of the PAC) has contributed to Democrats and Republicans, according to FEC records that date back to 1997.

Emerson spokesman Mark Polvin said in a phone interview that neither the company nor Farr has a comment on the contributions.

Republicans, including presidential candidate Mitt Romney, have sought to distance themselves from Akin, who later apologized. Akin said women rarely are impregnated during rapes as the stress endured doesn't allow the eggs to be fertilized.

More company PACs that have donated at least $10,000 to Akin's campaign include defense contractor Northrop Grumman (NOC), aerospace company Boeing (BA), beer brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), defense companyGeneral Dynamics (GD) and diversified industrial group Honeywell International (HON), among others.

"Honeywell supports those who support the policies most important to our businesses and help drive the U.S economy and create American jobs," Honeywell spokesman Robert Ferris said in an email. "The donation made to Rep. Akin was made prior to his recent controversial comment."

Spokespersons for the other companies mentioned were not immediately available for comment.

-- Written by Joe Deaux in New York.

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