Hundreds of corporate representatives and celebrities on Wednesday signed a statement opposing any law restricting access to polls in the United States, as many of the texts presented by Republicans on how the election should be held are being examined.
Multinational corporations such as Amazon, Facebook and Goldman Sachs, wealthy businessmen such as Michael Bloomberg and Warren Buffett, major law firms, NGOs, but also actor George Clooney and singer Paula Abdul have their names on it.
“For American democracy to work in the interest of all of us, we must guarantee the right to vote for everyone,” written in this statement published in the form of an advertisement in The New York Times And the Washington Post.
“We should all feel a responsibility to defend the right to vote and oppose any discriminatory legislation or action that restricts or prevents any eligible voter from getting an equal and fair opportunity to vote,” he added in the text provided by former American Express President Kenneth. Chennault and current Merck president Kenneth Frazier, both are African-American.
They have sought to mobilize the business world since the state of Georgia passed a law supposed to combat electoral fraud, for example by strengthening controls over the identity of voters who vote by mail.
But according to its critics, it limits access to the polls and is specifically aimed at African American voters.
However, in Georgia, a southern US state still reeling from the wounds of apartheid, Joe Biden won in November 2020 thanks to record mobilization, particularly black voters.
Many texts similar to the one that were adopted in Georgia are now being prepared, especially in Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Michigan.
Led by Donald Trump, who has not openly acknowledged his defeat, many Republicans have already considered, without evidence, that the recent election was marred by fraud.
In this context, many civil rights organizations and personalities are pressing companies to intervene more forcefully in the political debate.
