MD Governor Ehrlich threatens veto of “Wal-Mart Bill” while taking Wal-Mart’s campaign contributions
AS MARYLAND GOVERNOR BOB EHRLICH THREATENS VETO OF HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION, WAL-MART WATCH CALLS FOR EHRLICH TO RETURN CAMPAIGN DONATIONS RECEIVED FROM WAL-MART
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tracy Sefl, 202-557-7451
Washington, DC, May 4, 2005 –Wal-Mart Watch today calls upon Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich to return the campaign contributions he has received from Wal-Mart. Ehrlich is threatening to veto his state legislature’s historic bill to compel Wal-Mart to improve its health care spending for its Maryland employees.
Wal-Mart Watch continues to commend the Maryland legislature for recently passing this bill that would compel Wal-Mart to increase its health care spending for its more than 10,000 employees in that state. But Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich has threatened to veto the bill, saying that protecting the retail giant trumps the health care concerns of his constituents.
Because Ehrlich is the beneficiary of political donations from Wal-Mart, including a $1,000 per-person Annapolis fundraiser hosted by Wal-Mart in December 2004 and a campaign donation in January 2005 reported the day the legislative session began, Wal-Mart Watch today calls upon Governor Ehrlich to return those donations.
Wal-Mart Watch Executive Director Andrew Grossman stated, “If Ehrlich is intent on disregarding Marylanders’ health care concerns, they have the right to know: has Governor Ehrlich been bought by the Wal-Mart billionaires? Ehrlich should immediately disclose the amount of the Wal-Mart donations and return them to the company.”
Wal-Mart Watch, a campaign of Five Stones, a 501(c)(4), was founded in December 2004. Its mission is to reform Wal-Mart’s business practices and help improve Wal-Mart as a neighbor, employer, and corporate citizen.
MARYLAND’S GOVERNOR TAKES WAL-MART DONATIONS, THEN THREATENS TO VETO BILL TO IMPROVE WAL-MART EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH COVERAGE
Governor Ehrlich Threatened to Veto Bill to Increase Health Care Spending for 1,000 Maryland Wal-Mart Employees. “Ehrlich ticked off a number of Democratic-led initiatives he has opposed, including several proposed tax increases and legislation passed this year that came to be known in Annapolis as ‘the Wal-Mart bill.’ The bill requires businesses with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of payroll on employee health benefits or pay an assessment to the state’s health insurance program for the poor. As written, the only known company operating in Maryland that would be affected is Wal-Mart. Yesterday, Ehrlich repeated his pledge to veto the bill.” [Washington Post, 4/29/05]
Ehrlich Benefited from Wal-Mart Fundraiser in December 2004. On December 15, 2004, Wal-Mart held a reception honoring Gov. Robert Ehrlich in Annapolis, MD. According to the invitation, tickets to the event cost $1,000 per person. The Baltimore Sun reported, “A $1,000-per-head fund-raiser hosted by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. last week in Annapolis has raised some eyebrows, especially among groups that don’t like the company’s business practices.” [Baltimore Sun, 12/28/04; Wal-Mart Invitation]
Ehrlich Received $4,000 Wal-Mart Donation This January. On January 12, 2005, the day the 2005 legislative session convened, Governor Robert Ehrlich’s campaign committee disclosed a donation from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. for $4,000. [Maryland State Board of Elections, Campaign Finance Database, http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/database/index.html]
