Each of those companies donated at least $1,000 to Loeffler’s campaign before her comments became public, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Loeffler comes under fire
The WNBA, like many businesses and organizations, publicly supported Black Lives Matter after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in May.
“I stand with @realDonaldTrump,” Loeffler added in the tweet. “I stand with the American flag, which has endured for 244 years. And I will not apologize for it.”
“Let me be clear: every single African-American life is important and must be valued,” she told the right-wing news and opinion site. “We must root out racism, pursue justice and ensure equality for all. But that’s not the objective of the Black Lives Matter political organization. Making the statement that ‘Black lives matter’ and backing the nefarious entity of the same name are two very different things.”
Businesses respond
FEC records show most of the companies supporting Loeffler’s campaign have made their donations between January and March, long before the senator’s anti-BLM comments.
Sony Pictures Entertainment’s political action committee gave Loeffler $2,500 on Feb. 18, according to the FEC.
On Thursday, Sony told CNN Business that Loeffler’s remarks about Black Lives Matter conflict with its own views. The company also said it will reassess its support for Loeffler going forward.
“We have been very clear about our commitment to diversity & inclusion and social justice, most recently through commitments to several social justice organizations,” a Sony spokesperson said via email. “We make assessments prior to every contribution and will continue to do that prospectively.”
“We don’t have information to share about future contributions,” a Target spokesperson said in an separate email.
FedEx told CNN Business it has a long history of participating in the political process, and supports candidates “on both sides of the aisle.”FedEx is as diverse as the world we serve, and we are committed to providing an inclusive workplace in which all team members feel safe and respected,” the company said in an emailed statement.
A FedEx spokesperson did not immediately respond to a followup question about whether the company will continue supporting Loeffler’s campaign in light of her recent remarks.
Loeffler reaffirms her view
“Yes, I oppose a political organization that embraces Marxist principles and promotes violence & anti-Semitism,” she tweeted. “So do millions of Americans who don’t live on Twitter. They’re not going to cancel us. They’re not going to intimidate us. And we’re going to win.”
Update: This story has been updated with a new comment from Target and a clarification of its potential plans to support her campaign in the future.
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