Forum Post: Common Cause Example:

Some very encouraging news on the Diageo front...

Recently, a right-wing, pro-corporate think tank called the Heartland Institute bought a series of billboards comparing people who believe to global warming to the likes of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski and mass murderer Charles Manson. A radical tactic in pursuit of a radical anti-science agenda.

Diageo, who had given some funding to Heartland in the past responded by cutting ties to the Institute. This should give us hope that Diageo sees the harm in having its brands associated with right-wing extremism.

Please call Diageo, USA and tell the company to cut ties with ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council: Larry Schwartz, President, (203) 229-7745 -OR- Zsoka McDonald, Public Relations Representative, (203) 229-4730

Please use our call report form to let us know how this round of calls goes.

http://site.pfaw.org/site/R?i=p5y1td8V6fIk82DcsuX0hg

In fact, Heartland is part of a group of think tanks and foundations around the country that helps supply ALEC with its ideas for bills to push in state legislatures. Let's encourage Diageo to make another correct choice and end its support for and affiliation with ALEC!

-- Ben

---

Tell Companies: Ditch ALEC

This week, Proctor & Gamble announced it was leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). And not only that! Dozens of state legislators who were members of ALEC, in states across the country, are withdrawing as members.

YOUR calls have been absolutely central to this success. We need to keep it up!

Please call these companies now and tell them to cut ties with ALEC!

STATE FARM: Senior Vice President Louise Perrin, (414) 224-3618

JOHNSON & JOHNSON: Vice President of Gov. Affairs, Donald Bohn, (510) 248-2362

DIAGEO, USA: Larry Schwartz, President, (203) 229-7745 -OR- Zsoka McDonald, Public Relations Representative, (203) 229-4730

You can be sure that these companies will be paying close attention to the calls they are getting about leaving ALEC… and make no mistake, they are or will be getting calls from both sides. Right-wing activists like Michelle Malkin have been waging an online campaign to generate calls to companies telling them to support ALEC!

But our grassroots movement won’t be turned back by the supporters of ALEC’s dangerous far-right agenda -- as long as we keep the calls coming.

We’re continuing our hard push on State Farm to leave ALEC ... we know that the calls, both to executives and local insurance agents, have been getting the company’s attention.
We’re also ramping it up on Johnson & Johnson -- Proctor & Gamble is one of their biggest competitors, so we think P&G’s departure from ALEC will give us some leverage against Johnson & Johnson who have so far dug their heels in and tried to explain away their membership in ALEC instead of simply leaving.
Finally, we’re adding Diageo, the beverage company behind brands like Crown Royal, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Guinness, to our priorities list.

Please call all these companies now using the numbers above and then please fill out a call report form to let us know how it went.

http://site.pfaw.org/site/R?i=foxOu_aKlWCRWhwr9pq-pg

Thank you for your persistence! You are part of something big.

-- Ben Betz, Online Strategy Manager