Neither Kroger Nor Its Executives Signed On To The April 2021 New York Times Ad Of Corporations Claiming To Stand For Democracy And Against Restrictive Voting Bills. POLITICAL SPENDING 1/1/2021-12/31/2021 State Date Recipient Party Office Sought or Description Amount Source AR 09/2021 Arkansas Grocery & Retail NP Wine in Stores Initiative $8,625 South Region-Delta They also cannot be used for legal or administrative purposes. If you have questions, please contact Mary or Mike O'Bryan @ CSP home office at 502-368-4886. It passed the House, 220 to 210, last month as Republican lawmakers in several states advanced legislation that would impose new rules and restrictions on voting. [Bloomberg, 4/13/21], The Chamber Of Commerce Opposed The For The People Act, Making It A Key Vote, Saying It Would Consider Including Votes Related To This Bill In Our Annual How They Voted Scorecard. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes S. 1, disingenuously named the For the People Act of 2021. The Chamber will consider including votes related to this bill in our annual How They Voted scorecard. [Chamber of Commerce, 4/13/21]. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE Active - Quarterly Corporation PAC - Qualified - Lobbyist/Registrant PAC ID: C00059238 Registration date: August 09, 1976 Financial Summary Total raised Total spent Cash summary About this committee Raising Spending Filings Financial summary Two-year period Total raised Browse receipts 2332, KY H.B. On the campaign trail, Peter Meijer was a frequent critic of Trump's 2020 impeachment. Over the past 5 years, the Kroger Company Foundation provided more than $37 million in grants to local organizations. It Is Also A Right That Has Too Often Been Denied To Citizens, Especially People Of Color. The right to vote is sacred and the bedrock of our system of self-government. 1003, AZ S.B. Kroger Is Not A Member Of The Civic Alliance, A Nonpartisan Coalition Of Businesses That Seeks To Secure Voting Rights For All Americans. AL H.B. It would take important steps to limit gerrymandering and make sure that politicians dont get to handpick their voters and entrench their power. 530, MT S.B. [Govtrack, Accessed 2/7/22], Of The 212 Republican Members Of The House Of Representatives, 203 Voted To Block The Freedom To Vote: John R. Lewis Act, While Nine Did Not Vote. Matt.Perin@Kroger.com. Kroger Co PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates Summary Candidate Recipients Donors Expenditures PAC/Party Contributions Select a cycle: 2020 $126,000 Total contributions from Kroger Co PAC to federal candidates, 2019-2020 $41,500 (32.94%) To Democrats $84,500 (67.06%) To Republicans House Candidates, 2019-2020 i Republicans: 59.70% But the ProPublica-Post investigation, which analyzed millions of posts between Election Day and Jan. 6 and drew on internal company documents and interviews with former employees, provides the clearest evidence yet that Facebook played a critical role in the spread of false narratives that fomented the violence of Jan. 6. [The Washington Post, [Accountable.US, Corporate Anti-Democracy Donations Database, accessed. The new law will, in particular, curtail ballot access for voters in booming urban and suburban counties, home to many Democrats. Increasingly, theyre winning. A strong majority of senior executives (82% of survey respondents) also believe they will need additional resources to generate ESG disclosures that meet the information needs of critical stakeholders. [Deloitte, 3/14/22], The New York Times: Political Donations Fall Within The Purview Of The Burgeoning Environmental, Social And Governance Investing Movement, Known As E.S.G. And By Not Being Forthcoming About Donations, Or By Waving Away Inconsistencies Between Statements And Spending Investors Could Shun A Stock Or Organize Public Rebukes Of Directors. Political donations fall within the purview of the burgeoning environmental, social and governance investing movement, known as E.S.G. The final tally was 50 to 49 with GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voting with Democrats in favor. [CNN. [] Congress has the legal and constitutional power to ward off these attacks by passing the Freedom to Vote Act, which would set national standards to protect the freedom to vote, counter election sabotage, end partisan redistricting, and fix our broken campaign finance system. [Brennan Center for Justice. On May 19, 2021, 35 House Republicans Joined The Majority Of House Members In Voting For An Independent Commission To Investigate The January 6 Insurrection. Thirty-five House Republican broke ranks Wednesday evening to support legislation that would establish an independent commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. More than 440 bills with provisions that restrict voting access have been introduced in 49 states in the 2021 legislative sessions. At issue is the