Coca-Cola cuts ties to conservative group

File shot of Coca Cola bottles. / AP Photo/Thibault Camus

(AP) WASHINGTON - Coca-Cola Co. has terminated its relationship with a conservative group seen by some as an incubator for a string of new state voter ID laws and a marketer of laws like Florida's "Stand Your Ground" self-defense statute.

The Atlanta-based soft drink maker said its focus with the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, was on combating "discriminatory" food and beverage taxes, not on issues "that have no direct bearing" on its business.

The decision to "discontinue its membership" came Wednesday, just a few hours after the black online advocacy group ColorofChange began a boycott of the company.

Coca-Cola declined to respond to additional questions, including whether it had already paid membership for the year.

ALEC brings together state legislators, who pay $100 for a two-year membership, and corporations, which pay between $2,500 and $25,000 for an annual membership. The legislators and corporate representatives draft templates of legislation that can be used by lawmakers and lobbyists as models for state or federal legislation.

Koch Industries, whose top executives Charles and David Koch are prominent supporters of conservative causes, is one of the largest corporations supporting Washington-based ALEC.

ALEC spokeswoman Kaitlyn Buss did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. A phone query went to voicemail.

Buss has previously said the group did not put a lot of effort or resources into promoting voter identification legislation. She has also said ALEC had no involvement in the "Stand Your Ground" law when Florida enacted it. She has criticized people who turned the "tragedy" of teenager Trayvon Martin's death into politics.

Several states have passed laws requiring voters to show specific ID, toughening voter registration or reducing early voting days. The voting laws have been seen by civil rights and other groups, as well as many Democrats, as an attempt to suppress the votes of African Americans, Latinos, the elderly and students.

The Justice Department has blocked voter ID laws in Texas and South Carolina after finding they violate the Voting Rights Act. The Florida "Stand Your Ground" statute is under scrutiny following the fatal shooting of Martin. The shooter, George Zimmerman, has said he fired in self-defense and has not been arrested or charged.

Rashad Robinson, ColorofChange executive director, estimated that 300 to 400 calls and emails were made in the few hours of the Coca-Cola boycott, based on written reports from participants. In a statement, Robinson thanked Coca-Cola for its decision.

"Our message has been clear, these corporations can't come to black folks for our money by day and support laws that try to take our vote or potentially our lives by night," Rashad told The Associated Press Thursday.

Last December, ColorofChange began targeting corporations that financially support ALEC as a campaign against the passage of Voter ID laws. The group also started an online petition regarding the Martin youth's death.

Purchase, NY-based PepsiCo, which ColorofChange asked in letters and emails to end its ALEC membership, said in a Jan. 25 letter to Robinson that its membership expired. PepsiCo said it reviews its membership organizations each year and would keep the concerns raised by ColorofChange in mind.

Other corporations also have been asked to end their memberships.

[johnny1929]

The issue of ColorofChange boycotting CocaCola is ridiculous and totally unrelated to Trayvon Martin other than if one is playing the game, "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon". Trayvon Martin's death has nothing to do with the "Stand your ground" law as the shooter, George Zimmerman disobeyed a police dispatcher's order to not pursue Martin. He physically confronted Martin anyway and choose the ground he was going to stand on all in violation of the Police order and afterward suffered the consequences. Therefore he was not defending or standing his ground because he violated what the dispatcher order. Furthermore he was armed when he shouldn't have been while serving as a neighborhood watchman. As far as the Voter ID laws go, if you are against presenting some form of government ID before entering the voting booth, then you are completely for Voter fraud, period.

[Rafterman11]

Obammy is going to stir up any controversy he can to keep the attention off the economy and his record..Hmmm.supreme court, Flock, etc., etc.. Too bad there are too many days until election...not enough subjects to provide smoke screens..Dang, there's the economy staring him in the face along with his NON record of doing anything except spending more money and putting us another 5 trillion in debt with his,umm, not so shovel ready jobs fiasco..He is so toast..Even his black supporters at the gas pump and the grocery store lines are grumblling about him. Bye, Bye, Obama.
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by 1stlttightwad April 6, 2012 1:13 AM EDT

Maybe the far right wing can invent more "controversies" that don't exist (Supreme Court, Flock, this story - which of course Obama has nothing to do with). Its the only way the GOP can win the election with their own candidate, a candidate that even *they* don't want.

[sgbarnes1]

Maybe it is the far left wing stirring up the trouble. The POTUS and the Liberals are stirring up controversies that don't exist in an effort to defect attention from the real issue--the President's incompetence.

[Rafterman11]

Why are libs against voter ID laws? Because minorities and older people have less access to ways to get picture IDs, that's why. E.g., fewer minorities and old people have cars, making getting or maintaining a license impractical.

[sgbarnes1]

All one needs is a free photo ID. There is plenty of time to get it. The laws are aimed at illegal aliens, not citizens. We don't want them voting. If the only way the Dems can win is to cheat, then they have to get rid of the voter id laws.

[marychgo]

Good for Coke (and Kraft and GM); here's hoping the rest will follow suit.

Incidentally, it's not as easy as it seems to avoid enriching the Koch brothers. In addition to the pipelines and refineries, they also own Georgia Pacific, which produces Northern toilet paper. I've recently switched to Charmin....

[sgbarnes1]

To the contrary, I will be boycotting Coke products.

[vielmann]

I am proud of Coca Cola for making the right decision. I have e-mailed them to support them and I will be buying their products.

[ihaveonethingtosay]

I'll have a Coke and a Smile. Bravo Coca Cola

[josephp5]

Thanks Coke.

[rightbehind]

I think I'll have a Coke.

[WilBarefoot]

I've shown my drivers license a few times in the last few years. Once to get a mortgage. A couple of times at urgent care. And, when I renewed it. What I really object to is the plan in MN that would employ a reader to extract the information from the magnetic strip on the back and store it in a laptop. Another government database tracking where I was and what I was doing. Another baby step towards a republican fascist dictatorship.

[skyk801]

WilBarefoot, oh I don't think we are EVER going to go that far Right... maybe the Stupid South but NEVER the rest of the nation.

[dzaffina]

Through ALEC, Global Corporations Are Scheming to Rewrite YOUR Rights and Boost THEIR Revenue






Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations. In ALEC's own words, corporations have "a VOICE and a VOTE" on specific changes to the law that are then proposed in your state. DO YOU?
.............go to ALECexposed.org..........................

[1stlttightwad]

Kinda like the unions, huh.