Several large corporations that have recently issued public statements supporting voting rights — including Google, Deloitte, and Citigroup — are also funding and collaborating with a top Republican group advocating for new voter suppression laws.
We have 18 months until midterm elections will decide the fate of the Democrat majorities. Focusing on piecemeal legislation is too slow, and likely to fail. I’m not suggesting that we give up, but rather focus on a practical response as demonstrated by Stacy Abrams and her success in Georgia. We need to beat the Republicans at their own game. The obstacles they are erecting are just that - obstacles. They are not barriers. People who are disenfranchised temporarily are still ELIGIBLE to vote. We need local, grassroots organizations to monitor voter registrations and make sure everyone who is eligible is registered and has everything they need (ID, transportation, bottled water, an absentee ballot, whatever it takes) to exercise their voting rights. Voters need to send a clear message to the Republicans that their time has PASSED.
Getting caught with a corporate hand in the cookie jar requires no response from them. Their Silence is deafening. And on they go , saying one thing and doing another.
2022 looms large. The Dems have no stones. They need to get down and fight this on a Federal level while they can. They need to quit pussyfootin' around or the results are going to be devasting.
Window dressing. That's what the public statements by these corporations are. Without a mechanism to force them to act in accordance with their stated values or at least be compelled to more visibly disclose these contributions to current and potential shareholders, I fear we'll continue to see them ad nauseam.
Judd, you are proving time and again that by ‘following the money’ we get to the truth. Right now we are on the brink of a voter suppression so thorough that it will be next to impossible for Democrats to get elected. We have witnessed this happening over the years with gerrymandering. How are we going to put a stop to all this? When is the Republican Party going to be held accountable for the systemic destruction of our democracy? Anyone who can count knows there are MILLIONS more democrats in America than republicans yet they are almost always in the minority when it comes to political representation. Why? Because we are NOT a country of one person, one vote.
We -the American citizens- are all casualties of Corporatocracy & the sick, parasitic relationship between Govt & large Corps.
They literally buy their agenda & direct Govt & media priorities, no matter what it does to the quality of life in America, to our social & civil fabric.
Judd, could I ask you to always include a simple graphic listing each company and the amount donated? Since most people I know just skim Facebook and Twitter, a succinct list is far more likely to have an impact. Thank you.
Thank you again, Judd. This GOP voter suppression is the most dangerous attack on democracies WORLDWIDE and we must defeat them, or slide into dictatorship and climate death.
Again: Is there any way to add to your articles the communications links with corporate offices so that we can take action to email them with our concerns about their financial behavior in light of their stated allegiance to voting rights? It's next to impossible to search their sites and find a direct way for the public to comment on their behavior. I've spent hours combing these corporate sites for a way to contact them about what I feel, largely to no avail. Having that info provided would be a Godsend in helping Popular Information and its readers be most effective.
We need to support a pathway and funding to have these exposes posted as full/half page ads in Washington Post, NYT, etc. While PI information is spread through other journalists, nothing exceeds like excess and big a** ads would get their attention. Make it blatantly hard for them to ignore or not respond.
Judd, I think you should brand your newsletter "Follow the Money."
After reading Matt Stoler's "Big" newsletter and seeing how it gets referenced a lot by journalists, I think your great work could use a clear brand identity that is likewise unique and easy for journalists and others to incorporate into their thinking and work.
"Judd Legum's 'Follow the Money' newsletter catches companies using PR to deceive their customers and employees about their true corporate values."
Your work should be a must-read reference for journalists writing about any company or employee or job applicant interested in how they align with corporate values.
How could any of these companies respond? What would they say? "We said voting rights matter but we also fund voter suppression efforts so we're just liars and will do what's best for our bottom line" - I think I would actually respect them more if that were their stance. I know it's not much, but I try as hard as I can to not patronize any of these corporations that have already gone back on their word to donate to those who sponsored and encouraged the capital attacks. Great work Judd and Nick!
Michigan State Senator Ruth Johnson is lying about the majority of Michigan voters being concerned with election integrity. She's been pushing that lie since 2010 when she was elected Secretary of State in Michigan. I've know Ruth since before she ran for public office, as an Oakland County Commissioner... she has changed drastically since her failed Lt. Governor race in 2006. she has become the epitome of the "Trump Republican" in all but pubic fact. She is more content working behind the scenes to erode public confidence in our elections than she is with making public statements. Snake in the grass is an apt term to consider.
We have 18 months until midterm elections will decide the fate of the Democrat majorities. Focusing on piecemeal legislation is too slow, and likely to fail. I’m not suggesting that we give up, but rather focus on a practical response as demonstrated by Stacy Abrams and her success in Georgia. We need to beat the Republicans at their own game. The obstacles they are erecting are just that - obstacles. They are not barriers. People who are disenfranchised temporarily are still ELIGIBLE to vote. We need local, grassroots organizations to monitor voter registrations and make sure everyone who is eligible is registered and has everything they need (ID, transportation, bottled water, an absentee ballot, whatever it takes) to exercise their voting rights. Voters need to send a clear message to the Republicans that their time has PASSED.
