Correction: A Mother Jones represenative writes to clarify that the magazine did not "team up" with CREDO for the email. It was sent as a sponsored message to the magazine's newsweletter recipients, not its subscribers.

It may be more advertising ploy than political maneuver, but mobile phone company CREDO Mobile is using Rep. Michele Bachmann to try to convince AT&T subscribers to switch providers.

The company, which doesn't hide its progressive bend and supports nonprofits, teamed up with Mother Jones sent a sponsored message via email to Mother Jones subscribers newsletter recipients today, media website Fishbowl DC reported.

The email noted that AT&T has given $17,000 to Bachmann through its political action committee, including $5,000 this election cycle.

"That's a lot of money for someone who described President Obama as 'anti-American,'" the email said, suggesting that AT&T users switch to CREDO Mobile.

The plea for customers to flee AT&T is in some ways similar to the backlash Target has faced for giving $150,000 to conservative group MN Forward, which is backing Republican candidate Tom Emmer for governor.

That case is tied to the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, which said corporations and unions could spend unlimited funds to oppose or support candidates.

But AT&T's contributions to Bachmann are nothing new — they were made through the company's PAC and were allowed before the Citizens United ruling.

Plus, they're hardly limited to Bachmann. Since 2009, the company has given $2.4 million to nearly 400 House members and candidates — half to Republicans, half to Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.