Dozens of companies, including Amazon, Google, Starbucks and Netflix, have joined hundreds of business leaders, celebrities and other prominent names to sign a new statement opposing ‘any discriminatory legislation’ restricting access to the ballot.
The statement, which appeared Wednesday as ads in The New York Times and The Washington Post, is the latest and greatest mobilization by U.S. businesses against restrictive legislation by Republicans across the country..
“We stand for democracy,” reads the statement, which spans two full pages. “We must all have a responsibility to defend the right to vote and to oppose discriminatory legislation or measures that restrict or prevent any voter from having an equal and equitable opportunity to vote.”
In addition to companies and their leaders, the signatories of the statement include celebrities, large law firms and non-profit organizations. The Times first reported the statement.
Target, Bank of America, Apple, Cisco, Berkshire Partners, American Express and Wells Fargo were among dozens of other companies that signed, while George Clooney, Paula Abdul, Michael Bloomberg, Mark Ruffalo, Demi Lovato, Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target, and Warren Buffett was among hundreds of individuals. John Kushner, brother of son-in-law Jared Kushner, and founder of venture capital firm Thrive Capital, also signed the letter.
The showdown comes as Republicans across the country promote hundreds of restrictions, changes that voters and civil rights groups claim will excessively affect colored voters. Republicans say they need to restore confidence in U.S. elections, even if they remain skeptical about the integrity of the election that former President Donald Trump lost. By all accounts, the 2020 election was secure and its results accurate. Nevertheless, more than 350 restrictive bills are being considered in 47 state legislatures, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, which has been monitoring the legislation.
“I think it’s an indisputable proof of business community unity that democracy is a priority,” said Mike Ward, a co-founder of the Civic Alliance, a non-partisan group that encourages civic enterprise participation. .
Ward said he helped reach out to businesses about signing the letter.
“We didn’t get many nos,” he told NBC News.
NBC News previously reported that more than a dozen major law firms – including one of the signatories to the statement, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison of New York – are planning a commitment of more than a year to lift any restrictions combat.
Brad Karp, chairman of Paul, Weiss, said the effort would send ‘SWAT teams’ of lawyers in private practice to countries to help the lawyers and attorneys who usually file lawsuits.
