Josh Hawley is the subject of an ethics complaint from seven Democratic senators.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Seven Democratic senators have now called for a probe into Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz’s role in the Capitol siege.
The Democrats filed an ethics complaint to investigate if Hawley’s and Cruz’s objections to the Electoral College vote on January 6 contributed to the violence that led to five deaths.
Cruz and Hawley have previously faced criticism and pressure to resign from other lawmakers.
Seven Democratic senators have called for an ethics probe into Republican Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz over their objections to the Electoral College vote on January 6 and whether or not their actions contributed to the Capitol siege.
The probe was requested on Thursday in an ethics complaint by Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Ron Wyden, Tina Smith, Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Tim Kaine, and Sherrod Brown.
“The Senate Ethics Committee should open an investigation into the actions of Senators Hawley and Cruz, and perhaps others as the investigation may reveal, in order to protect the integrity, safety, and reputation of the Senate,” they wrote in the complaint.
They also said: “Their actions lend credence to the insurrectionists’ cause and set the stage for future violence. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising.”
The senators asked that the committee offer disciplinary recommendations “including up to expulsion or censure.”
Hawley called the complaint “a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge” in a statement on Thursday.
A Cruz spokeswoman told the Associated Press: “It is unfortunate that some congressional Democrats are disregarding President Biden’s call for unity and are instead playing political games by filing frivolous ethics complaints against their colleagues.”
On January 6, supporters of President Donald Trump breached the US Capitol and clashed with law enforcement, halting the joint session of Congress as lawmakers were debating challenges to electoral votes.
Critics, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called on Hawley and Cruz to resign.
Many Republicans abandoned their plans to dispute the election results following the violence, but Hawley and Cruz pushed forward in an effort that would have been futile but gained them points with Trump’s base.
The 14th Amendment says that no lawmaker holding office “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”
Then-President Donald Trump has also been criticized for inciting the mob. The House has since impeached Trump on a charge of inciting an insurrection. The Senate will soon hold a trial and vote on whether to convict the former president.
On January 6, Congress convened a joint session to formally certify President Joseph Biden’s Electoral College victory, but it was quickly interrupted by a group of Republican objectors who argued, based on little more than conspiracy theories, that Congress shouldn’t proceed because there had been widespread election fraud.
In total, 147 Republicans – roughly 55% of the GOP lawmakers in Congress – objected to certifying the results of at least one state’s Electoral College vote.
But that long-shot effort to overturn democratic election results was itself interrupted by pro-Trump rioters who – citing the same election fraud conspiracies – stormed the US Capitol building in an attempt to violently keep Trump in power, forcing members of Congress to evacuate, leaving five dead and dozens injured.
Political Action Committees backed by S&P 500 companies gave more than $23 million to the 147 GOP election objectors during the most recent campaign cycles (2020 for House members; 2016 and 2018 for senators), according to an Insider analysis of Federal Election Commission data provided by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Critics, from activists to shareholders to other executives, have argued the contributions helped those lawmakers get elected and stay in power, giving them the platform they used to undermine voters’ faith in the election (which Trump’s former top cybersecurity official called “the most secure in American history“).
But following reporting from Popular Information and other media outlets, many companies began rethinking their political contributions.
Companies’ commitments have varied widely, however.
Few have permanently blacklisted election objectors, and as Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed out, the largest contributions typically happen right before, not after elections, leaving the door open for companies to resume their support once the public’s attention has turned elsewhere. Others have paused all PAC contributions, potentially allowing them to benefit from the positive PR without having to explicitly condemn – or risk alienating – more than half of the Republicans in Congress.
Still, dozens have issued public statements or internal memos announcing they will at least pause contributionswhile they reevaluate how they use their money to influence politics.
Here’s a list of the S&P 500 companies – some of the largest and most influential businesses in the US – how much they gave to the 147 election objectors in the latest election cycles through their corporate PACs, and whether they’ve pulled their support.
