Friend,
Yet again, major corporations are professing their support of voting rights in public and privately funding the very lawmakers who are preventing voting rights legislation from being passed. This is not the first time we’ve seen this hypocrisy, and we won’t let it stand.
Despite having signed a letter in support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act this past July, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Intel, Target, Dell, Cisco, and Boston Scientific have all donated thousands of dollars in 2021 alone to the same Republican Senators that just voted against even holding debate on that bill[1] – let alone passing it. We will not let these wealthy and influential corporations get away with this hypocrisy.
Voting rights are the very heart and soul of American democracy – and should be a nonpartisan issue – and these corporations should be taking a strong stance to protect those rights. In 2006, the Voting Rights Act was re-authorized on a vote of 98-0 in the Senate. But the Republican lawmakers currently in office have decided that they can hold onto power if they desecrate our sacred right to vote – and these corporations are behaving as if they can quietly go about business as usual. Nothing will be “business as usual” in Washington until access to the ballot box for every single eligible voter is protected by law.
These anti-voting rights lawmakers will pay more attention to the call for voting rights if the corporate funds stop flowing into their campaigns – so that’s what needs to happen. If these eight corporations want to support voting rights, they should stop donating to the Republican lawmakers who are preventing the passage of desperately needed voting rights protections such as the John Lewis VRAA and the Freedom to Vote Act.
These corporations think they can get away with these donations because no one is paying attention to their PAC contributions, so we’re going to prove them wrong. We’re watching you, corporations – it’s time to start living your stated values and stop quietly funding the suppression of our fundamental rights.
Thank you for all that you do,
– Ben Jealous, President
[1] “REPORT: Corporations Claiming to Support John Lewis Voting Rights Bill Gave $164K to Senate Republicans That Blocked It.” (Accountable.US, 11/5/2021.)
|
Do not reply directly to this e-mail. Please use [email protected]. Trouble viewing the email? THANK YOU for your support of People For the American Way! This email was sent to [email protected]. Reaching you over email is the best way we have to let you know about the ways you can take action to fight the Right Wing and defend our constitutional rights and values. If you have any thoughts, comments, or criticisms, or if there's a better email address at which to reach you, please let us know>> If you'd like to unsubscribe from our list, you can do that here>> Radical Right extremists are trying to turn back the clock on a century of advances in civil rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, the social safety net and more… they’re waging an all-out assault on the fundamental pillars of our country – democracy, checks and balances, a fair and independent judicial branch, and core values like fairness, equality, and justice for all. People For is fighting back every day with: ✔ Grassroots organizing But we can’t do this vital work without the robust grassroots financial support of our members and activists.
|
|||
|
