DaimlerChrysler Executive Attack on “Conservatives,” Support for Jesse Jackson Stirs Controversy

NATIONAL LEGAL AND POLICY CENTER ^ | 1/21/03 | Contact: David Kendrick

[Behind Liberal Lines]

The following letter was sent today to Chrysler Group President and CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche by Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center:

The purpose of this letter is two-fold. We ask that remarks attributed to DaimlerChrysler senior vice president Frank Fountain be withdrawn, and that DaimlerChrysler cease financial support for Jesse Jackson and his organizations.

According to CNSNews.com, Fountain stated during Jackson’s Wall Street Conference last week, “Most of [Jackson’s] critics are conservatives. They have a rather myopic view of the world.”

Even more surprising, Fountain allegedly stated, “From my fairly close knowledge of [Jackson’s] operation, they are one of integrity and beyond reproach.”

Fountain may have a myopic view of Jesse Jackson. I have enclosed a copy of a formal Complaint filed by the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on February 28, 2001 against the Citizenship Education Fund (CEF), which organized the Wall Street Conference. It alleges that Jesse Jackson, his family and friends have personally enriched themselves through the operation of a nonprofit organization.

The Complaint is pending. Jackson implicitly acknowledged the validity of at least one count of the Complaint when he amended CEF’s tax returns.

I am happy to report that another foreign carmaker, Toyota, has ceased support for Jackson in apparent response to a similar request I made last year.

In 2002, Toyota was a very visible sponsor of the Wall Street Conference. A Toyota executive gave a keynote speech. Toyota became the target of my criticism in op-eds that were published in newspapers all over the country and in numerous television and radio interviews.

Personal events in 2001 have greatly reduced Jackson’s moral authority as a “civil rights leader” and member of the clergy.

At a September 13, 2002 rally in Washington, DC, Jackson claimed that President Bush wants to “rule the world.”

In a September 16, 2002, speech at Michigan State University, Jackson was dismissive of the Founding Fathers and asserted that American democracy was only 37 years old, not 200-plus. Jackson stated that “democracy as we know it did not begin in Philadelphia, where a bunch of white men wrote the laws.” Jackson identified the advent of American democracy as 1965 when the Voting Rights Act passed.

Fountain reportedly confirmed that DaimlerChrysler had paid a “six-figure sum” to sponsor the Wall Street Conference. Your support for Jackson is inappropriate given his most recent anti-American statements and his long-standing anti-semitism .

I can assure you that political conservatives, who include your shareholders, business partners, employees and customers, are being made aware of Fountain’s deliberate and gratuitous attack on them. I strongly urge you to fulfill my two requests without delay.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ping

[Poohbah]

OK, looks like I'm not buying a Jeep anytime in the next thirty years or so...

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[Charles Martel]

Indeed. Too bad... the 2004 Jeep Liberty with the Benz turbo-diesel engine looked rather promising. However, my conservative myopia is so advanced that I can't see writing a check to the local Jeep dealer.

[Psycho_Bunny]

When Benz and Chrysler first got together I knew that one of two things was going to happen: Chrysler would be dragged up or Daimler-Benz would be dragged down.

Thus far I believe it's been more the former than the later.

[muslims=borg]

When is the IRS going to go after the extorsionist Jackson? I can't believe anyone would give this freak a dime. Chrysler's quality is suspect anyway, once they hit 60k miles than turn into a pile of junk. I gave up on them from experience. Jeeps seem to be ok though, I've put quite a bit of mileage on them and they held up. Don't understand why they put those crap little tires on them though.

[bigfootbob]

Chrysler/Dodge products suck anyway. I've owned several "Ram" 4X4's and as soon as they reach 70,000 miles the engines go South. The sheet metal rusts through in areas prematurely where salt/calcium is used on the road ways.

I hope the stupid Germans continue leading Chrysler down the tubes. I wouldn't buy a Mercedes either.

[skinkinthegrass]

After this affair(& two transmission breakdowns),
GM and/or Toyoda, for me :)

[Eva]

All that you have to do is take a look at the public relations attitude of the Mercedes Benz division of Daimler-Chrysler toward Israel and you will get an idea of what this company is all about. They don't care what you think, they HATE conservatives for their support of Israel. The only move that would get a response from this company would be an all out boycott of all their products.

[goodnesswins]

DAY of SUPPORT....FLY your flags (US, a British one, Hungarian, Australian and Japanese one, too if you have them)....and put up your BUSH/CHENEY signs, (and the BIG W's on your SUV's) for the STATE of the UNION next Tuesday, Jan 28th, if you support the President, our MILITARY and the United States of America. PSST....pass it on.

[JustAnAmerican]

Chrysler has had a blatant liberal bias since they sold out to Daimler-Benz. One only has to look at its commercials since the merge to see that. The infamous anti-hunter/anti-gun commercial, and right after 9/11 the commercials that made sure the lead character was of Arab descent, but that last set of commercials seems to have gone over most folks heads.

[skinkinthegrass]

After this affair (& two transmission breakdowns-'95 Stratus ES), GM and/or Toyoda, for me :)

[PBRSTREETGANG]

E-mailed Daimler-Chrysler when this was first reported.

They haven't bothered to respond.

[Weimdog]

I guess I might be considered a johnny-come-lately, but I have been flying the stars and stripes on my home since 9/11. I don't think it will ever come down.

As for Daimler/Chrysler, I fart in their general direction.

[xp38]

Nor to me...I will not be answering them either when they come peddling their wares.

[Dead Dog]

That was my first thought also.

In defense of the Chrysler product line, you can't blame a company for what some "Flavor of the Month" VP says. Corporations trade these guys like college student exchange...never mind. But this guy is about as much a representitive of Diamler Chrysler as Bill Clinton was a rep. of America.

The people who design, build, and market these vehicles have done a fine job, and should be rewarded.

By the way, most Execs of Boeing and Airbus are of the same mindset, as are most corporate ladder clymers.

[buffyt]

I have a 1996 Chrysler/Plymouth van. My son had a Dodge Stratus which was rearended and totalled in 2001. My other son had a Chrysler Cirrus until this weekend, he was hit by a drunk in a pickup truck, so the Cirrus is totalled. We also have Ford Probe and an Acura Integra and a Porsche 911 Carrera. I have to replace the Cirrus. I will think TWICE before I buy another Chrysler product! [BTW Gary & fiance Mary are healing up nicely, no broken bones, just pain and bruising. Airbags deployed and they avoided hittin gas pump by a couple of feet, they walked away from the wreck THANK GOD!]

[ffusco]

The best time for Chrysler was after in made company of the year in 95 or 96. The stock traded around $30 and in 18 monthes it had trippled after the merger. The analysts all saw huge savings potential associated wih the merger. I sold after the merger because I felt there would be an inevitable cuture clash between the 2 companies.