Do you work for one of these companies and have information about how they’re responding to recent events? We’d love to hear how they’re navigating the current political landscape. Contact this reporter using a non-work device via encrypted messaging app Signal ( +1 503-319-3213 ), email (tsonnemaker@insider.com), or Twitter (@TylerSonnemaker ). We can keep sources anonymous. PR pitches by email only, please.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 05: Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks to the press near the Senate subway following a vote in the Senate impeachment trial that acquitted President Donald Trump of all charges on February 5, 2020 in Washington, DC. After the House impeached Trump last year, the Senate voted today to acquit the President on two articles of impeachment as the trial concludes.
Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said the Senate should consider removing his Republican colleagues, Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz.
Manchin said the 14th Amendment should be applied after Cruz and Hawley pushed forth with efforts to dispute Electoral College votes last week.
Trump supporters stormed the Capitol during a joint session to debate the electoral results, leading to the deaths of five people.
Sen. Joe Manchin said the Senate should consider using the 14th Amendment to remove Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, two Republicans who objected to the Electoral College vote last week.
“That should be a consideration,” Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, said when asked if the 14th Amendment should be triggered during an interview with PBS’s “Firing Line.”
On January 6, supporters of President Donald Trump breached the US Capitol and clashed with law enforcement, halting the joint session of Congress as lawmakers were debating challenges to electoral votes.
Critics have called on the senators to resign and blamed them for the five deaths that occurred as a result of the siege on the Capitol.
The House has since impeached Trump on a charge of inciting an insurrection. The Senate will soon hold a trial and vote on whether to convict the president.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez previously said Cruz and Hawley’s support of the election challenges, which stemmed from President Donald Trump’s baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, helped inspire the mob that ransacked and destroyed the Capitol.
“Sen. Cruz, you must accept responsibility for how your craven, self-serving actions contributed to the deaths of four people yesterday. And how you fundraised off this riot. Both you and Senator Hawley must resign. If you do not, the Senate should move for your expulsion,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“There’s no way they cannot be complicit in this,” he said. “That they think they can walk away and say, ‘I just exercised my right as a senator?’ Especially after we came back here and after they saw what happened.”
He added: “I don’t know how you can live with yourself right now knowing that people lost their lives.”
The 14th Amendment says that no lawmaker holding office “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”
Many Republicans abandoned their plans to dispute the election results following the violence, but Hawley and Cruz pushed forward in an effort that would have been futile but gained them points with Trump’s base.
Earlier this week, Democratic aides also told The Hill that some senators were also considering censuring Cruz and Hawley. While a censure wouldn’t remove them from office, it could seriously hurt their political aspirations.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) leaves the U.S. Capitol on March 27, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
During a candid Instagram Live on Tuesday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that she had a “very close encounter,” where she thought she “was going to die,” at the Capitol as it was stormed by a violent mob on January 6.
In a wide-ranging commentary, Ocasio-Cortez briefly described some of the traumatizing events and added that Rep. Jamie Raskin who had lost his son days before the insurrection, was locked down with his daughter as they feared for their lives.
She also ripped into Republican colleagues in the House and Senate: “Ted Cruz, you do not belong in the United States Senate. Josh Hawley, you do not belong in the United States Senate, so get out.” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been vocal about GOP colleagues facing consequences for their roles in inciting a violent mob who overtook the Capitol last week, opened up about her experience being locked down during an Instagram livestream on Tuesday.
On January 6, Ocasio-Cortez said that she experienced a “very close encounter,” where she thought she “was going to die.” Ocasio-Cortez did not disclose all of the details of what transpired for “security concerns,” but called the encounter “traumatizing.”
“I did not know if I was going to make it to the end of the day alive,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
In her livestream, Ocasio-Cortez repeated some of the censures and calls for resignation that she and Democrat colleagues have called for, namely from Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley.
“Ted Cruz, you do not belong in the United States Senate. Josh Hawley, you do not belong in the United States Senate, so get out,” Ocasio-Cortez said. She said Hawley fist pumped the mob, moments before they stormed the Capitol and accused them of putting their political futures ahead of democracy and the safety of Americans.
