According to a statement by the meeting organizers, more than a hundred top executives and business leaders gathered online this weekend to discuss their response to restrictive voting laws pending in several states and already enacted in Georgia.
The statement did not identify the participants, but The Washington Post reported that the meeting included executives from major airlines, retailers, and manufacturers, and at least one NFL owner.
Without providing specific details, the statement – released by the Yale School of Management and two other citizen groups – noted that “CEOs were willing to act individually and collectively to strengthen American democracy and ensure that Americans have access to it. a world-class voting system. “
Such actions could include stopping donations to politicians backing the bills and even delaying investment in states that pass the restrictive measures, said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale management professor and one of the organizers.
The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources in attendance, reported that Kenneth Chenault, the former chief executive of American Express Co., and Kenneth Frazier, CEO of Merck & Co., urged dozens of leaders to jointly press to call for more voting rights. Chenault and Frazier warned companies not to drop the issue and asked CEOs to sign a statement opposing what they perceive to be discriminatory voting laws.
The new statement could come early this week and would build on a statement signed by 72 black executives last month in the wake of changes to Georgia’s voting laws, the paper’s report said.
A number of companies and their leaders have spoken out on the issue in recent weeks. While Republican lawmakers like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Deride such actions, many activists and others say big business has not gone far enough.
According to a report by the Brennan Center for Justice, a public policy think tank, more than 350 different ballot rulings are being considered in dozens of states.
The Journal reported that during the call some executives referred to some bills as racist or restrictive, and several participants described their efforts as crucial to democracy, rather than partisan.
While many companies have indicated their support for a statement or further action, some remain reluctant to speak out on a politically charged issue.