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Sony and Target distance themselves from Senator who denounced Black Lives Matter

Sony is re-evaluating its support for Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler's campaign, and Target said it disagreed with her, after she denounced Black Lives Matter and urged the WNBA to stop supporting the movement.

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Chauncey Alcorn CNN Business
CNN — Sony is re-evaluating its support for Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler's campaign, and Target said it disagreed with her, after she denounced Black Lives Matter and urged the WNBA to stop supporting the movement.

Loeffler, a Republican, is the co-owner of the Atlanta Dream pro-basketball franchise. She is facing backlash from players and fans for objecting to the league's decision to honor the Black Lives Matter movement, which Loeffler has dismissed as "Marxist."

The backlash has put a spotlight on companies that have donated to Loeffler's reelection campaign. Many, including Sony, Target, Google, Best Buy, FedEx, AT&T and Comcast have also issued statements or taken action in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Each of those companies donated at least $1,000 to Loeffler's campaign before her comments became public, according to Federal Election Commission records.

In response to questions from CNN Business, Sony said it is reassessing whether or not they will make future political contributions to Loeffler. Other companies did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The company's campaign donations were reported Thursday by Think Progress and Popular Information founder Judd Legum, whose newsletter post was retweeted by Atlantic writer Jemele Hill.

Loeffler comes under fire

The WNBA, like many businesses and organizations, publicly supported Black Lives Matter after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in May.

More than 67% of the league's players are Black, according to a 2019 Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports study.

Earlier this month, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a letter Loeffler wrote to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, saying Black Lives Matter subscribes to "a particular political agenda [that] undermines the potential of the sport and sends a message of exclusion."

When the letter was made public, several WNBA players demanded the league force Loeffler to sell her stake in the Atlanta Dream.

In response, Loeffler doubled down on her position in a July 8 press conference and a July 9 tweet that described Black Lives Matter as "a radical movement that seeks to destroy American principles."

"I stand with @realDonaldTrump," Loeffler added in the tweet. "I stand with the American flag, which has endured for 244 years. And I will not apologize for it."

Loeffler further clarified her position on BLM in a July 9 Fox News appearance and a July 10 interview with the Daily Caller.

"Let me be clear: every single African-American life is important and must be valued," she told the right-wing news and opinion site. "We must root out racism, pursue justice and ensure equality for all. But that's not the objective of the Black Lives Matter political organization. Making the statement that 'Black lives matter' and backing the nefarious entity of the same name are two very different things."

On Thursday, Engelbert told CNN that the WNBA won't force Loeffler to sell her share of the Dream.

Businesses respond

FEC records show most of the companies supporting Loeffler's campaign have made their donations between January and March, long before the senator's anti-BLM comments.

Sony Pictures Entertainment's political action committee gave Loeffler $2,500 on Feb. 18, according to the FEC.

On Thursday, Sony told CNN Business that Loeffler's remarks about Black Lives Matter conflict with its own views. The company also said it will reassess its support for Loeffler going forward.

"We have been very clear about our commitment to diversity & inclusion and social justice, most recently through commitments to several social justice organizations," a Sony spokesperson said via email. "We make assessments prior to every contribution and will continue to do that prospectively."

A Target spokesperson noted that its $1,000 donation to Loeffler's campaign was made in February, long before the senator's comments about Black Lives Matter.

The spokesperson reaffirmed Target's support for racial equity and social justice and said its support for Loeffler going forward is under review. The company later clarified that it "does not agree with Sen. Loeffler's comments," but declined to say whether it will donate to her campaign in the future.

"We don't have information to share about future contributions," a Target spokesperson said in an separate email.

FedEx donated $5,000 to Loeffler's campaign, according to OpenSecrets.org, a campaign finance watchdog site.

FedEx told CNN Business it has a long history of participating in the political process, and supports candidates "on both sides of the aisle."FedEx is as diverse as the world we serve, and we are committed to providing an inclusive workplace in which all team members feel safe and respected," the company said in an emailed statement.

A FedEx spokesperson did not immediately respond to a followup question about whether the company will continue supporting Loeffler's campaign in light of her recent remarks.

Best Buy, Google, AT&T and Comcast did not immediately respond to requests for comment about their past support for Loeffler's campaign. AT&T owns WarnerMedia, CNN's parent company.

Comcast recently severed ties with conservative lobbyist Matthew Schlapp over negative comments he made about Black Lives Matter.

Loeffler reaffirms her view

Loeffler is vying for reelection in November against a list of at least 19 special election challengers that includes Rep. Doug Collins, a fellow GOP Trump supporter. Loeffler was appointed to the Senate in December by Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to fill the seat left vacant by retired Sen. Johnny Isakson, who resigned late last year because of health concerns.

Loeffler reaffirmed her stance on Black Lives Matter again on Twitter Thursday morning.

"Yes, I oppose a political organization that embraces Marxist principles and promotes violence & anti-Semitism," she tweeted. "So do millions of Americans who don't live on Twitter. They're not going to cancel us. They're not going to intimidate us. And we're going to win."

Update: This story has been updated with a new comment from Target and a clarification of its potential plans to support her campaign in the future.

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