The congresswoman also called on all colleagues who supported efforts to overturn the election to step down.
“What claim will you have? That you rule over a destroyed society? That the ashes belong to you? Let me give you a sneak peek, you will never be president. You will never command the respect of this country, never,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“And you should resign, and so should every member of congress who voted to overturn the election results because they would rather cling to power instead of respect our democracy,” she said, adding that the only viable future is the US being “a multiracial democracy,” and insisting that white nationalist violence could not be “voted away overnight,” without accountability.
On her livestream, Ocasio-Cortez said that during the insurrection, she did not feel secure in the safe room, concerned that QAnon and white nationalist adjacent colleagues knew her location and “would create opportunities to allow me to be hurt, kidnapped.”
The congresswoman added that she was confident that the House would pass articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, and said in order to convict him, they would need to gain more support.
“Maybe you should vote to impeach him because he’s an active threat to every single American,” Ocasio-Cortez called out to GOP colleagues. “Maybe you should just do it because it’s the right thing to, instead of what you can build a freaking email list off of.”
Senators Roger Marshall of Kansas and Josh Hawley of Missouri
Larry French/Getty Images for SiriusXM, Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images
Greeting card company Hallmark has asked two Republican senators to return its political donations after they voted against certifying Joe Biden as president on Wednesday.
It had donated $12,000 to Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas during the 2020 election cycle through its Political Action Committee (PAC), Popular Information reported.
“The recent actions of Senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall do not reflect our company’s values. As a result, HALLPAC requested Sens. Hawley and Marshall to return all HALLPAC campaign contributions.”
Hallmark is the first big company to ask for political donations back after pro-Trump rioters stormed Capitol on Wednesday. Others have pulled the plug on future donations.
Hallmark has asked Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas, two Republicans, to return its donations after they both voted against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory Wednesday.
Hallmark is the first big company to ask for political donations back in the wake of the Capitol siege and the later vote to certify Biden as president. Some companies, including Amazon, have suspended future political contributions to Republican lawmakers who voted against Biden’s certification, while others have paused all donations to both Republicans and Democrats.
Congress met on Wednesday to certify the result of the US presidential election. Fueled by months of conspiracy theories and baseless allegations of election fraud from President Donald Trump and his backers, rioters stormed the Capitol. Five people died during the siege.
Congress ultimately voted to certify Biden’s win, but eight Republican senators and 139 representatives voted against this, including Hawley and Marshall. Several other GOP lawmakers who had said they would join the group dropped out following the riots.
In December, Hawley said he would object to Biden’s certification, the first senator to make the announcement. He is a staunch Trump ally.
“At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections,” he said. “But Congress has so far failed to act.”
On Monday, Hallmark asked both Hawley and Marshall to return its donations.
“Hallmark believes the peaceful transition of power is part of the bedrock of our democratic system, and we abhor violence of any kind,” the company told Popular Information.
“The recent actions of Senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall do not reflect our company’s values. As a result, HALLPAC requested Sens. Hawley and Marshall to return all HALLPAC campaign contributions.”
Major US companies including Amazon, Morgan Stanley, and Dow have said they will cut off donations to Republican politicians who opposed Biden’s certification as president.
FedEx, Target, CVS Health, and Walmart are currently reviewing their positions on political contributions, Popular Information reported. Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Ford, and Bank of America told the publication they would review donations on an individual basis.
GOP Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, left, and Ted Cruz of Texas, right, speak after Republicans objected to certifying the Electoral College votes from Arizona during a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2020.
AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
In an interview with Politico, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia gave a pointed rebuke of GOP Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas in the aftermath of the US Capitol riots on Jan. 6.
“There’s no way they cannot be complicit in this,” he said. “That they think they can walk away and say, ‘I just exercised my right as a senator?’ Especially after we came back here and after they saw what happened.”
