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Update: On May 25, 2018, Publix announced it would suspend its political contributions to gun extremist Adam Putnam. “We would never knowingly disappoint our customers or the communities we serve,’’ the company said in a statement. “As a result, we decided earlier this week to suspend corporate-funded political contributions as we reevaluate our giving processes.” Publix has resumed giving since, but makes smaller donations than before and balances contributions much more evenly between Democrats and Republicans.
On May 15, 2018, the Tampa Bay Times revealed that the Florida supermarket giant Publix, the heirs to the company’s founder, and its current and former leaders have given 2018 Florida gubernatorial candidate and pro-gun extremist Adam Putnam $670,000 over the past three years in political contributions. $410,000 of it was given by Publix to Putnam’s Political Action Committee, Florida Grown.
Florida agricultural commissioner Adam Putnam is well-known for demagoguery on the gun issue. He has repeatedly bragged about his A+ rating from the NRA and calls himself a “proud NRA sellout.”
Putnam opposed Florida’s historic new gun reforms, which instituted a three-day waiting period for most long gun purchases, with a minimum purchasing age of 21. He has been a driver of the campaign to force Florida’s colleges and universities to allow guns on their campuses. His latest idea is to allow his agency to issue concealed carry permits to applicants who haven’t completed background checks.
The $670,000 in funding for Putnam comes during a time when he was responsible for overseeing safety inspections at Publix stores. When a 2016 investigation by WFTS discovered that 7 Publix stores in the Tampa Bay-area had failed health inspections, Putnam responded by changing their “fail” grade to “re-inspection required.”
Please contact Publix through one of the channels below and give them the following message (personalized to your liking):
I am absolutely disgusted that Publix, the heirs to your company’s founder, and its current and former leaders have given $670,000 to pro-gun extremist Adam Putnam over the past three years. That you’ve continued this largess following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. is absolute beyond the pale for a company that preaches about the welfare of youth and being “responsible citizens.” Every dollar you give that man makes it more likely that school schootings—and all other forms of gun violence—will continue unabated in Florida. You know this, but you’ve kept funding Putnam because he’s allowed your stores to routinely violate safety inspections without consequence. Now you have two options. You will either stop funding Adam Putnam immediately and apologize to victims and survivors of gun violence in your community for the funding you have given him to date, or I will join a growing boycott of Publix and dedicate my life to organizing and sustaining that boycott of your stores. When it comes to the well-being of my children, and other people’s children, I do not mess around.
Once you have contacted Publix, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!