Letters to Farmers’ Insurance, Allstate, CVS and Enterprise
By Emily Kirkland
Earlier today, more than 30 Arizona voting rights organizations and community groups released a letter to Allstate Insurance, CVS Health, Enterprise Holdings, and Farmers’ Insurance, asking them to take a public stance against bills currently moving through the Arizona state legislature that would limit voting, criminalize protest and block police accountability.
The full text of the letters is below. More information can be found here.
March 31, 2021
Jeff Dailey
Chief Executive Officer
Farmers Insurance
6301 Owensmouth Avenue
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Dear Mr. Dailey,
We are writing to you as community organizations and voting rights advocates based in Arizona. As you know, our state legislature is currently advancing a set of bills designed to suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. Many of these bills are moving quickly through the legislative process, including:
- SB1713 would impose burdensome ID requirements on vote by mail voters. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a floor vote in the House.
- SB1485 would purge 100,000+ Arizonans from the vote by mail list. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a final floor vote in the House.
- HB2309 would criminalize protesters, making it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against protesters, especially Black and Brown protesters, who are exercising their First Amendment rights. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2550 aims to discourage people from making complaints about police abuse. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2567 virtually guarantees that any discipline or firing of an officer by a chief of police will be overturned. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2295 changes rules around the Brady List in order to reduce the consequences of police misconduct. It has passed the House and is awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate.
Your company has made numerous public statements about the importance of racial justice. On your website, you state:
“We agree that Black lives matter and express our disdain for systemic racism, as well as our support for all those who are peacefully advocating for racial justice…Farmers will make a difference. We will not be silent.”
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, you joined the Time to Vote campaign, offering accommodations to workers in order to encourage them to get out and vote.
But since 2018, your company has donated at least $27,800 to the Arizona state legislators responsible for the bills described above. In light of these bills, your donations become statements of support for suppressing both the vote and the First Amendment right to protest, and stand in opposition to the message against systemic racism you published in social media months ago.
In light of your public stances, it is imperative that you take action on pending bills that would suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. We are calling for Farmers Insurance to speak out publicly, oppose these bills, and halt donations to the legislators who introduced them.
Words are not enough: our democracy and our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need to see action.
Signed,
Progress Arizona
Black Phoenix Votes
Arizona Advocacy Network (AZAN)
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Indivisible Arizona
Mass Liberation Arizona
Our Voice Our Vote Arizona
Planned Parenthood Arizona
Chispa Arizona
Human Rights Campaign Arizona
Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter
Rural Arizona Action (RAZA)
Arizona AFL-CIO
AFSCME Arizona People Committee
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting
Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ)
Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy (CASE)
Fuerte Arts Movement
The Arizona Students’ Association (ASA)
Mi Familia Vota
All Voting is Local Arizona
Equality Arizona
Stand for Children Arizona
Arizona Education Association
Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement (ACWA)
National Council of Jewish Women Arizona
Arizona Association of University Women AZ (AAUWAZ)
Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition (PAFCO)
Honest Arizona
AZ Poder
Poder in Action
Iranian American Bar Association-Phoenix Chapter
Unitarian Universalist Justice Arizona (UUJAZ)
Asian Pacific Community in Action
AZ AANHPI for Equity
Arizona Black Bar
March 31, 2021
Tom Tobin
Vice President and General Manager
Enterprise Holdings
4100 W. Galveston Street, Ste.1
Chandler, AZ 85226
Dear Mr. Tobin,
We are writing to you as community organizations and voting rights advocates based in Arizona. As you know, our state legislature is currently advancing a set of bills designed to suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. Many of these bills are moving quickly through the legislative process, including:
- SB1713 would impose burdensome ID requirements on vote by mail voters. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a floor vote in the House.
- SB1485 would purge 100,000+ Arizonans from the vote by mail list. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a final floor vote in the House.
- HB2309 would criminalize protesters, making it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against protesters, especially Black and Brown protesters, who are exercising their First Amendment rights. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2550 aims to discourage people from making complaints about police abuse. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2567 virtually guarantees that any discipline or firing of an officer by a chief of police will be overturned. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2295 changes rules around the Brady List in order to reduce the consequences of police misconduct. It has passed the House and is awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate.
Your company has made numerous public statements about the importance of racial justice. On June 16, 2020, you released a press release stating that: “Racism, discrimination and injustice have no place in our society and cannot be tolerated in any form. And now is the time for action.” A few months later, your foundation pledged $120 million specifically to advance social and racial justice.
And yet Enterprise Holdings has donated at least $16,700 to the Arizona state legislators responsible for the bills described above. In light of these bills, your donations become statements of support for suppressing both the vote and the First Amendment right to protest, and stand in clear opposition to the messages you published months ago.
In light of your public stances, it is imperative that you take action on pending bills that would suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. We ask for Enterprise Holdings to speak out publicly, oppose these bills, and halt donations to the legislators who introduced them.
Words are not enough: our democracy and our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need to see action.
Signed,
Progress Arizona
Black Phoenix Votes
Arizona Advocacy Network (AZAN)
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Indivisible Arizona
Mass Liberation Arizona
Our Voice Our Vote Arizona
Planned Parenthood Arizona
Chispa Arizona
Human Rights Campaign Arizona
Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter
Rural Arizona Action (RAZA)
Arizona AFL-CIO
AFSCME Arizona People Committee
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting
Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ)
Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy (CASE)
Fuerte Arts Movement
The Arizona Students’ Association (ASA)
Mi Familia Vota
All Voting is Local Arizona
Equality Arizona
Stand for Children Arizona
Arizona Education Association
Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement (ACWA)
National Council of Jewish Women Arizona
Arizona Association of University Women AZ (AAUWAZ)
Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition (PAFCO)
Honest Arizona
AZ Poder
Poder in Action
Iranian American Bar Association-Phoenix Chapter
Unitarian Universalist Justice Arizona (UUJAZ)
Asian Pacific Community in Action
AZ AANHPI for Equity
Arizona Black Bar
March 31, 2021
Charlie Lala
Field Vice President
Care Of: Allstate Insurance
2775 Sanders Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
Dear Mr. Lala,
We are writing to you as community organizations and voting rights advocates based in Arizona. As you know, our state legislature is currently advancing a set of bills designed to suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. Many of these bills are moving quickly through the legislative process, including:
- SB1713 would impose burdensome ID requirements on vote by mail voters. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a floor vote in the House.