Sens. Hawley and Cruz, who have long been seen as likely 2024 GOP presidential candidates, have faced a flurry of calls to resign since the riots.
In an interview with Politico, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia gave a pointed rebuke of GOP Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas in the aftermath of the US Capitol riots on Jan. 6.
“There’s no way they cannot be complicit in this,” he said. “That they think they can walk away and say, ‘I just exercised my right as a senator?’ Especially after we came back here and after they saw what happened.”
He added: “I don’t know how you can live with yourself right now knowing that people lost their lives.”
Manchin, while in a secure area with other lawmakers during the siege in which five people died, said that he spoke with Hawley, Cruz, and Sens. James Lankford of Oklahoma and Steve Daines of Montana to convince them to drop their electoral objections.
Lankford and Daines chose not to go through with contesting Biden’s 306-232 Electoral College win over Trump, “when they saw the danger of what happened,” according to Manchin.
Once the building was cleared of rioters, Hawley and Cruz still went through with their objections to the Arizona and Pennsylvania vote counts, which both failed.
Biden’s victory was certified early in the morning on January 7.
Sens. Hawley and Cruz, who have long been seen as likely 2024 GOP presidential candidates, have faced a flurry of calls to step down. Several of their Democratic colleagues in the upper chamber, including Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Ron Wyden or Oregon, Chris Coons of Delaware, and Patty Murray of Washington, have all called for both Hawley and Cruz to resign.
Republican colleagues and possible 2024 contenders including Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Ben Sasse of Nebraska declined to join in the election challenges.
Former GOP Sen. John Danforth, who represented Missouri in the Senate from 1976 to 1995 and was one of Hawley’s biggest champions in his 2018 Senate campaign, recently lamented his support as “the worst mistake I ever made in my life.”
Both Hawley and Cruz have refused to step down from their seats, but with the fallout from the riots still in the minds of every lawmaker on Capitol Hill, their effectiveness in the Senate will likely be an open question going forward.
President Donald Trump campaigned with Josh Hawley during his successful 2018 Senate campaign against Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill.
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Simon & Schuster, one of the “Big Five” publishing houses, canceled the scheduled publication of Sen. Josh Hawley’s upcoming book “The Tyranny of Big Tech.”
The senator from Missouri has been one of Trump’s most ardent allies in his efforts to overturn election results, and after a right-wing insurrection rampaged through the US Capitol, Hawley continued to push conspiracies.
“After witnessing the disturbing, deadly insurrection that took place on Wednesday in Washington, DC, Simon & Schuster has decided to cancel publication of Senator Josh Hawley’s forthcoming book, THE TYRANNY OF BIG TECH,” the statement said.
Publisher Simon & Schuster issued a statement on Thursday saying it would cancel the publication of Sen. Josh Hawley’s upcoming book after the senator’s continued attempts to reject electoral votes.
“After witnessing the disturbing, deadly insurrection that took place on Wednesday in Washington, DC, Simon & Schuster has decided to cancel publication of Senator Josh Hawley’s forthcoming book, THE TYRANNY OF BIG TECH,” the statement said.
“We did not come to this decision lightly. As a publisher it will always be our mission to amplify a variety of voices and viewpoints: at the same time we take seriously our larger public responsibilityas citizens, and cannot support Senator Hawley after his role in what became a dangerous threat to our democracy and freedom,” the publisher said.
Senator Hawley issued a statement in response to the cancelation, lamenting that “Only approved speech can now be published.”
“This could not be more Orwellian,” Hawley claimed. “Simon & Schuster is canceling my contract because I was representing my constituents, leading a debate on the Senate floor on voter integrity, which they have now decided to redefine as sedition.”
Hawley claimed that there was no contract dispute and that his book deal cancelation was a “direct assault on the First Amendment.” Stating that “This is the Left looking to cancel everyone they don’t approve of,” adding, “We’ll see you in court.”
On Thursday, calls for Hawley to resign were amplified on Capitol Hill.
“I cannot vote to certify the electoral college results on January 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws,” Hawley said on December 30. “At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections. But Congress has so far failed to act.”
