Coca-Cola Faces Harsh Backlash After CEO Blasts Georgia Election Laws — ‘Patriots Will Choose Another Beverage’

Cans of Sprite, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola are offered for sale at a grocery store on April 1
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Joshua Klein

A massive backlash against Coca-Cola sparked after the Georgia-based company’s CEO, James Quincey, said the recently-passed Georgia voting laws aimed at improving state election integrity are “unacceptable,” “wrong,” and “a step backward.”

Quincey, who joined the Coca-Cola company in 1996, appeared on CNBC on Wednesday criticizing the new legislation and stating that “we will continue to advocate” against the new laws “both in private and … public.” Many took to Twitter to voice their discontent with his statements.

“The guy who peddles sugar water that makes you obese wants to control the way you think,” author and former congressional candidate Buzz Patterson wrote:

“Patriots will choose another beverage,” Fox News host Laura Ingraham noted. “Big mistake by @CocaCola. Don’t poke the bear.”:

“I guess the #BeLessWhite training wasn’t an anomaly,” author Jim Hanson wrote, referencing a recent report which described Coca-Cola ‘anti-racism’ training materials that reportedly instructed employees to “be less white.”

“Wonder how Coke became ‘woke’? Here’s a clue,” political commentator Dinesh D’Souza said as he shared a link to an Asia Times article where the Coca-Cola president “lauds the quick and decisive action of the Chinese government in combating the coronavirus.”:

“The majority of Americans favor voter ID & laws to protect elections,” actress Alana Stewart commented. “The left threatened to boycott @CocaCola & CEO James Quincey caved. Boycotts work both ways.” 

“Many patriotic Americans will no longer be buying #Coke, including me. Bad move @CocaCola,” she added:

“@CocaCola supports a country that runs concentration camps in China more than facts, human rights, the State of Georgia where it’s headquartered,” journalist Curtis Houck wrote. “Pass it on.”

“So while Coca-Cola savages Georgia for lawfully enacting legislation to improve election integrity, they celebrate an unconstitutional executive decree legalizing an illegal workforce,” Stephen Miller, former Senior Advisor to President Trump, wrote.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if major corporations were loyal to the American People?” he added:

“@CocaCola CEO FALSELY claims Georgia’s new voting law doesn’t guarantee broad access or ensure election integrity, caving to the ‘woke’ left,” Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) posted on Twitter.

 “The TRUTH is the law expands early voting & makes voting more secure,” he added. “He’s sharing a false narrative. Shame!”

“Just how great is this…” commentator and podcast host Stephen L. Miller wrote, sharing an image of a New York Times essay titled “Nike and Coca-Cola Lobby Against Xinjiang Forced Labor Bill,” which details how major companies have been “pressing Congress to alter legislation cracking down on imports of goods made with forced labor from persecuted Muslim minorities in China.”

“The same Democrats who want to tax corporations into bankruptcy, want corporate money out of politics, and called Citizens United ‘unconstitutional’ are now demanding Delta and Coca-Cola spend millions to influence GA politics,” wrote right-wing commentator John Cardillo:

“Leftists want election fraud,” outspoken conservative actor Nick Searcy wrote. “Fraud gives them power they can control.” 

“This ‘man’ is either a liar or a fool,” he added, referring to Quincey. “There is NOTHING restrictive about the GA law. Showing an ID to vote is no more oppressive than showing an ID to cash a check. Just stop.”

“Coke should relocate to a more suitable state like New York or California,” one Twitter user wrote.

“Dear @CocaCola my family has held Coca-Cola stock for over 90 years. No longer. you trade with China and utter not a word, but let Georgia demand to verify that a voter is who they say they are and you go nuts,” another Twitter user added.

“I know many coke drinkers that vowed to never buy another Coca Cola product as long as they live,” yet another Twitter user wrote. “They said Coca Cola needs to stick to what they do best and stop trying to bully states about new voting laws that’s trying to stop democrat fraud!”

“Remind @CocaCola that asking for an ID is not racist,” another angry user commented. “The annual board meeting for CocaCola required participants to provide photo ID to enter….”

“Fascism in action,” yet another person wrote. “The left has their corporate sponsors speak out over common-sense reform that addresses the methods they used to rig the 2020 election.”

The recent Georgia legislation, which was passed last week and aims to combat voter fraud by implementing identification requirements and limiting ballot drop boxes throughout the state while granting the State Elections Board additional power, has become a source of controversy since its passing.

On Wednesday, ViacomCBS — which owns Paramount Pictures and the CBS network — became the first major Hollywood studio to speak out against Georgia’s voter integrity law, claiming — without citing evidence — that the legislation intended to fight voter fraud actually impedes the “equal right to vote.” 

The mass media conglomerate’s criticism came after Delta Air Lines publicly condemned the Georgia legislation. As Breitbart News reported, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian called the new law “unacceptable” in a memo to employees on Wednesday.

Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

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