- SB1485 would purge 100,000+ Arizonans from the vote by mail list. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a final floor vote in the House.
- HB2309 would criminalize protesters, making it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against protesters, especially Black and Brown protesters, who are exercising their First Amendment rights. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2550 aims to discourage people from making complaints about police abuse. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2567 virtually guarantees that any discipline or firing of an officer by a chief of police will be overturned. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2295 changes rules around the Brady List in order to reduce the consequences of police misconduct. It has passed the House and is awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate.
Your company has made numerous public statements about the importance of racial justice and the democratic process. On June 15, 2020, you wrote: “Systemic racism is pervasive and we must not be complicit by inaction or silence.” On January 8, 2021, you wrote: “ As citizens, we ‘pledge allegiance to the… Republic… one Nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all’…Strong democracies thrive by understanding and addressing the history, beliefs and needs of all citizens.”
And yet Allstate Insurance has donated at least $7,850 to the Arizona state legislators responsible for the bills described above. In light of these bills, your donations become statements of support for suppressing both the vote and the First Amendment right to protest, and stand in clear opposition to the messages you published months ago.
In light of your public stances, it is imperative that you take action on pending bills that would suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. We ask for Allstate Insurance to speak out publicly, oppose these bills, and halt donations to the legislators who introduced them.
Words are not enough: our democracy and our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need to see action.
Signed,
Progress Arizona
Black Phoenix Votes
Arizona Advocacy Network (AZAN)
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Indivisible Arizona
Mass Liberation Arizona
Our Voice Our Vote Arizona
Planned Parenthood Arizona
Chispa Arizona
Human Rights Campaign Arizona
Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter
Rural Arizona Action (RAZA)
Arizona AFL-CIO
AFSCME Arizona People Committee
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting
Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ)
Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy (CASE)
Fuerte Arts Movement
The Arizona Students’ Association (ASA)
Mi Familia Vota
All Voting is Local Arizona
Equality Arizona
Stand for Children Arizona
Arizona Education Association
Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement (ACWA)
National Council of Jewish Women Arizona
Arizona Association of University Women AZ (AAUWAZ)
Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition (PAFCO)
Honest Arizona
AZ Poder
Poder in Action
Iranian American Bar Association-Phoenix Chapter
Unitarian Universalist Justice Arizona (UUJAZ)
Asian Pacific Community in Action
AZ AANHPI for Equity
Arizona Black Bar
March 31, 2021
Karen S. Leo
Chief Executive Officer
One CVS Drive
Woonsocket, Rhode Island 02895
Dear Ms. Lynch,
We are writing to you as community organizations and voting rights advocates based in Arizona. As you know, our state legislature is currently advancing a set of bills designed to suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. Many of these bills are moving quickly through the legislative process, including:
- SB1713 would impose burdensome ID requirements on vote by mail voters. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a floor vote in the House.
- SB1485 would purge 100,000+ Arizonans from the vote by mail list. It has passed the Senate and is awaiting a final floor vote in the House.
- HB2309 would criminalize protesters, making it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against protesters, especially Black and Brown protesters, who are exercising their First Amendment rights. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2550 aims to discourage people from making complaints about police abuse. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2567 virtually guarantees that any discipline or firing of an officer by a chief of police will be overturned. It has passed the House and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate.
- HB2295 changes rules around the Brady List in order to reduce the consequences of police misconduct. It has passed the House and is awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate.
Your company has made numerous public statements about the importance of racial justice, and has committed to investing $600 million in the cause of advancing racial justice, including by influencing public policy.
And yet CVS has donated at least $9,700 to the Arizona state legislators responsible for the bills described above. In light of these bills, your donations become statements of support for suppressing both the vote and the First Amendment right to protest, and stand in clear opposition to the messages you published months ago.
In light of your public stances, it is imperative that you take action on pending bills that would suppress voting, criminalize Black and Brown protesters and block police accountability. We ask for Allstate Insurance to speak out publicly, oppose these bills, and halt donations to the legislators who introduced them.
Words are not enough: our democracy and our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need to see action.
Signed,
Progress Arizona
Black Phoenix Votes
Arizona Advocacy Network (AZAN)
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Indivisible Arizona
Mass Liberation Arizona
Our Voice Our Vote Arizona
Planned Parenthood Arizona
Chispa Arizona
Human Rights Campaign Arizona
Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter
Rural Arizona Action (RAZA)
Arizona AFL-CIO
AFSCME Arizona People Committee
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting
Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ)
Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy (CASE)
Fuerte Arts Movement
The Arizona Students’ Association (ASA)
Mi Familia Vota
All Voting is Local Arizona
Equality Arizona
Stand for Children Arizona
Arizona Education Association
Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement (ACWA)
National Council of Jewish Women Arizona
Arizona Association of University Women AZ (AAUWAZ)
Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition (PAFCO)
Honest Arizona
AZ Poder
Poder in Action
Iranian American Bar Association-Phoenix Chapter
Unitarian Universalist Justice Arizona (UUJAZ)
Asian Pacific Community in Action
AZ AANHPI for Equity
Arizona Black Bar