JetBlue promised to stop funding the Members of Congress who incited the Coup on the Capitol...or so we thought.

 

Dear John, 

Just as soon as we told you about AT&T, T-Mobile, and Intel backing out of their promise to stop funding insurrection-inciting Members of Congress, JetBlue also backed out of their promise to stop PAC donations going to Congress Members who incited the riot on the Capitol. As of April 5, JetBlue made the first direct donation to an insurrection-inciting Member of Congress by giving $1,000 directly from their corporate PAC to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York.1

This is completely unacceptable. When white nationalists rioted on the Capitol, companies made a commitment to stop funding the Members of Congress who caused the riot and explicitly attempted to overthrow the will of Black voters. This doesn’t mean they can stop funding insurrection-inciters for a little while and get off scot free. Companies need to maintain their commitment, or else be considered culpable in a violent, deadly attempt to destroy our democracy.

CALL NOW!DEMAND JETBLUE RESCIND THEIR DONATION & STOP FUNDING INSURRECTION-INCITERS 

The insurrection was not some isolated incident; it was an escalation of white nationalist violence against our communities that has been legitimized by the members of Congress who incited the insurrection.2 In the lead up to the insurrection, members of Congress, like Senator Cruz and Representative Hawley, encouraged their followers to intimidate and harass poll workers in places like Georgia, Detroit, and Philadelphia, places that were trying to ensure every Black vote was counted.3 Politicians have continued to do everything in their power to get Black votes thrown out. After the insurrection, several members of Congress kept trying to undermine our democracy. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebart, for example, took the stage at Conservative Political Action Conference, pledged their loyalty to Trump, and made threats against other members of Congress.4 And just a few weeks ago, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp passed yet another voter suppression law.5

Corporations play a huge part in keeping these kinds of politicians in power. Insurrection-inciter, Blaine Luetkemeyer, for example, gets more than 72% of his political contributions just from corporations.6 Through their political giving, corporations empower candidates to spread misinformation and fuel white nationalist organizing. But we’re done allowing companies to get away with funding hate, misinformation and violence. We must tell JetBlue that we won’t allow them to fund white nationalism--not during an insurrection, not ever.

Money speaks. So we are adding JetBlue to the list of companies that we’re demanding permanently cut off funds to Congress members who incited the insurrection and create a public, long-term political funding plan that excludes donations to insurrection-inciters. Join us as we hold JetBlue accountable for breaking their promise and continuing to fund insurrection-inciters.

MAKE THE CALL!HOLD JETBLUE ACCOUNTABLE FOR FUNDING INSURRECTION-INCITERS!

Until justice is real, 
—Jade and the Color Of Change team

References:

  1. “JetBlue Makes 1st PAC Giving to Election Objector After Halt (1),” Bloomberg Government, April 7, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300013?t=9&akid=50533%2E4731121%2EeZJMTg 
  2. “The Far Right Told Us What It Had Planned. We Didn’t Listen.” The New York Times, January 7, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/292187?t=11&akid=50533%2E4731121%2EeZJMTg
  3. “Poll: Most GOP Voters Still Support Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz After Capitol Riots,” Forbes, January 22, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/298163?t=13&akid=50533%2E4731121%2EeZJMTg
  4. “CPAC to put 2020 election claims center stage just weeks after Capitol attack,” ABC News, February 24, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/298155?t=15&akid=50533%2E4731121%2EeZJMTg 
  5. “Yes, the Georgia election law is that bad,” Vox, April 6, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300014?t=17&akid=50533%2E4731121%2EeZJMTg 
  6. “Meet the Most Corporate PAC-Reliant Reps in Congress,” Sludge, January 16, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/298156?t=19&akid=50533%2E4731121%2EeZJMTg

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