UPDATE: Disney responds
On Tuesday, Popular Information reported on five states outside of Florida where Disney has operations — Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas — that are advancing policies targeting LGBTQ people. After initially staying silent on Florida's "Don't Say Gay" legislation, Disney CEO Bob Chapek promised earlier this month to "be a stronger ally" and "combat similar legislation in other states." So Popular Information contacted Disney in advance of publication and asked if it opposed the anti-LGBTQ policies advancing in these states. Disney did not respond.
Later Tuesday, however, Disney published a statement on LinkedIn saying it "denounce[s] the discriminatory bills advancing in states across the country that are harmful to all of us" and "oppose[s] any legislation that infringes on basic human rights."
Similar statements were posted Tuesday by numerous Disney subsidiaries including ABC, FX, National Geographic, Marvel Studios, and Disney+.
The statements were viewed as welcome but not sufficient by many Disney employees who walked off the job on Tuesday, demanding stronger action. One Disney employee involved in the walkout told Popular Information that the social media posts were appreciated but "stop short of promising the actual change we demand."
Disney employees are demanding that the company permanently "cease all campaign donations" to Florida politicians behind the "Don't Say Gay" legislation and commit to taking concrete action to oppose legislation targeting LGBTQ people in Florida and other states, including suspending new investments.
UPDATE: Three members of Congress reject contributions from Koch Industries
On March 14, Popular Information broke the news that Koch Industries, the conglomerate run by right-wing billionaire Charles Koch, was continuing to do business in Russia through three subsidiaries. Popular Information also exposed how pundits and groups backed by Charles Koch were publicly advocating against economic sanctions on Russia — without disclosing their ties to Koch.
On March 16, Koch Industries confirmed its business activities in Russia and announced it had no plans to stop. It claimed, implausibly, that leaving the country would help the Putin regime.
Now, three members of Congress who previously were supported by Koch Industries announced they will no longer accept the company's PAC contributions, CNBC reports.
Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) "won’t accept future donations from Koch Industries and will donate what it has recently received to a charity dedicated to providing aid to Ukraine." Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) says he won't accept money from the company “[a]s long as Koch Industries continues to do business in Russia while the country is at war with Ukraine" and will donate "the amount received from the Koch Industries PAC this cycle to a non-profit dedicated to …providing aid to the people of Ukraine.” Finally, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) "will not accept any future campaign contributions until they disassociate from Russia."
The vast majority of Koch Industries PAC donations go to Republicans but, thus far, none have indicated they will reject future donations.
Why are these so called democrats taking contributions from the shadow money network of libertarianism anyway? Are they "conservative democrats" that hide behind the likes of Mancin and Sinema? I am not familiar with them Judd and once again thank you for your perserverence.
Thank you for all you do! I am always impressed with your work, and question why the mainstream media with all its resources does so little with regard to holding powerful people and industries accountable.