"Generally speaking, you give because you expect to get," Levinson, who specializes in election law, says. "People often become big donors all of a sudden because either the makeup of the legislature changes or the administration changes, sometimes unexpectedly, and they realize it’s too late for a campaign contribution." Trump's victory was a surprise to the majority of the country, so Levinson says it's likely that money contributed after the fact is done in an effort to curry favor with the elected official and those who have power over regulatory agencies. (The FDA, which regulates cosmetics, comes to mind — especially as consumers push for stricter laws and approvals over the products they put on their skin.)