John Danforth, a former Republican senator from Missouri, who supported Hawley’s run in 2018, said that “Supporting Josh and trying so hard to get him elected to the Senate was the worst mistake I ever made in my life.”
Simon & Schuster is one of the “Big Five” book publishers in the United States. In 2017 it canceled the publication of right-wing extremist Milo Yiannopoulos’ book following weeks of public pressure after initially standing by him. The publisher has also produced recent explosive political books from and about Trumpworld by Mary L. Trump, the president’s niece, veteran reporter Bob Woodward, former national security advisor John Bolton, and Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Democratic lawmakers who’ve served in the US military condemned their Republican colleagues and President Donald Trump as “treasonous.”
GOP Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley “did not break in with the rioters, and neither did Donald Trump, but their words broke the barriers of civility that have really kept the country together for hundreds of years,” Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego told MSNBC.
“I’ve heard one woman say that this was the most frightening day of her life,” Rep. Seth Moulton, a former Marine, told Insider. “This is not what members of Congress signed up to do. It’s what I expected as a Marine, but not as a member of Congress.”
Representatives for Hawley did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cruz’s office referred to the statements he made denouncing the violent attacks on Capitol Hill, and alleging Democrats were playing politics.
Democratic lawmakers with military backgrounds quickly condemned their Republican colleagues and President Donald Trump as “treasonous,” and accused them of inciting the fatal violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
But their statements directed at a pair of Senate Republicans went beyond the usual political brinksmanship, particularly after a pro-Trump mob broke into the offices of lawmakers and the chambers of Congress.
At least four people died following the riots, including one person who was shot. Over a dozen D.C. Metropolitan Police officers were injured.
“What is our country coming to,” Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a former Marine Corps infantry officer, told Insider. “What is our country coming to, that the greatest democracy the world has ever seen, is under assault from within and inspired by the president of the United States.”
Moulton recounted being hurried off to a secure room with dozens of other lawmakers by Capitol Hill’s security team. Dramatic images of the incident showed lawmakers taking cover and assisting others during the hours-long siege.
“To be honest, this was nothing compared to what we saw in Iraq, but for many of my colleagues it was the worst thing they’ve seen,” Moulton added. “I’ve heard one woman say that this was the most frightening day of her life. This is not what members of Congress signed up to do. It’s what I expected as a Marine, but not as a member of Congress.”
Hours before the violence, Trump hosted an event near the White House to galvanize supporters to “never concede” in disputing the results of the presidential election. A joint session of Congress was in session on the same day to count the 2020 presidential race’s Electoral College votes.
Republican lawmakers from both chambers formally objected to the counting, raising debunked theories of widespread voter fraud and lending credence to conspiracy theories that have repeatedly been struck down by federal judges.
President Donald Trump campaigns with Sen. Josh Hawley of Kansas.
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Of note was Sens. Josh Hawley of Kansas, who appeared to raise his fist in support of the rioters on Wednesday; and Ted Cruz of Texas. Both senators were accused of showboating and fueling statements in an effort to advance their political profile. Sen. Hawley’s office also reportedly sent a fundraising email mentioning his objection as the congressional session was underway.
Moulton told Insider he “absolutely” believes Hawley and Cruz shared the blame for the violence.
“These are domestic terrorists attempting a coup who were incited and supported by lawless Republicans lawmakers,” Moulton said. “I think they should be censured because we need to make it clear to future lawmakers and future generations of Americans that you will not incite violence against the United States of America. That’s treasonous.”
Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, another Marine who deployed to Iraq, also had choice words and accused the two Republicans of inciting violence. Gallego reportedly helped other lawmakers put on their gas masks and gave instructions, as well as sheltering news reporters into his office.
“We have a president and we have senators that incite this that are just as bad as those who broke in,” Gallego said to MSNBC on Wednesday. “Cruz and Hawley did not break in with the rioters, and neither did Donald Trump, but their words broke the barriers of civility that have really kept the country together for hundreds of years. And they’re just as responsible and they should be ashamed.”
