Already Fired Once By Walmart for Massively Condemned “Harold, Call Me” Ad, Infamous Terry Nelson’s Firm Now Welcomed Back To Walmart Family
At The Time, Walmart Said Firing Nelson Was: “..The right course of action”—What Has Changed?
NEW YORK- African-American elected officials unequivocally slammed Walmart today for working with infamous race-baiting political operative Terry Nelson’s firm FP1 Strategies- five years after they already fired him once for being behind the universally condemned racially tinged “Harold, call me” ad in the 2006 Tennessee senate race. The ad received national criticism from all corners of the political world and was eventually pulled, after which Walmart severed its relationship with Nelson. However, Walmart, through its joint lobbying efforts with other retailers, is now working with Nelson’s new firm, a shocking reversal from five years ago when Walmart said they fired Nelson because ”we believe this is the right course of action.”
In reaction to the news that Walmart is working with Nelson, African-American elected officials roundly criticized Walmart and called for them to drop him, again:
Said Council Member Charles Barron: “First Walmart in its racist ways has been known to discriminate against African-American, black and brown workers. Walmart has been known to discriminate against women. And now to work again with a professional known race baiter is unacceptable. Walmart must not come into New York City.”
Said Council Member Letitia James: “It’s unbelievable that Walmart would work with a firm tied to someone like Nelson after firing him once for one of the worst ads in our lifetime. Walmart needs to sever the relationship once and for all and never bring him back.”
Nelson has a long history of transgressions. Aside from being behind one of the most widely condemned political ads in recent memory, Nelson also:
- Was affiliated with the 2002 phone jamming scandal in 2002 in New Hampshire
- Was involved in, although not indicted for, the Tom Delay money-laundering transactions
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References
Harold Ford “Call me, Harold” Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkiz1_d1GsA
Nelson rehired: http://www.thestate.com/2011/05/01/1800075/coalition-targeted-amazon-plan.html
Nelson in jamming scandal: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0717AZinDC0717.html
Nelson in Delay case: http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/delay/delay100305ind6.html
Nelson fired: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E7DA153FF93BA15753C1A9609C8B63
Walmart etc… back “Alliance For Main Street Fairness”: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704396504576204791377862836.html
Alliance For Main Street Fairness is being repped by FP1 strategies: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704396504576204791377862836.html
FP1 strategies = new firm created by Terry Nelson: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbying-hires/148249-lobbying-world-