Civic Register
| 4.7.21
McConnell Tells Businesses ‘Stay Out of Politics’ – Except For Campaign Donations
Should companies stay out of politics except for political contributions?
What's the story?
- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is telling CEOs criticizing a new Georgia voting rights law to “stay out of politics," warning they "will invite serious consequences if they become a vehicle for far-left mobs to hijack our country from outside the constitutional order."
- However McConnell, who received over $4.3 million in corporate PAC donations in the 2020 cycle, carved out an exception for campaign contributions:
"[I'm] not talking about political contributions, [which are] fine, it’s legal, it’s appropriate. I support that.”
What are the threats?
- GOP lawmakers have railed against Major League Baseball's decision to relocate its all-star game from Georgia to Colorado, threatening retaliation by stripping it of an exemption from federal antitrust laws.
- And shortly after Delta slammed Georgia's voting-restriction law, the GOP-controlled House voted to strip away a sales tax exemption for jet fuel. (The bill did not pass the state Senate).
Unconstitutional?
- Punishing corporations for opposing GOP policies would likely face legal challenges, as the Constitution forbids the government from retaliating against anyone for expressing political views that members of the government disagree with.
- Basically: The government cannot punish a business for exercising its First Amendment rights.
- There are various Supreme Court decisions that uphold this reasoning, including Perry v. Sindermann (1972):
“[E]ven though a person has no ‘right’ to a valuable governmental benefit and even though the government may deny him the benefit for any number of reasons, there are some reasons upon which the government may not rely."
- Sindermann alludes to threats of stripping tax-exemptions or instituting anti-trust laws, writing that the government:
"[M]ay not deny a benefit to a person on a basis that infringes his constitutionally protected interests — especially, his interest in freedom of speech.”
- Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ruled that that corporations have a First Amendment right to free speech because they are "associations of citizens" and, therefore, hold the collected free-speech rights of the individual citizens who constitute them.
What did CEOs do?
- CEOs for two of Georgia's largest corporations - Coca-Cola and Delta - are criticizing the Peach State's newly-passed voting restrictions.
- Late last month, Georgia become the first 2020 battleground state to pass sweeping legislation to roll back voting rights, despite no evidence of widespread fraud in November's election.
- Delta CEO Ed Bastian wrote in a memo to employees that the law was “unacceptable” and “based on a lie” of widespread fraud in last November’s election. Soon after, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey told CNBC that the legislation was "unacceptable, ... wrong, and needed to be remedied."
-Josh Herman
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We must have campaign reform and get the money out of politics. The will of the people should not be circumvented by money. Issues should be debated for their ability to correct issues and solve problems.
If it was up to Mitch McConnell, Americans would still be in the dark ages. He needs to understand that the citizens of this country need to keep moving forward. D. Bauman
Politics should not be decided by size of the company’s wallet. Sports and actors should stay out of politics. B
American Corporations should support Democracy & the foundational voters’ rights that are the entire foundation of that democracy. It is the same will of those same people who support the products & services of those corporations. They should be boycotted if they support any efforts or politicians promoting voter suppression or the Big Lie.
McConnell should shut up!
Republicans should stay out of politics. That would make America great again.
McConnell is the last one that should be talking he’s a total hypocrite although I agree with the sentiment it’s the person speaking those words that I don’t agree with
Tell McConnell to shut the f up.
They should stay out entirely. We wouldn’t have to boycott them if they weren’t funneling money to evil, unamerican bastards like McConnell.
Run your business and shit up. Do I care what the CEO of any company thinks on any subject other than his own industry, NO. It only makes me angry and I want to boycott that company ie. the All Star Game. Hope nobody watches.
Not only should businesses stay out of politics, they should be prohibited from funding candidates, parties, PACS or political issues. Contrary to the SCOTUS ruling, big business has too much money to drive legislation at the Federal and State levels.
Nobody makes a contribution to a political individual without expecting some for of reward, I say that as it applies to corporations only. To put it bluntly, large corporations are buying influence, plain and simple. I don't think any individual outside the individual state should be allowed to contribute to a state representative re-election, that includes corporations. The only people who should vote in Maine or citizens of this state period.
I will continue to boycott all companies who infringe on my rights as an American. Companies should not be allowed to stop free speech or use influence to peddle their ideology when it infringes on others rights.
SinceCitizen United said that companies expend money as an element of free speech, then this is what you get.
Hey mitch Your dumbkopf buddy who you kissed & empowered called you "dumb son of a b----" and a "stone cold loser" What say you? I think its high time you were clear in your position instead of shouting at corporates who fund you and sneaking around and undermining democracy by planting extremists in the name of ‘conservatism’!
Typical GOP myopic hypocrisy!
No matter what you say corporations are not people and any attempt to buy a candidate should be met with a prison sentence. While we are at it we should stop political districting that favors any side over another. Every vote should count on its own.
I do not understand the voting issue in Georgia at all. Georgia is just full of whiners confronting the governor...and the corporation’s feel that they must jump in, acting like fools. I am a senior citizen so some may not like my comments BUT when I voted, in California, you voted only on the day for voting. Your employer would allow you time off to vote. Absentee ballots could be requested for military (out of country), citizens out of their voting precinct and those physically unable to get to voting areas. When you voted you had to have your registration card and/or ID and you were checked against registration records...no registration, no vote. There was no food or water provided while waiting. There were no early voting days. We still knew it was a privilege to vote and we took it seriously. Over time we have just have become stupid with entitlement...people believe they should be fed, they should have water, they should have days to vote, they should have mail in ballots (which are loosely controlled), and they should not have to verify who they are. We just were not so lazy and we did not expect to be taken care of. These people and corporations protesting represent our entitlement society.
First, whatever the kick Moscow Mitch says—IGNORE IT-he is a traitor and a hypocrite—so he does not deserve an once of respect or support. Now as for companies making a stand with issues in politics—ABSOLUTELY!!! They have EVERY RIGHT to voice their opinions on political issues—we see it ALL THE TIME ON THE RIGHT—hello the My Pillow idiot, the owner of UnderArmor (who said the Racist in Chief was a real asset to our country, which Steph Curry replied, “He’s right—IF you remove the et”—from asset). I didn’t hear Moscow Mitch’s outrage against those companies. So the companies taking a stand against these new attempts at voter suppression and out right Jim Crow laws NEED TO BE APPLAUDED AND SUPPORTED FOR STANDING UP TO DEMOCRACY!!! Remember, the Nazi’s destroyed Germany’s democracy by getting democratically elected and then chipped away at people’s rights.
If Companies Donate to Political Campaigns, they have a Right to Voice there Opinion on Issues that our Lawmakers are weighing in on. If McConnell, doesnt want companies to Voice their Opinion, then he Should Not Accept any $$ from any Businesses.