Gov. Abbott declines to throw first pitch at Texas Rangers game (Source: KLTV) By Carrie Provinsal | April 5, 2021 at 11:05 AM CDT - Updated April 5 at 3:07 PM
AUSTIN, Texas (KLTV) - Gov. Abbott today sent a letter to the Texas Rangers baseball organization declining the invitation to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at their home opening game.
The governor cited Major League Baseballâs (MLB) decision to move the MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta in response to Georgiaâs new election integrity laws. Abbott also noted that he will no longer participate in any event held by MLB, and that the State of Texas will not seek to host the All-Star game or any other MLB special events.
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AT&T, Comcast, Philip Morris, Walmart, Verizon, GM and Pfizer were among the most prolific.
BRIAN SLODYSKO
WASHINGTON (AP) When executives from Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines spoke out against Georgia’s new voting law as unduly restrictive last week, it seemed to signal a new activism springing from corporate America.
But if leaders of the nation’s most prominent companies are going to reject lawmakers who support restrictive voting measures, they will have to abruptly reverse course.
State legislators across the country who have pushed for new voting restrictions, and also seized on former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud, have reaped more than $50 million in corporate donations in recent years, according to a new report by Public Citizen, a Washington-based government watchdog group.
Companies gave more than $50 million to state lawmakers who backed voting overhaul bills
Updated on: April 5, 2021 / 1:02 PM / AP Corporate giants condemn Georgia voting law
When executives from Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines spoke out against Georgia s new voting law as a step backwards and wrong last week, it seemed to signal a new activism springing from corporate America.
But if leaders of the nation s most prominent companies are going to reject lawmakers who support voting measures deemed restrictive by many, including prominent Black business leaders, they will have to abruptly reverse course from previous donation spending.
State legislators across the country who have pushed for controversial voting changes have reaped more than $50 million in corporate donations in recent years, according to a new report by Public Citizen, a Washington-based government watchdog group.
Monday, April 5, 2021 Gov. Greg Abbott refuses to throw pitch at Rangers game after league pulls All-Star Game out of Atlanta Posted By Sanford Nowlin on Mon, Apr 5, 2021 at 2:22 PM Courtesy Photo / Office of the Governor Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a recent news conference. Talk about poor sportsmanship. Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday he won t throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers home opening game after the league yanked its All-Star Game out of Georgia over the state s restrictive new voting law. He also pledged to boycott the league, and said the state won t attempt to host any of its special events.
In the wake of a tempestuous election cycle intensified by unsubstantiated voter fraud allegations, Republican lawmakers nationwide are now working state-by-state to establish new voting laws to restrict African American access to the polls. On March 25, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a new voting bill, SB 202, which empowers state-level officials to control elections instead of local county election boards.
In turn, this law allows the Republican-controlled Georgia state legislature to gain authority over local election operations, replace election board members with partisan appointees and disqualify ballots in precincts statewide.
Since Georgia Republicans have long perpetuated baseless voter fraud accusations in majority-Black districts, many Georgians worry that this law could jeopardize Americans’ voting rights, particularly in regions like Fulton County that have a disproportionately Black citizenry.