Publix CEO Todd Jones on Tuesday told the father of a Parkland, Florida student killed in the February 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that the Florida-based supermarket chain would not be making a donation to the school’s student fund. Last week leftist revolutionary Parkland student gun control activist David Hogg demanded Publix give $1 million to the Stoneman Douglas Victim’s fund to atone for donating a reported $670,000 in recent years to Adam Putnam, a pro-NRA Florida Republican running for governor. Hogg led a die-in inside Publix stores last Friday to protest Publix’s support for Putnam, who is currently Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner.
Just before the start of the die-ins Friday afternoon Publix announce it was suspending political donations for a period of review. A Publix customer service representative told this writer Friday evening Publix had taken no decision at that point on Hogg’s million dollar demand. The die-ins reportedly only took place at two stores in Parkland and one in Orlando. Publix has hundreds of stores throughout Florida and has expanded into the Southeast.
Jaime Guttenberg.
Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime Guttenberg was killed in the massacre, wrote on Twitter about the phone calls he had with Jones and how Jones told him Tuesday the die-in had politicized the situation such that he would not come to Parkland to meet with the victims and families, nor would Publix make a donation to the student fund.
Early this morning @davidhogg111 teamed up with @ChangeTheRef to create an art instillation outside of @publix in protest of the corporation and their support of Adam Putnam. 17 chalk outlines in multiple parking spots were drawn and wrapped in caution tape. #msd #neveragain pic.twitter.com/043cC2o6kA
— Emilee McGovern (@EmileeRose) May 25, 2018
Black Mirror Season 4 2k19 pic.twitter.com/WC3w4cTezC
— David Hogg ☮️ (@davidhogg111) May 27, 2018
David Hogg at a Publix die-in last Friday.
Hogg’s million dollar demand was made via Twitter, “I call on @Publix to donate double the money they gave to Putman to the Stoneman Douglas Victims fund, $1,000,000. And never support an A rated NRA politician again.”
I call on @Publix to donate double the money they gave to Putman to the Stoneman Douglas Victims fund, $1,000,000. And never support an A rated NRA politician again.
— David Hogg ☮️ (@davidhogg111) May 24, 2018
On Tuesday Hogg posted a request for a face to face meeting with Jones, prompting Guttenberg to point him to his own conversations with Jones. Hogg was also still demanding money from Publix.
“To Todd Jones, CEO of @Publix Thank you for hearing the voices of young ppl working to end gun violence. We have one request: A face-to-face meeting. We need business leadership to join the effort to end the carnage. Let’s lead by example together.”
To Todd Jones, CEO of @Publix Thank you for hearing the voices of young ppl working to end gun violence. We have one request: A face-to-face meeting. We need business leadership to join the effort to end the carnage.
Let's lead by example together.
— David Hogg ☮️ (@davidhogg111) May 29, 2018
“Best thing for me to see on graduation is $670,000 out of @adamputnam campaign and into the MSD victims fund.”
Best thing for me to see on graduation is $670,000 out of @adamputnam campaign and into the MSD victims fund.
— David Hogg ☮️ (@davidhogg111) May 29, 2018
Check out my tweet on the conversationthat I had with him today.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
Guttenberg recounted his conversations with Jones in a series of tweets. (Note: Guttenberg gets the day of the die-in wrong, it was Friday.)
Here is my follow up to everything that happened with Publix. I am extremely annoyed at @Publix now and the CEO Todd Jones. On Wednesday May 16th I called his office and left a message wanting to talk to him about the donation to Adam Putnam. At that time, news of the donation was first breaking. I never heard back. Last week on Thursday morning, the day of the die in, I left another message and this time I did hear back. I explained to him how unfortunate it was that he did not call back the week before as he had the chance to do something proactive.
When I finally had the chance to speak with him on Thursday, I asked him for two things. One was to come to Parkland and to visit with the families who have been affected by this violence. He had explained to me that morning the change in Publix policy and I asked him to come explain that in person and to hear from us why we are concerned about the donations to Putnam. I also let him know that most other large Florida based companies had donated to the victims fund but Publix had not and perhaps Publix could make a donation to offset what they gave to
Putnam. He said he would get back to me on both items.When I did not hear back, I called again today and we did speak. He had the gall to say to me that because the die in made this so political that he would not be able to come down here to meet with the Parkland kids and families, as a reminder we are customers, and that Publix would not be making any donation to the victims fund. That is the right of Publix to make a decision like that, but I also have the right to call it out. To be clear, this became political because of the donation to Putnam and the lack of response from Publix until there was an outcry. The victims in Parkland did not make this political.”
Here is my follow up to everything that happened with Publix. I am extremely annoyed at @Publix now and the CEO Todd Jones. On Wednesday May 16th I called his office and left a message wanting to talk to him about the donation to Adam Putnam. At that time, news of the donation
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
was first breaking. I never heard back. Last week on Thursday morning, the day of the die in, I left another message and this time I did hear back. I explained to him how unfortunate it was that he did not call back the week before as he had the chance to do something proactive.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
When I finally had the chance to speak with him on Thursday, I asked him for two things. One was to come to Parkland and to visit with the families who have been affected by this violence. He had explained to me that morning the change in Publix policy and I asked him to come
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
explain that in person and to hear from us why we are concerned about the donations to Putnam. I also let him know that most other large Florida based companies had donated to the victims fund but Publix had not and perhaps Publix could make a donation to offset what they gave to
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
Putnam. He said he would get back to me on both items. When I did not hear back, I called again today and we did speak. He had the gall to say to me that because the die in made this so political that he would not be able to come down here to meet with the Parkland kids and
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
families, as a reminder we are customers, and that Publix would not be making any donation to the victims fund. That is the right of Publix to make a decision like that, but I also have the right to call it out. To be clear, this became political because of the donation to
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
Putnam and the lack of response from Publix until there was an outcry. The victims in Parkland did not make this political.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 29, 2018
Publix is one of the few corporations to stand up to the 18-year-old tyrant David Hogg. FedEx, Fox News Channel and My Pillow are among those who have rejected Hogg’s boycott bullying.
