Contact: Chris Kofinis (202) 486-6422

WAKEUPWALMART.COM TO LAUNCH AD CAMPAIGN CALLING ON WAL-MART TO FIRE CONSULTANT BEHIND RACIST AD

GROUP BLASTS WAL-MART FOR FAILING TO ADDRESS THE RACIST TV AD ISSUE AND DISMISSING IT AS “ABSURD”

Washington, D.C. - In response to Wal-Mart’s refusal to condemn a racist TV ad produced by one of its top advisors, WakeUpWalMart.com, America’s campaign to change Wal-Mart, is launching an advertising campaign calling on Wal-Mart to fire consultant Terry Nelson.

As the public discovered yesterday, Terry Nelson is the Wal-Mart/RNC consultant who produced the racist TV ad attacking Tennessee U.S. Senate Candidate Harold Ford, Jr. The ad has been widely condemned by the NAACP, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and other civil rights leaders.

WakeUpWalMart.com will begin airing a TV and radio campaign in Tennessee, and then nationwide, until Wal-Mart condemns Nelson’s actions and fires him as a consultant. The ad will highlight the fact that Terry Nelson is a close advisor to Wal-Mart, runs their voter education campaign and that Wal-Mart chose to defend him instead of firing him.

“Wal-Mart claims it is committed to diversity, but talk is cheap, and actions are what matter. Either Wal-Mart does the right thing and fires Terry Nelson, or we will make sure every American, especially African American, knows that Wal-Mart chose to defend his racist actions, not diversity,” said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

In addition, WakeUpWalMart.com faxed a second letter to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott calling on him to fire Terry Nelson, condemn the racist TV ad, and disavow statements made by Wal-Mart’s own spokesperson to the Associated Press where he said “this has nothing to do with Wal-Mart, so it would be absurd for us to comment on it.” The letter also makes it clear that if Wal-Mart fails to fire Nelson, the group will run TV and radio ads blasting Wal-Mart for defending their consultant and close advisor who was behind the racist TV ad campaign.

A copy of the letter to Scott is below.

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 disturbed to learn that Wal-Mart is refusing to fire Terry Nelson, the Republican operative and Wal-Mart consultant who is behind a racist TV ad which attacks Tennessee U.S. Senate Candidate Harold Ford, Jr. Worse, according to last night’s Associated Press article, your own spokesperson, David Tovar, callously dismissed the issue of a racist TV ad by saying, “this has nothing to do with Wal-Mart, so it would be absurd for us to comment on it.”

Sadly, for whatever political reason, Wal-Mart’s decision to defend a racist consultant contradicts your company’s claim that it supports diversity. As you said, “diversity doesn’t just happen. Just saying we are committed to diversity is not enough - we must put in the right systems, processes and leadership to make it happen.” [Lee Scott, 2005 - A Year of Accomplishments Report]. But, Mr. Scott, with all due respect, actions speak louder than words.

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.

Once again, we respectfully 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.

So you are aware, if Wal-Mart does not fire Mr. Nelson immediately, we will begin airing a TV and radio campaign in Tennessee, and then nationwide, until Wal-Mart condemns Nelson’s actions and fires him as a consultant. The ad will highlight the fact that Terry Nelson is a close advisor to Wal-Mart, runs their voter education campaign and that Wal-Mart chose to defend him instead of firing him.

In the end, we can only hope that Wal-Mart will do the right thing and send the message 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