Summary
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Target, alleging that the retailer misled investors by promoting its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The suit contends that Target’s previous DEI efforts, including its Pride month merchandise, sparked backlash that harmed sales and shareholder returns.
Uthmeier, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, claims the company violated the Securities Exchange Act by failing to disclose the known risks associated with its DEI strategy.
He vowed to use the state’s legal power to challenge what he described as “offensive political theatre” and push for an America-first corporate agenda.
This isn’t even the craziest story from florida this week, did you miss the story of the Floridian terrorist who shot an Israeli tourist thinking they were Palestinian earlier this week?
I guess DeSantis has been quiet aver since he was destroyed by trump but the people of Florida have been maintaining there reputation.
That was this week?? Jesus Christ, I want off this ride. So much has happened that I thought it was last week.
Nah, this is crazier. Ignore the DEI angle and this is a state suing a company for the crime of not being profitable. That’s way more out of the norm than a racist gunman shooting people because he’s racist.
Eh, not really, ags sue companies all the time for not acting in there shareholders interests. It’s usually more along the lines of the CEO giving a contract to his buddy that costs the company more, but any time a public for profit company pursues some interest other than maximizing shareholder value they open themselves up for a lawsuit. It could be a purely nepotistic or self dealing interest, or it could be your interest in justice, if it’s not about making money and you didn’t disclose to the shareholders that your decision is not about making money you have defrauded them who are invested solely to make money.
It’s a reading of the fiduciary duty of loyalty that most companies and courts have come to accept, if you knowingly do something to decrease shareholder value for some personal interest than you can be sued for it. This is the reason public benefit companies exist, so you can pursue noble causes like dei or fighting climate change that may reduce profits, without risking a lawsuit.
This can be used for good such as in the case of the 2021 McDonald’s shareholder lawsuit that alleged it’s failure to address rampant sexual harassment caused a loss of reputation and shareholder value. Ironically as a result it implemented a DEI program to address the problems…
The problem with the lawsuit is that they have to prove the dei stuff was about some ideology of the board and not about making money. Which will be hard to prove because at the time forecasts probably would’ve showed that embracing dei would increase profits. Even today they probably made more money off the rainbow merch then they lost.
Yeah, it’s still very Florida.
That many people shouldn’t be that hot that close together, I think.