Google and Microsoft both say they’re committed to diversity. Can they maintain that pledge while supporting a Republican National Convention that is set to nominate a presidential candidate whose campaign has been fueled by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment?
A number of activist groups think not. They’re asking the tech giants and other companies that have made plans to support the RNC (and by extension Donald Trump) to reconsider.
As in 2012, Google once again plans to serve as the RNC’s official livestream provider. Microsoft, meanwhile, will donate technology to the convention, which is scheduled to take place July 18–21 in Cleveland. But activist groups argue that supporting the event is tantamount to supporting Trump and are asking the companies to send a message by sitting this one out.
CREDO Action is distributing a petition entitled, “Tell Google and Microsoft not to sponsor Trump’s hate,” which has been signed by more than 65,000 people as of press time. BuzzFeed reports that this week, ColorOfChange, CREDO, and Bend the Arc Jewish Action delivered a similar petition with 500,000 signatures to Google’s head of policy. Meanwhile, a plane carrying a banner reading, “Google: Don’t be evil. #DumpTrump” flew over the company’s California headquarters.
Embattled Republicans Face A Difficult Situation Now That Trump Is The NomineePolitics by CREDIT: AP Photo/Jim Cole With Donald Trump now set to become the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential…thinkprogress.org“It is irresponsible and dangerous for corporations like Google and Microsoft to promote Trump’s hate by sponsoring the Republican convention,” CREDO’s petition says. “It’s important for Google and Microsoft to be reminded that sponsorship of a Trump-led convention helps legitimize and normalize Trump’s hate.”
CREDO also put together a video contrasting Google searches and Trump clips to highlight the effort:
Despite the pressure, Google is forging ahead with its plans, Politico reports. So in Microsoft, though according to Business Insider, in a break with precedent, its involvement won’t involve a cash donation to the RNC this year. The company will still provide sponsorship of some Democratic National Committee-affiliated events, however.
In a blog post on Microsoft’s website, Fred Humphries, corporate vice president of U.S. government affairs for Microsoft, explains that the way the primary season played out didn’t impact the company’s RNC and DNC plans.
“We appreciate that this year’s conventions may have some more dramatic moments than in some prior years,” he wrote. “This is all the more reason, in our view, to ensure that they benefit from technology tools that are used for a range of important activities, from helping to record accurate vote counts to sharing information quickly and accurately with delegates and the public.”
Coca-Cola will also be financially involved in the RNC, though less so than four years ago. The company, which contributed $660,000 to the RNC in 2012, decided to give only $75,000 this time around. According to the LA Times, that decision came on the heels of activist groups circulating an online petition that said, “Share a Coke with the KKK,” a reference to Trump not immediately disavowing an endorsement from former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke in February.
Some Republicans are also feeling conflicted about taking part in a Trump-headlined RNC.
.@GuardianUS can confirm that Bob Dole will attend the convention in Cleveland and only be the only former GOP nominee there
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 5, 2016
Despite the controversy, Emily Lauer, spokesperson for the convention’s host committee, told Buzzfeed she expects to have no trouble raising the requisite funds for the convention.
“The Host Committee has 80 percent of its cash donations in hand already, and we’re looking forward to welcoming all of our sponsors to Cleveland this summer to help us host a successful convention for the Republican Party,” Lauer wrote in an email.
Trump, for his part, is in the process of setting up a joint fundraising committee that will help raise money for the convention.