Posted on 06/15/2006 11:26:31 AM PDT by areafiftyone
To: National Desk, Energy Reporter
Contact: Peter Flaherty of National Legal and Policy Center, 703-237-1970; Website: http://www.nlpc.org
WASHINGTON, June 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), today told British Petroleum, PLC to ignore a boycott called against the oil giant by Jesse Jackson this week at the annual Rainbow/PUSH conference in Chicago. BP is listed in the conference program as a Bronze Sponsor, a designation costing $10,000.
Flaherty said, "Jesse Jackson is bluffing a foreign company. He has virtually no ability to affect the consumer habits of Americans, or even African Americans. The reason he is going after BP is the same reason he threatened a boycott of Toyota in 2001. Executives of foreign companies are often under the misimpression that Jesse Jackson still commands wide respect in this country."
"It is pretty obvious what is going on here. BP sponsors Jesse Jackson's conference at the $10,000 level, but the company is certainly capable of a lot more. No doubt, Jackson seeks to upgrade them to the $150,000 Platinum sponsor level for next year."
Flaherty also called on BP to end its support for Jackson. He pointed out, "The New York Stock Exchange and several companies are now saying 'no' to Jesse Jackson. There has been no retribution or negative consequences of any kind. Should BP continue or increase its support for Jackson, it could become controversial, as it has with other companies."
NLPC sponsored shareholder proposals this spring with Citigroup, PepsiCo and Boeing requesting disclosure of charitable contributions. The supporting statements made specific reference to Rainbow/PUSH. A similar NLPC-sponsored resolution will be considered at the Freddie Mac annual meeting this summer.
In early 2005, the New York Stock Exchange confirmed that it had ended financial support for Jesse Jackson's groups, in apparent response to NLPC protests.
---
NLPC promotes ethics in public life, and sponsors the Corporate Integrity Project.
No Citgo (wholly owned by Venezuela)
I know why these companies give in to the Jackson shakedown (cheaper than fighting a propaganda battle), but I sure wish they wouldn't. Each time they do, it just emboldens him to keep doing it.
Nike told Jesse Jackson to F off when he tried to shake them down.
7/13/2005
PRESS RELEASE: Toyota Sponsored Farrakhan Speech; Japanese Carmaker Asked to Repudiate Farrakhan and End Support for Jesse Jackson
2/4/2002
Toyota letter denying payoff to Jesse Jackson
http://tinyurl.com/mfryx
"Jesse Jackson is bluffing a foreign company. He has virtually no ability to affect the consumer habits of Americans, or even African Americans. The reason he is going after BP is the same reason he threatened a boycott of Toyota in 2001. Executives of foreign companies are often under the misimpression that Jesse Jackson still commands wide respect in this country."
That to which you subscribe, you will get more of.
Much wants more.
If that jackass ever tried to pull that stunt in my corporate offices, I'd have my own film crew there to verify that I told him to go straight to hell.
We have a program to manage any of his alleged "concerns" and no aspect of that program involves paying him blackmail!
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