The Publix grocery store chain suspended political donations after Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student activist David Hogg's staged "die-in" protests over its donations to Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam.
"At Publix, we respect the students and members of the community who have chosen to express their voices on these issues," the grocery store said in a statement, reports ABC News. "We regret that our contributions have led to a divide in our community. We did not intend to put our associates and the customers they serve in the middle of a political debate."
The letter continued, "As a result, we decided earlier this week to suspend corporate-funded political contributions as we reevaluate our giving processes."
Hogg simply tweeted, as news broke about Publix's decision: "The young people will win."
Putnam, Florida's state agricultural commissioner, is a National Rifle Association supporter and is running to replace current Gov. Rick Scott.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Publix has donated $670,000 to Putnam in the past three years.
In addition, Carol Barnett, the daughter of the chain's founder, donated $78,000; former Publix executive M. Clayton Hollis Jr. donated $49,000, and Publix executive Hoyt Barnett donated $20,000, reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Putnam has an A+ rating from the NRA, and has called himself a "proud #NRASellout" on Twitter.
Hogg first started the protests against Putnam and Publix through a tweet on May 22, when he called for a boycott at the grocery store chain.
He's successfully organized a call for companies to pull funding from Fox News' Laura Ingraham's television show, "The Ingraham Angle," after she made fun of his not being accepted to several colleges. That resulted in 16 companies pulling their commercials.
Hogg has also called for boycotts of Blackrock and Vanguard Group, both of which have indirect stakes in gun companies.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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