Latest news with #EndingIllegalDiscriminationandRestoringMerit-basedOpportunity
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Virginia NAACP condemns Virginia Attorney General Miyares for anti-DEI letter
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia NAACP condemns Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares following his letter to Costco asking them to end their DEI policies. 'Attorney General Miyares' attempt to impose a political agenda on businesses in Virginia is troubling.' says Virginia NAACP President Rev. Cozy Bailey, in a release. , the condemnation came after a joint-letter was sent to the CEO of Costco, Ron Vachris. In the letter, it asks Vachris to 'end all unlawful discrimination imposed by the company through diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.' The letter comes in compliance with President Donald Trump's 'Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunity' executive order and is co-signed by 18 attorney state generals, including Miyares. 'Although Costco's motto is 'do the right thing,' it appears that the company is doing the wrong thing—clinging to DEI policies that courts and businesses have rejected as illegal,' the letter reads. The anti-DEI effort and letter has angered some organizations throughout Virginia. One of these organizations includes The Virginia NAACP. 'By urging Costco to drop its diversity policies, he aligns himself with a movement that undermines the values of equity and inclusion that our Commonwealth stands for.' says Virginia NAACP President Rev. Cozy Bailey, in a release. The Virginia NAACP claimed that Miyares' MAGA influenced actions will disrupt years of inclusionary progress made in Virginia, a release states. 'Racial equity and remedying systemic racism should be a core value. Instead, the Attorney General is signaling a regression to the deeply entrenched policies of yesterday.' says Virginia NAACP President Rev. Cozy Bailey, in a release. Additionally, The Virginia NAACP urged the community to get involved. 'Elections have consequences, and it is essential that we elect representatives who will stand against these divisive tactics and fight for the rights of all Virginians. The stakes are too high. We must ensure that our voices are heard and that the values of equity and diversity remain at the forefront of Virginia policies.' says Virginia NAACP President Rev. Cozy Bailey, in a press release. The Costco board of directors unanimously voted to reject any anti-DEI related proposals. The board said how their 'commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary. The report requested by this proposal would not provide meaningful additional information.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Republican-led states call on Costco to drop DEI
A group of Republican attorneys general are demanding Costco end all of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies as a plethora of other retailers drop their programs. In a letter to the wholesale store on Monday, the 19 Republicans demand Costco repeal their DEI policies within the next 30 days. If not, the attorneys general say, the company must provide an explanation as to why. The GOP officials, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, argue the company's DEI policies are 'discriminatory.' 'Although Costco's motto is 'do the right thing,' it appears that the company is doing the wrong thing — clinging to DEI policies that courts and businesses have rejected as illegal,' the letter states. 'Costco should treat every person equally and based on their merit, rather than based on divisive and discriminatory DEI practices.' The letter points to President Trump's recent orders to dismantle DEI in the federal government and private sector. That order, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunity, states that DEI policies 'not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system.' During the 2024 campaign cycle, Republicans across the nation, including Trump, vowed to repeal DEI policies. While companies including Target, Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, McDonald's and Walmart have all rolled back their DEI policies, Costco has been among retailers to double down on theirs. Just this month, more than 98 percent of shareholders voted against a proposal to evaluate any risks posed by its DEI practices. One shareholder, Jeff Raikes, co-founder of the Raikes Foundation and former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, argued in an op-ed for Forbes that 'opportunistic politicians have been trying to frighten and divide us by making DEI a dirty word.' DEI has come under fire since the Supreme Court's 2023 decision to end affirmative action in college admissions, which the letter highlights multiple times. Race-neutral practices, the letter argues, honor the founding ideals of this country. 'Costco should 'do the right thing' by following the law and repealing its DEI policies,' the letter concludes. In addition to Paxton and Bird, the letter was also signed by Kansas's Kris Kobach; Alabama's Steve Marshall; Louisiana's Liz Murrill; Arkansas's Tim Griffin; Missouri's Andrew T. Bailey; Georgia's Chris Carr; Montana's Austin Knudsen; Idaho's Raúl R. Labrador; Nebraska's Mike Hilgers; Kentucky's Rusell M. Coleman; North Dakota's Drew Wrigley; Ohio's Dave Yost; Oklahoma's Gentner Drummond; South Carolina's Alan Wilson; South Dakota's Marty Jackley; Tennessee's Jonathan Skrmetti; and Virginia's Jason S. Miyares. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
28-01-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Republican-led states call on Costco to drop DEI
A group of Republican attorneys general are demanding Costco end all of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies as a plethora of other retailers drop their programs. In a letter to the wholesale store on Monday, the 19 Republicans demand Costco repeal their DEI policies within the next 30 days. If not, the attorneys general say, the company must provide an explanation as to why. The GOP officials, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, argue the company's DEI policies are 'discriminatory.' 'Although Costco's motto is 'do the right thing,' it appears that the company is doing the wrong thing — clinging to DEI policies that courts and businesses have rejected as illegal,' the letter states. 'Costco should treat every person equally and based on their merit, rather than based on divisive and discriminatory DEI practices.' The letter points to President Trump's recent orders to dismantle DEI in the federal government and private sector. That order, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunity, states that DEI policies 'not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system.' During the 2024 campaign cycle, Republicans across the nation, including Trump, vowed to repeal DEI policies. While companies including Target, Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, McDonald's and Walmart have all rolled back their DEI policies, Costco has been among retailers to double down on theirs. Just this month, more than 98 percent of shareholders voted against a proposal to evaluate any risks posed by its DEI practices. One shareholder, Jeff Raikes, co-founder of the Raikes Foundation and former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, argued in an op-ed for Forbes that 'opportunistic politicians have been trying to frighten and divide us by making DEI a dirty word.' DEI has come under fire since the Supreme Court's 2023 decision to end affirmative action in college admissions, which the letter highlights multiple times. Race-neutral practices, the letter argues, honor the founding ideals of this country. 'Costco should 'do the right thing' by following the law and repealing its DEI policies,' the letter concludes. In addition to Paxton and Bird, the letter was also signed by Kansas's Kris Kobach; Alabama's Steve Marshall; Louisiana's Liz Murrill; Arkansas's Tim Griffin; Missouri's Andrew T. Bailey; Georgia's Chris Carr; Montana's Austin Knudsen; Idaho's Raúl R. Labrador; Nebraska's Mike Hilgers; Kentucky's Rusell M. Coleman; North Dakota's Drew Wrigley; Ohio's Dave Yost; Oklahoma's Gentner Drummond; South Carolina's Alan Wilson; South Dakota's Marty Jackley; Tennessee's Jonathan Skrmetti; and Virginia's Jason S. Miyares.
