More than 90 company executives, including the CEOs of Yelp and Chobani, as well as the former CEOs of PepsiCo, Ford Motor and Yahoo!, endorsed US Vice-President Kamala Harris for her presidency bid in a letter released on Friday.
Separately, more than 100 current and retired law enforcement officials also backed Harris in her contest against Republican former president Donald Trump ahead of the November 5 presidential election, citing her experience as a prosecutor and her commitment to curb gun violence.
The company executives, who include the heads of top sports and investment companies, said they were confident the Democrat would continue to bolster the economy and preserve American democracy. “Harris has a strong record of advancing actions to spur business investment in the US and ensure American businesses can compete and win in the global market,” they wrote.
“She will continue to advance fair and predictable policies that support the rule of law, stability and a sound business environment, and she will strive to give every American the opportunity to pursue the American dream.”
Among those backing the vice-president were billionaire Mark Cuban, former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch and businessman and former basketball start Earvin “Magic” Johnson, according to the letter obtained by Reuters and first reported by CNBC.
Laurene Powell Jobs, head of the Emerson Collective and widow of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, also endorsed Harris, as did the former CEOs of Merck, Aetna, GoDaddy, Blackstone and Starbucks, among others.
Harris faces a tight race against Trump in a critical election as the economy weighs heavily on some voters, as does the future of US democratic systems. Both candidates are laying out their vision for jobs and economic growth ahead of November’s contest even as some early voting is poised to begin in some US states.
Harris’ economic plan would aim to cut taxes for most Americans, tackle grocery “price gouging”, bolster housing and offer new child tax credits. She would also seek to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%.
Key labour groups have also endorsed her.
Trump, in remarks this week to the New York Economic Club, said he would lower companies’ tax rate to 15% and hire billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk to audit the US government. He also vowed to allow large-scale housing construction on US public lands and he would declare a national emergency to eliminate regulations for energy projects.
Goldman Sachs said in a note this week economic output was likely to take a hit next year if Trump wins, mostly from increased tariffs on imports and tighter immigration policies. Under a Harris presidency, the US would likely see stronger job growth and a “very slight boost to GDP” investment and growth, its analysts said.
The current and retired law enforcement officials cited Trump’s proposed cuts to law enforcement funding and his own criminal charges as well as his promises to pardon those convicted in the January 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol and to terminate the constitution. “Trump has repeatedly shown he does not respect law enforcement or the rule of law. He creates disorder that puts law enforcement and all Americans at risk,” they wrote.
The group includes the law enforcement heads of Atlanta; Bloomington, Indiana; Arlington, Virginia; Stonecrest, Georgia; Henderson, Nevada; and other localities, as well as retired police chiefs of Philadelphia, Washington, Seattle and Oakland, California, among other cities.
Reuters
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