The upcoming GOP Convention faces even more turmoil as more companies announce they “are opting to drop or scale back their sponsorship” of the event this year.
Among those to signal in recent days that they won’t sponsor the convention this year are Wells Fargo & Co., United Parcel Service Inc., Motorola Solutions Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Ford Motor Co., and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. All of those companies sponsored the previous Republican conclave, in Tampa, Florida, in 2012.
Big corporations usually shy away from partisan politics, but they often support conventions to promote their brands and schmooze with state and federal officials. Trump’s nomination threatens both of those priorities, according to Republican operatives who advise companies on political activities. A Trump spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Since May, the event has been hemorrhaging sponsorships, in large part to the upcoming coronation of Donald Trump.
Earlier this month Buzzfeed joined HP, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft in also severing or cutting back financial ties to the convention, with Buzzfeed founder and CEO writing that “we don’t run cigarette ads because they are hazardous to our health, and we won’t accept Trump ads for the exact same reason.”
Civil rights advocacy group Color of Change has been leading the effort to put pressure on other companies, with the groups saying “If any of their employees walked inside their jobs and said the things Donald Trump is saying on the campaign trail, in front of countless cameras and journalists, they would be fired.”
“Corporations play a powerful role in sending a message to everyday people about what’s acceptable in the public space. This is not a business-as-usual convention.”
Here at America’s Voice we’ve launched a new web site, RepublicanNativistConvention.com, to keep track of each Republican governor, Senator, and Congressman who is publicly asked about his support for Trump’s candidacy, and refused to disavow him after his racist and incendiary remarks.
