Contact: Chris Kofinis (202) 486-6422

WAKEUPWALMART.COM CALLS ON WAL-MART TO DENOUNCE RACIST AD PRODUCED BY WAL-MART CONSULTANT TERRY NELSON

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER REV. JESSE JACKSON SR. & REP. JESSE JACKSON JR. CALL ON WAL-MART TO CONDEMN AD AND DISMISS TERRY NELSON

GROUP SENDS LETTER TO WAL-MART CEO LEE SCOTT CALLING ON WAL-MART TO FIRE ITS REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE

Washington, D.C. - As reported today by the Austin-American Statesman, Terry Nelson, president of Crosslink Strategy and a consultant to Wal-Mart, was behind the racist TV ad attacking Tennessee U.S. Senate Candidate Harold Ford, Jr.

In response to this shocking development, WakeUpWalMart.com, America’s campaign to change Wal-Mart, sent Wal-Mart’s CEO, Lee Scott, a personal letter calling on Wal-Mart to immediately condemn the ad and end its relationship with Republican operative and Wal-Mart consultant, Terry Nelson, for his production of a racist TV ad. Already, the ad has been widely condemned by the NAACP and other civil rights leaders.

In his role as a close and intimate advisor to Wal-Mart, Nelson created the strategy for Wal-Mart’s front group, Working Families for Wal-Mart, launched an unprecedented smear website, PaidCritics.com, to attack Democrats and hard-working families, and directs Wal-Mart’s recently launched voter education program which targets any Democrat who calls on Wal-Mart to be a responsible corporation.

In the past, Nelson served as national political director for President Bush’s 2004 reelection and also runs the Republican National Committee’s independent expenditure unit which funded the racist ad.

The letter, which was faxed to Scott today, demands Scott “send a message to all Americans, especially African Americans, that Wal-Mart will not do business with consultants who use race as a political tool to divide our nation.” The letter goes on to ask Scott to end the company’s business relationship with Nelson and his firm, and to immediately undertake a review of the tactics and tools being employed by the many Republican operatives who work for Wal-Mart and its public relations firm Edelman.

Over the last few months, several high profile consultants and advisors to Wal-Mart, including former chairman to Working Families for Wal-Mart, Ambassador Andrew Young, have been condemned or forced to resign for racist and insensitive actions.

A copy of the letter sent to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott is attached below along with statements by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Statement by the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.:

This is a reflection on Wal-Mart and the people that drive their right-wing, anti-worker family agenda. The same people that engage in race-baiting also support right to work laws that undermine working people.

Wal-Mart has the responsibility to dismiss Terry Nelson, with explanation, and apologize to Harold Ford Jr. Even though the Republican Party pulled the ad, if you throw ink on a suit, you leave a stain. They threw ink on Harold Ford, Jr. and many people believed it to be true, resulting in a negative impact.

If he did it, he must go and Wal-Mart owes a huge apology to the American people and to Harold Ford, Jr. Wal-Mart will determine what it will do based on how they view the gravity of the situation. It will be a reflection of their values -- will they coddle him or dismiss him?

Statement by Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.:

It has come to my attention that Terry Nelson is apparently the person behind the controversial Harold Ford, Jr., ad that has been running in the Tennessee senatorial race. In 2004, he was the political director for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign and is now a key advisor to Senator John McCain. He also heads up the Wal-Mart front group "Working Families for Wal-Mart" and is in charge of their "Voter Education Program" for 1.3 million associates nation-wide. Currently he is leading the Republican National Committee's special unit responsible for independent campaign expenditures.

Nelson's work for Wal-Mart has included:
-Managing the company's astroturf operation that offered free coupons and a vacation to Atlanta Wal-Mart shoppers that signed his petition. [Cox News, 4/4/06]
-Pressuring Wal-Mart suppliers to contribute to "Working Families For Wal-Mart." [Retailing Today, Spring 2006]
-Designing Wal-Mart's controversial employee education campaign project. [Washington Post, 9/30/06]

I am calling on Wal-Mart and Senator John McCain to immediately end their relationship with Terry Nelson. The ad was so outrageous and offensive that it was even denounced by Rep. Ford's Republican opponent. Wal-Mart and Senator McCain should take a public position against the ad and severe their relationship with Terry Nelson.

Letter to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott from WakeUpWalMart.com:

Mr. Lee Scott
CEO
Wal-Mart, Inc.
Bentonville, AR

Dear Mr. Scott,

We are deeply shocked and outraged to learn that one of your key consultants, Terry Nelson, is the Republican operative behind the recently pulled racist ad which attacked Tennessee U.S. Senate Candidate Harold Ford, Jr.

In his role as a close and intimate advisor to Wal-Mart, you have paid Terry Nelson to use the same tactics he perfected under Karl Rove to defend Wal-Mart’s declining public image. For example, you have allowed Nelson to launch a smear website, paid for by Wal-Mart, which attacks Democrats (PaidCritics.com), create a controversial front group called Working Families for Wal-Mart, and formulate your recent voter education program.

In this day and age, it is disgusting that consultants like Terry Nelson still use race and racism to incite fears and hatred to divide voters. Even more disturbing, is the fact that you have entrusted Mr. Nelson to manage Wal-Mart’s own voter education program.

The truth is, the American people will not stomach such gutter-style politics and Wal-Mart will pay a price if it permits Mr. Nelson to continue on as a close advisor. If Wal-Mart is truly interested in changing for the better, we implore you to send a message to all Americans, especially African-Americans, that Wal-Mart will not do business with consultants who use race as a political tool to divide our nation.

Respectfully, we call on you and Wal-Mart to immediately end your business relationship with Terry Nelson and his firm, and to immediately undertake a review of the tactics and tools being employed by the many Republican operatives who work for Wal-Mart and its public relations firm Edelman.

In the end, we can only hope that Wal-Mart will send the right the message to all of America. That message should be that Wal-Mart will never, in any way, shape, or form, tolerate racism by one of its staff, consultants, or business partners.

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Paul Blank, Campaign Director

CC: Congressional Black Caucus, NAACP

McCain Adviser Behind Anti-Ford Ad By Julia Malone Thursday, October 26, 2006

Terry Nelson, the political consultant responsible for a widely denounced TV ad against U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr., also serves as a senior adviser to Republican Sen. John McCain.

Nelson, who served as political director for President Bush’s 2004 re-election, runs the Republican National Committee’s independent expenditure unit, RNC spokesman Josh Holmes confirmed. The independent effort drew charges of racism with its ad featuring a bare-shouldered blond woman saying she had met Rep. Ford at a Playboy party.

Ford, a Tennessee Democrat, is running to become the first black senator elected from the South since Reconstruction. The ad drew fire from all sides, including from Ford’s Republican opponent, Bob Corker. RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, who denied that the TV spot was racist, said that he had no control over the independent expenditure unit.

The Republican chairman announced Wednesday that the controversial ad was being pulled off the air. Nelson, a former deputy chief of staff at the RNC, now heads Crosslink Strategy, a Washington consulting firm.

His Website lists among his clients Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse and Senator McCain’s Straight Talk America Political Action Committee.

McCain’s Senate spokeswoman Melissa Shuffield confirmed that Nelson was an adviser to the PAC but said she had no immediate comment on the Ford ad. Craig Goldman, executive director of Straight Talk America, said Nelson’s role for McCain has been to advise the Arizona Republican where he should go to campaign for GOP candidates this year.

Nelson did not return a reporter’s call for comments on the anti-Ford ad.