Chamber of Commerces fierce opposition to the Democratssweeping voting bill known as the For the People Act,whichadvocates say would counter effortsby Georgia and other states to impose new voting restrictions. [CNN. In light of those events, some companies are temporarily suspending any political action committee (PAC) donations to all lawmakers as they assess their policies. [The Hill. Campaign finance reform might be dead in Washington, but its making progress at the highest levels of corporate America. [United States Senate, 11/3/21], November 2021: Senate Republicans, Except For Sen. Murkowski, Blocked The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act With A 50-49 Procedural Vote On Whether To Open Debate On The Bill. [Kroger, 8/25/21]. The strength of our democracy depends on the integrity and fairness of our nations elections. 1, UT H.B. Be the first to know when corporations take actions that affect their scores, and get other newsworthy updates. Investors are battling with corporate boards, filing shareholder resolutions that demand more transparency and accountability about political donations. It passed the House, 220 to 210, last month as Republican lawmakers in several states advanced legislation that would impose new rules and restrictions on voting. [Bloomberg. In addition, The Kroger Foundation and the UPS Foundation are each donating $25,000 to the Volunteers for America, for a total of $50,000. Accountable.US conducted Nexis and Google searches using Krogers name combined with the terms disinformation and each of the following: election, 2020, ballot, vote, and voting. Accountable.US also ran the same searches with the term misinformation. As of August 11, 2022, Kroger does not appear to have enabled the sharing of electoral misinformation/disinformation nor allowed its platform to be used to share electoral misinformation/disinformation since the 2020 election cycle. The funds cannot be used for political purposes. The Kroger Co. Campaign finance reform might be dead in Washington, but its making progress at the highest levels of corporate America. The bill would require each state to ensure that individuals with disabilities have the same access to absentee ballots and applications as other voters, as well as making them electronically accessible to voters with disabilities, among other safeguards. [Brennan Center for Justice, 9/20/21], The Freedom To Vote Act Counters Long Lines And Related Discriminatory Practices by ensuring Lines Last No Longer Than 30 Minutes So That Individuals Subjected To Excessive Lines On Election Day Most Often Black And Latino Voters Are Protected From That Discrimination The Freedom to Vote Act [] Countering long lines and related discriminatory practices: The bill creates protections for individuals subjected to excessive lines on Election Day most often Black and Latino voters by requiring states to ensure that lines last no longer than 30 minutes and restricting states from prohibiting donations of food or water to voters waiting in line. [Brennan Center for Justice, 9/20/21], During The 2022 Election Cycle, Kroger Has Contributed At Least $6,500 To The Members Of Congress Who Objected To Certifying The Results Of The 2020 Presidential Election. [The New York Times, 1/7/21], In May 2021, Only 35 House Republicans Joined The Majority Of House Members In Voting For An Independent Commission To Investigate The January 6 Insurrection. Thirty-five House Republican broke ranks Wednesday evening to support legislation that would establish an independent commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. Our book shows that when voters are poorly informed, enough voters are more likely to make mistakes at the polls. 413, IA S.F. It said Oath Keepers was an IRS-approved non-profit organization and was . Another provision makes it a crime to offer water to voters waiting in lines, which tend to be longer in densely populated communities. [The New York Times. Just six GOP senators joined with the Democrats, leaving the measure short of the 60 votes needed to proceed. [NPR, 5/28/21], On June 30, 2021, Reps. Adam Kinzinger And Liz Cheney Were The Only House Republicans Who Voted To Create A Select Committee To Investigate January 6. [] Voting is a democratic principle that equally values the voice of every citizen. Many Business Roundtable member companies already provide paid time off either a full or partial day to employees for voting. The list of companies that say they are withholding political contributions after the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot continues to grow steadily. A call for increased disclosure around political spending from elected officials and shareholders could come to a head this spring as a number of publicly-traded companies hold their annual general meetings. [Fortune. Our recent research supports this view democracy is less likely