Georgia Lawmakers Demand Removal Of Coca-Cola Drinks In Latest Boycott Over Voting Law


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Topline

A group of Georgia lawmakers are demanding Coca-Cola products be removed from their office suite after the company’s CEO panned Georgia’s new voting law, the latest boycott called by Republicans to retaliate against companies they claim are contributing to an “out of control cancel culture.”

Key Facts

On Saturday, a group of Republian state lawmakers who share an office suite sent a letter to Kevin Perry, president of the Georgia Beverage Association, calling for all Coca-Cola products to be pulled from their office space “immediately.”

“Given Coca-Cola’s choice to cave to the pressure of an out of control cancel culture, we respectfully requisition all Coca-Cola Company products to be removed from our office suite immediately,” they wrote, adding they would reconsider if Coke were to “accept their role in the dissemination of mistruths.”

State representatives Victor Anderson, Matt Barton, Clint Crowe, Stan Gunter, Dewayne Hill, Lauren McDonald, III, Jason Ridley and Marcus Wiedower signed on to the letter.

Republican lawmakers also slammed Delta Airlines and Major League Baseball last week for voicing opposition to the new Georgia voting law.

Coca-Cola did not immediately respond to a Forbes request for comment.

Key Background

Last week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a bill to tighten voting restrictions, leading to sweeping outcry from critics who dubbed the legislation “Jim Crow 2.0.” James Quincey, the chief executive of Atlanta-based Coca Cola, told CNBC the law is “unacceptable,” and “a step backwards.” The new Georgia law, passed March 25, stipulates increased identification requirements for mail-in voting, prohibits third-party groups from passing out snacks or water to voters waiting in line and tightens how many ballot drop boxes are permitted in Georgia. Georgia lawmakers responded to criticism from Delta by voting March 31 to strip the airline of a jet fuel tax break worth tens of millions. Major League Baseball also announced Friday it would move its All-Star Game, originally slated for Atlanta this year, to another state because of the new voter restrictions. 

Chief Critic

Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams last week asked businesses not to boycott Georgia over the new law, writing in an op-ed for USA Today that boycotts could hurt the same working-class people who will be most disenfranchised by the new voting restrictions. “[Leaving] us behind won’t save us,” Abrams wrote. “So I ask you to bring your business to Georgia and, if you’re already here, stay and fight. Stay and vote.”

Further Reading

Twitter, Microsoft, MLB Among Group Denouncing Voting Restrictions (Forbes)

Georgia House Passes Bill Stripping Delta Of A Multimillion Tax Break After It Slammed The State’s New Voting Restrictions (Forbes)

Georgia GOP-Backed Voting Restrictions Face Pushback From Business Lobby (Forbes)

Republicans Vow Boycott, Retaliation Against MLB Over Pulled All-Star Game (Forbes)



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