coca-cola

Politics

Corporate-backed conservative NC event features anti-gay leader, controversial Brexit politician

By Chris Kromm

June 2, 2017 - Among the corporate sponsors of this year's Conservative Leadership Conference organized by the Art Pope-founded Civitas Institute are Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and Duke Energy.

Human Rights

INSTITUTE INDEX: Business vs. bigotry

By Sue Sturgis

April 1, 2016 - A by-the-numbers look at how businesses in North Carolina and elsewhere across the South are opposing discrimination and intolerance against LGBT people and other vulnerable minorities.

Fresh scrutiny of Stand Your Ground laws after acquittal in Trayvon Martin killing

By Sue Sturgis

July 15, 2013 - Civil rights and gun safety leaders are calling for the repeal of what some decry as racially biased "shoot-first" laws, which are especially popular in the South. Some are putting renewed pressure on the corporate members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the business advocacy group that promoted such laws in the states.

Politics

ALEC staggers but will it fall?

By Phil Mattera

June 1, 2012 - The campaign calling on companies to sever ties with the American Legislative Exchange Council is one of the most successful corporate accountability initiatives in history, but it now faces the challenge of persuading those unfazed by consumer unrest.

Politics

Companies flee from backing right-wing advocacy group

By Chris Kromm

April 12, 2012 - At least five major companies and one charitable foundation have pulled support for the American Legislative Exchange Council, a corporate-backed advocacy group in state legislatures, after a growing campaign links the group to voter ID and "Stand Your Ground" gun laws.

Another Supreme Court boost for corporate unaccountability?

By Phil Mattera

March 13, 2012 - As an ongoing case involving the parent company of Houston-based Shell Oil illustrates, conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court appear to want to put an end to the Alien Tort Claims Act, a key tool for holding corporations accountable for human rights violations.

Economy

Coca-Cola settles lawsuit over stock manipulation charges

By Sue Sturgis

July 8, 2008 - Coca-Cola has agreed to pay $137.5 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit charging officials at the Atlanta-based company with misrepresenting or omitting information from public statements, causing artificial inflation of stock prices. The plaintiffs in the class-action suit were led by two union pension funds: the Carpenters Health & Welfare Fund of Philadelphia, which held about $80 million in company stock at the time of the filing, and and Local 144 Nursing Home Pension Fund, now called 1199 SEIU Greater New York Pension Fund.

New report: Obesity a huge problem in the South

By R. Neal

August 28, 2007 - A new report by the Trust for America's Health finds there is a growing problem with obesity, particularly in the South.

Sen. Dorgan takes on the war profiteers

By Chris Kromm

June 21, 2006 - Ammendment 4230, introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) to establish a "Truman Committee" to oversee military contracts was defeated yesterday. But Sen. Dorgan gave an impassioned speech from the Senate floor about the squandering of billions of taxpayer dollars for military waste and fraud:

Politics

How the Right Dominates State Politics

By Chris Kromm

August 9, 2005 - Those who follow state politics are often amazed at how, even in states where progressives have some strength, the conservative right is successful in pushing its agenda. Especially in the South, the right often seems uncannily organized and effective in promoting a core set of legislation, even in the face of broad opposition among the public and other lawmakers.