Sheriff Joe
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OPINION
Starbucks Is Stuck With Howard Schultz’s Legacy
Peter Flaherty | February 23, 2019
Now that Howard Schultz supposedly has disengaged himself from Starbucks and is considering a run for the presidency in 2020, the company fears his political pursuits will hurt their bottom line.
Well too bad.
After decades of liberal activism and supporting Democratic candidates like Hillary Clinton, Schultz now says he may run as an independent. Some Democratic Party loyalists have gone ballistic, hurling invectives at Schultz and claiming that he will ensure the re-election of the president by splitting the anti-Trump vote.
Moreover, they are threatening boycotts. Leftist filmmaker Michael Moore urged everyone to avoid Starbucks until Schultz “announces he’s not running.”
And raising the stakes, Democratic Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century – backed by billionaire George Soros – recently targeted Starbucks, casting doubts on Schultz’s leadership. Among the charges: The company paid $46 million in settlements to employees over wage and compensation grievances. “[American Bridge] is clearly trying to convince voters that under his leadership, Starbucks took advantage of employees,” CNBC reported.
The fear of the potential economic fallout at the Seattle headquarters has been palpable – so much that Starbucks dispatched a prominent Democratic PR firm SKDKnickerbocker to try and persuade their comrades not to harm their beloved company.
Reportedly, the firm has been “reaching out to Democratic operatives in the last week expressing fear that the animus directed at Schultz over his proposed independent presidential bid was having a spillover effect on the coffee conglomerate he used to lead.”