to survive in a poor informational environment. At least 18 companies have donated or pledged to donate money to the BLM Global Network Foundation, according to a list compiled by the Washington-based Capital Research Center, which monitors. "It's time to blow up that board and start over," said Senate Floor Leader Damon Thayer about KET . The Senate failed to advance a sweeping voting rights bill Tuesday, stalling the Democratic legislation aimed at countering recent restrictive state measures pursued in Republican-led states. Kroger Does Not Appear To Have Enabled The Sharing Of Electoral Misinformation/Disinformation Nor Allowed Its Platform To Be Used To Share Electoral Misinformation/Disinformation Since The 2020 Election Cycle. It cant be overstated how much the events of this year have put the focus on political spending, said Shelley Alpern, the director of shareholder advocacy at Rhia Ventures, a social impact investment firm. Here, have a chart from the proxy report! In each of those states, the election was conducted without any evidence of widespread fraud, leaving election officials from both parties in agreement on the victory of Joseph R. Biden Jr. [The New York Times. Tell the CEO and other corporate leaders what you think about their commitment to democracy. As understanding grows about the risk and value creation opportunities that ESG presents, the demand for ESG disclosure has accelerated. Kroger Co. has suspended its political contributions to candidates in the wake of rioting and violence at the U.S. Capitol last week. 285, AL H.B. The final vote Friday was 54-35, but Republicans withheld the votes necessary to bring the bill up for debate. The final tally was 50 to 49 with GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voting with Democrats in favor. [CNN, 11/3/21], Politico: HR4 Would Restore Key Provisions Of The Voting Rights Act That Were Struck Down In 2013 By The Supreme Court. The strength of our democracy depends on the integrity and fairness of our nations elections. New Horn Poaply, Central Bohemia, Czechia jobs added daily. [Accountable.US, Corporate Anti-Democracy Donations Database, accessed 7/8/22]. According to Axios, "the 100 largest U.S. companies have so far committed $1.63 billion to organizations fighting racism and inequality.". Create an account If you have any technical support questions, please contact technical support . Increasingly, theyre winning. The number of public companies that disclose or prohibit political spending hit a record this year and more corporations are assigning directors the responsibility of decision-making amid an era of hyper-partisanship. [Politico. Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed into law Senate Bill 1, sweeping legislation that further tightens state election laws and constrains local control of elections by limiting counties ability to expand voting options. [The Texas Tribune. The companies that hold themselves accountable to their stakeholders by increasing transparency will be more viable and valuable in the long term. [Deloitte, 3/14/22], A March 2022 Deloitte Survey Found That Over Half Of Senior Executives Are Working To Establish An ESG Council Or Working Group In Place To Drive Strategic Attention To ESG Topics., Despite increased focus on ESG matters from stakeholders and the need to internally mobilize to create a robust ESG strategy and governance structure, less than a quarter (21% of survey respondents) currently have an ESG council or working group in place to drive strategic attention to ESG topics; however, more than half (57% of survey respondents) are actively working to establish one. After A Violent Mob Stormed The U.S. Capitol On January 6, 2021, 147 Members Of Congress Still Objected To Certifying The Results Of The 2020 Election. Coming on the heels of the Parkland school shooting earlier that year, Publix made its largest single political donation ever to Adam Putnam's failed campaign for the Republican nomination for . Input from our associates, managers, and executives help the company determine which issues, candidates, and organizations KroPAC will support. Both GOP lawmakers, who are frequent critics of former President Donald Trump, were among the 35 House Republicans who voted to establish an independent commission, which was blocked by Senate Republicans. [CNN, 6/30/21], In August 2021, All Republican Members Of The House Of Representatives Voted To Block The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021. Together, we can have an even greater impact. With more money being invested according to these principles, falling short in these areas by not being forthcoming about donations, or by waving away inconsistencies between statements and spending could lead investors to shun a stock or, as we have seen, organize public rebukes of directors. Investors are on alert for companies that take one