“The names of Cruz and Hawley should go down in history next to people like Benedict Arnold and Donald Trump,” Gallego added. “They are just traitors to the country and traitors to the Constitution.”
Representatives for Hawley did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cruz’s office referred to the statements he made denouncing the violent attacks on Capitol Hill, and alleging Democrats were merely playing politics.
“The attack at the Capitol was a despicable act of terrorism and a shocking assault on our democratic system,” Cruz said. “The Department of Justice should vigorously prosecute everyone who was involved in these brazen acts of violence.”
“No one should be surprised to see Democrats playing politics and to see them try to attack strong conservative leaders,” Cruz said during a radio interview. “That’s something Democrats have done for a long time. I do think it’s really cynical for them to be trying to take advantage of what was a tragic event that occurred yesterday in Washington – the terrorist attack on the Capitol.”
Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado comforts Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote, January 6, 2021.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Like Gallego, other lawmakers with combat experience sprung to action to assist during the chaos. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, a former US Army Ranger, was pictured comforting Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania during the siege inside the House chamber.
“I called my wife,” Crow told the Rolling Stone. “I told her I loved her and told the kids I loved them and told my wife I might have to fight my way out. “
“I immediately got into Ranger mode, as I say,” Crow reportedly added. “I’m going to do everything I can, I’m going to take as much action as I can. I did a double-check of all the doors, made sure they were locked. Escorted the more senior members away from the doors, moving them into a defensive position. Asked folks to take off their member pins so that if the mobs break down the doors, the members would be harder to identify. I took a pen out of my pocket to possibly use as a weapon.”
Crow also tweeted of the incident: “It didn’t need to be this way. Enablers of Donald Trump led us to this point.”
After reconvening, both Hawley and Cruz voted to sustain their objection. The Senate ultimately voted overwhelmingly 93-6 against the objection of Arizona’s electoral vote; as well as 92-7 against the objection of Pennsylvania’s.
Missouri Attorney General and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Josh Hawley talks while President Donald Trump listens during an appearance at the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars national convention Tuesday, July 24, 2018, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel/AP
On Tuesday, Walmart’s corporate account called Republican Sen. Josh Hawley a “#soreloser” on Twitter after Hawley said he would challenge the certification of the Electoral College vote.
Walmart said in a statement to Business Insider that the tweet “was mistakenly posted by a member of our social media team who intended to publish this comment to their personal account.”
Hawley responded by asking Walmart to “apologize for using slave labor” and “the pathetic wages you pay your workers as you drive mom and pop stores out of business.”
A social media misstep sparked an unlikely battle between Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and Walmart on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Hawley tweeted that he planned to object to the certification of the Electoral College vote on January 6, citing baseless claims of voter fraud. Experts say that the challenge is extremely unlikely to succeed, with President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump confirmed by the Electoral College on December 14.
In a since-deleted tweet, Walmart’s social media account responded to Hawley. The tweet reads: “Go ahead. Get your 2 hour debate. #soreloser.”
Walmart said in a statement to Business Insider that the tweet “was mistakenly posted by a member of our social media team who intended to publish this comment to their personal account.”
“We have removed the post and have no intention of commenting on the subject of certifying the electoral college,” the statement continued. “We apologize to Senator Hawley for this error and any confusion about our position.”
Hawley responded by asking Walmart to “apologize for using slave labor” and “the pathetic wages you pay your workers as you drive mom and pop stores out of business.”
While many small businesses have suffered during the pandemic, Walmart’s business has been booming. According to the nonprofit Opportunity Insights, the number of small businesses in the US has dropped by 29% since January. Walmart’s shares increased by 22% so far in 2020.
“I want to wrap up by saying congratulations to President-elect Biden,” McMillon said on a call with investors. “We look forward to working with the administration and both houses of Congress to move the country forward and solve issues on behalf of our associates, customers, and other stakeholders.”
