In response to AT&T continuing to donate to Republican objectors, contrary to its pledge, as reported by Judd Legum in Popular information, Folabi Olagbaju, Greenpeace USA Democracy Campaign Director said:
“When insurrectionists stormed the Capitol over a year ago, many companies, including AT&T, vowed to stop donating to the 147 Republicans who tried to overturn the election results. We now know these were just hollow words. Through loopholes, AT&T quickly started funneling money indirectly to Republican objectors. According to the latest FEC filings, the company recently donated tens of thousands of dollars directly to the campaigns of more than a dozen Republicans who voted to nullify the voters’ decision.
“Similarly, corporations and business leaders came out in droves following the summer 2020 uprisings, saying they support Black Lives Matter and our freedom to vote. But many of those same companies are contributing to extremist politicians introducing racist anti-voting legislation that disenfranchises Black, Brown, Indigenous, handicapped, younger, and older voters.
“According to the Greenpeace USA Report, Dollars vs. Democracy, AT&T is one of the worst culprits when it comes to supporting politicians intent upon silencing voters. In Texas, for example, AT&T contributed $100,000 to Gov Abbot’s PAC the same day he called a special session to pass the most draconian voter suppression bill to date in the country. AT&T also gave thousands of dollars in PAC money to Texas lawmakers after they voted for voter suppression bill SB7, which has been described as “the largest step-back since Jim Crow.”
“According to the same report, AT&T is also the #1 contributor to state legislators pushing anti-protest bills. Many of which were introduced after the Black Lives Matter-led racial justice demonstrations of 2020 and resistance to fossil fuel pipelines led by Indigenous water protectors.
“Greenpeace USA is calling on AT&T to stop giving money to radical right-wing insurrectionists and instead publicly support the freedom to vote for all Americans and the integrity of election results.”
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Contact: Valentina Stackl, Senior Communications Specialist, (734) 276 6260, [email protected]
