Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, announced on Wednesday that it will suspend its membership in the America Legislative Exchange Council, the conservative advocacy group that has been scrutinized recently for its support for laws restricting voting rights and for "Stand your ground" gun laws like the one brought to national attention by Trayvon Martin's shooting death.
The retail giant made its announcement late Wednesday. It joined ALEC in 1993.
According to Think Progress, Wal-Mart is the 19th organization to leave the right-wing group, and its choice to drop out is "particularly salient because the big-box chain is also the largest purveyor of firearms in the country."
Other groups that have recently left ALEC include Amazon.com, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft, Wendy's, Mars, Inc., Arizona Public Service, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, Kaplan, Procter & Gamble, Yum! Brands, five Pennsylvania legislators, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Reed Elsevier, American Traffic Solutions, Intuit, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Wal-Mart is the largest company to make the decision.
Sounds like being an ALEC member is now not only controversial but also kind of lonely. Is anyone left? Yes. In particular, other large companies, including State Farm and Johnson & Johnson, are still members. But we bet they're giving that relationship some serious thought.
Read more at ThinkProgress.