position and make donations that support another. [The New York Times, Kroger strives to reflect the communities we serve and foster a culture that empowers everyone to be their true self, inspires collaboration, and feeds the human spirit. Since Early 2021, States Have Passed 32 Restrictive Voting Laws, Including Laws In Georgia And Texas That Would Restrict Ballot Access In Urban Areas And Curtail Local Control Of Elections. In three states, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, state lawmakers successfully pushed for investigations that sowed doubt about the results and tested the boundaries of their oversight. [The New York Times. Login - Kroger Proposal Management System Giving Back Username (email) Password (case sensitive) Forgot your Password? OpenSecrets A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization 1100 13th Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 857-0044 INFO: info@crp.org The Number Of Public Companies That Disclose Or Prohibit Political Spending Hit A Record In 2021. Grocery magnate Charles Butt tries to tap into his natural optimism when thinking about the future of public schools and Texas' children. they actually represent two-year periods. [Govtrack, 1/13/22], In January 2022, All Republican Members Of The Senate Voted To Block The Freedom To Vote: John R. Lewis Act. Read our 2022 foundation report POLITICAL SPENDING 1/1/2019-12/31/2019 State Date Recipient Party Office Sought or Description Amount Source AZ 11/11/201 9 Arizona DLCC D AZ LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE - FRY'S . Chief among Corporate America's political guardians is Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who last year raked in $1.24 million from industry behemoths like Walmart, Kroger, Chevron . difference between foo yung and omelette; cardinia shire burning off dates; mlb the show 20 plate discipline. The Halliburton Foundation makes direct donations to U.S.-based elementary and secondary schools along with colleges and universities. Our Recent Research Supports This View Democracy Is Less Likely To Survive In A Poor Informational Environment. Around the world, there are increasing concerns that fake news threatens democracy. THE KROGER CO. [The New York Times. Kroger gave $42,000 to federal candidates in the 2006 election through its political action committee - 5% to Democrats and 95% to Republicans. This tension between our ideals and individuals lived reality demands our constant vigilance as citizens. [LinkedIn, No matter your zip code, race, ethnicity, color, who you vote for, what language you speak, or whether you are our customers, one thing is clear: we all value the right to vote, and believe that all eligible Americans should have free, fair, and safe access to this fundamental right. Lobbying. Between January 1 and December 7, at least 19 states passed 34 laws restricting access to voting. 398, KS H.B. Several Corporations Suspended Donations To Lawmakers After 147 Members Of Congress Still Objected To Certifying The Results Of The Election Following The Insurrection At The Capitol. ambulance tailgate conversion As a pro-Trump protest turned into a violent attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 last year, four people in the crowd died. [New York Times, 1/5/22], 147 Members Of Congress Objected To Certifying The 2020 Presidential Election. Keep Our Groceries Tax OH WI Fred Meyer OR 2/12/2018 Yes! Matt.Perin@Kroger.com . Cincinnati-based Kroger employs . Through our Framework for Action, we are committed to standing together and mobilizing our people, passion, scale and resources to transform our culture and our communities. The business landscape today has been transformed by environmental and social concerns. On January 13, the House passed the two bills, now combined into one, titled Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. Democrats used an unrelated NASA bill as a legislative vehicle to fast-track consideration of the measure in the Senate. [emailprotected] Kroger Co., formerly (1883-1902) Great Western Tea Company and (1902-46) Kroger Grocery and Baking Co., American chain of supermarkets and related retail businesses. Senate Republicans blocked another voting rights bill Wednesday, as some on the left call to change the chambers rules to allow the Democratic Party to unilaterally change federal election law. The Kroger Foundation awards millions of dollars in grants annually to local nonprofit organizations and depends upon recommendations from local operating divisions for awarding those grants. In January 2021, 147 Members Of Congress Objected To Certifying The 2020 Presidential Election. Bipartisan legislation to establish an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has failed in the Senate, as Republicans staged their first filibuster since President Biden took office to block the plan. [Business For Voting Rights, Accessed 3/21/22]. [Accountable.US, Corporate Anti-Democracy Donations Database, accessed 7/8/22]. But most Republicans also oppose the more targeted Lewis-named legislation, which would restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013. [Politico, 8/24/21], The Hill: The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Would Modernize And Restore Preclearance, Prevent Laws That Unevenly Burden Voters Of Color, Limit Gerrymandering, And Ensure Politicians Cant Handpick Their Voters And Entrench Their Power. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would modernize and restore preclearance. Election and democracy experts say they see the rise of anti-democratic impulses in statehouses as a clear, new threat to the health of American democracy. We can both honor our nations history as the worlds shining example of participatory democracy and recognize its legacy of voter disenfranchisement. As The Number Of Corporations That Disclose Or Prohibit Political Spending Hit An All-Time High In 2021, Shareholders Have Been Calling For Disclosure Around Political Spending At Annual Shareholder Meetings. The New York Times: 24 Percent Of Republican Lawmakers In Closely Contested Battleground States Voted For An Outside, Partisan Review Of The 2020 Election (Often Referred To As An Audit). "Given the concerning nature of the allegations against this organization, we have immediately removed the group from receiving customer-directed funds," Kroger said in a statement. Halliburton Foundation. 1819, FL S.B. 319, NH H.B. And at many companies that plan to pause their political donations, details about their changes remain vague. For American democracy to work for any of us, we must ensure the right to vote for all of us. 176, MT H.B. For so many Americans, voting was a hard-fought right. [Accountable.US, Corporate Anti-Democracy Donations Database, accessed 7/8/22]. Hit enter to search or ESC to close. Republican lawmakers attempted to challenge the results of Arizona and Pennsylvania, two swing states Biden won, during and after a violent and deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. The Reviews Have Been Used To Justify New Voting Laws And Efforts To Decertify The 2020 Election. 24 percent of the Republican lawmakers voted for an outside, partisan review of the 2020 election (often referred to as an audit). Executives at over a third (35) of the 90 media organizations had given openly to politicians . View history William Rodney McMullen (born 1961) is an American businessman who has been the CEO of Kroger, the third-largest general retailer in the US, since January 1, 2014. The final vote Friday was 54-35, but Republicans withheld the votes necessary to bring the bill up for debate. The Collaborative Multi-Racial Political Study reveals that a robust 57% of white Americans believes there was voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, including 26% of whom believe there was definitely fraud in 2020. As business leaders and employers of, collectively, over 15 million people, we believe no American including our employees should have to choose between keeping their job and casting their vote. [Business Roundtable. It also includes new, much-needed safeguards against attempts to undermine the electoral process. [Brennan Center, 10/14/21], Brennan Center For Justice: The Freedom To Vote Act Is Historic Legislation To Strengthen American Democracy, Promote Racial Justice And Equity For All Americans. The Freedom to Vote Act is historic legislation to strengthen American democracy, promote racial justice and equity for all Americans, and thwart the assault on voting rights taking place in the states. Companies That Increase Transparency On Environmental And Social Concerns Will Be More Viable And Valuable In The Long Term While Those That Fail To Release Thorough Disclosures Risk Investors Shunning A Stock Or Organizing Public Rebukes. While Brandtjens audit has stalled after Vos refused to sign subpoenas for counties election equipment, Vos investigation is moving forward, led by a former state Supreme Court justice who has expressed openness to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindells baseless claims of election fraud. [Forbes, 9/26/21], HEADLINE: Audit Idiocy And Peddling Of The Big Lie Persist In Pennsylvania, With Help From Lancaster County State Rep. Dave Zimmerman. [LancasterOnline, 9/5/21], Election Lies And Partisan Election Audits Around The U.S. Have Been Used To Justify New Voting Laws And Present A Clear, New Threat To The Health Of American Democracy., Election Lies Have Provided The Foundation For New Laws That Make It Harder To Vote And Easier To Insert Partisanship In The Vote Count. These fictions about rigged elections and widespread fraud have provided the foundation for new laws that make it harder to vote and easier to insert partisanship in the vote count.