Getting caught with a corporate hand in the cookie jar requires no response from them. Their Silence is deafening. And on they go , saying one thing and doing another.
2022 looms large. The Dems have no stones. They need to get down and fight this on a Federal level while they can. They need to quit pussyfootin' around or the results are going to be devasting.
Joe Manchin OMG has so much power over this.
Good report. May it be spread far and wide.
Window dressing. That's what the public statements by these corporations are. Without a mechanism to force them to act in accordance with their stated values or at least be compelled to more visibly disclose these contributions to current and potential shareholders, I fear we'll continue to see them ad nauseam.
Agreed! Publicly they make declarations while still carrying out their private agendas -which oppose their public sentiments- in quiet.
Agreed. It's simply a calculated performance like so much of life these days.
We need a financial mechanism that pays better than these performances.
Judd, you are proving time and again that by ‘following the money’ we get to the truth. Right now we are on the brink of a voter suppression so thorough that it will be next to impossible for Democrats to get elected. We have witnessed this happening over the years with gerrymandering. How are we going to put a stop to all this? When is the Republican Party going to be held accountable for the systemic destruction of our democracy? Anyone who can count knows there are MILLIONS more democrats in America than republicans yet they are almost always in the minority when it comes to political representation. Why? Because we are NOT a country of one person, one vote.
We -the American citizens- are all casualties of Corporatocracy & the sick, parasitic relationship between Govt & large Corps.
They literally buy their agenda & direct Govt & media priorities, no matter what it does to the quality of life in America, to our social & civil fabric.
We are fcked.
Judd, could I ask you to always include a simple graphic listing each company and the amount donated? Since most people I know just skim Facebook and Twitter, a succinct list is far more likely to have an impact. Thank you.
I have a Twitter thread with that summary and a FB post with highlights.
Thank you!
Thank you again, Judd. This GOP voter suppression is the most dangerous attack on democracies WORLDWIDE and we must defeat them, or slide into dictatorship and climate death.
Again: Is there any way to add to your articles the communications links with corporate offices so that we can take action to email them with our concerns about their financial behavior in light of their stated allegiance to voting rights? It's next to impossible to search their sites and find a direct way for the public to comment on their behavior. I've spent hours combing these corporate sites for a way to contact them about what I feel, largely to no avail. Having that info provided would be a Godsend in helping Popular Information and its readers be most effective.
We need to support a pathway and funding to have these exposes posted as full/half page ads in Washington Post, NYT, etc. While PI information is spread through other journalists, nothing exceeds like excess and big a** ads would get their attention. Make it blatantly hard for them to ignore or not respond.
Judd, I think you should brand your newsletter "Follow the Money."
After reading Matt Stoler's "Big" newsletter and seeing how it gets referenced a lot by journalists, I think your great work could use a clear brand identity that is likewise unique and easy for journalists and others to incorporate into their thinking and work.
"Judd Legum's 'Follow the Money' newsletter catches companies using PR to deceive their customers and employees about their true corporate values."
Your work should be a must-read reference for journalists writing about any company or employee or job applicant interested in how they align with corporate values.
This now seems to be an existential crisis for our country, the soul of America.
Thank you, Judd and Nick, for this excellent reporting.
I hope that your reports get shared widely within the companies you highlight because employees could be a source of influence.
How could any of these companies respond? What would they say? "We said voting rights matter but we also fund voter suppression efforts so we're just liars and will do what's best for our bottom line" - I think I would actually respect them more if that were their stance. I know it's not much, but I try as hard as I can to not patronize any of these corporations that have already gone back on their word to donate to those who sponsored and encouraged the capital attacks. Great work Judd and Nick!
Excellent reporting, Judd. I confess to being a little shocked that Google’s money came from the corporate checkbook.
Judd, is this supposed to be 2021?
“AstraZeneca donated $200,000 to the RSLC in 2020 and another $200,000 in 2010.”
Every time I read the headlines I despise what this country is turning into. Hate, hate, hate!
Michigan State Senator Ruth Johnson is lying about the majority of Michigan voters being concerned with election integrity. She's been pushing that lie since 2010 when she was elected Secretary of State in Michigan. I've know Ruth since before she ran for public office, as an Oakland County Commissioner... she has changed drastically since her failed Lt. Governor race in 2006. she has become the epitome of the "Trump Republican" in all but pubic fact. She is more content working behind the scenes to erode public confidence in our elections than she is with making public statements. Snake in the grass is an apt term to consider.