145 top CEOs signed a letter urging the Republican-controlled Senate to act on gun control by passing legislation already introduced by Democrats, reports the New York Times.
The big picture: Corporate America is taking the lead in tackling gun control. Multiple retail companies, including Walmart and CVS, are asking customers to not openly carry firearms in their stores. After a deadly shooting at an El Paso Walmart killed 22 people, Walmart stores stopped selling ammunition for handguns and assault rifles.
What they're saying: The letter asks the Senate to pass legislation requiring background checks on all gun sales and a strong red flag law, which allows courts to issue risk protection orders.
Some of the CEOs who signed the letter:
- Joshua Kushner, Founder of Thrive Capital and brother of Jared Kushner
- Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter
- Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb
- Ethan Brown, CEO of Beyond Meat
- Edward Stack, CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods
- Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss
- Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber
- Steve Pagliuca, Co-Chair of Bain Capital — a private equity firm co-founded by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah)
Worth noting: A recent poll by Edelman Intelligence found that a majority of U.S. adults would feel more favorably toward a company whose CEO supports tougher background checks for guns.
Go deeper:
