Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined 20 other Attorneys General Wednesday in sending a letter to Fortune 100 companies that supported diversity, equity and inclusion measures in the workplace.
The letter was in response to a previous letter sent by 13 Republican Attorneys General who warned that Fortune 100 companies could face legal action for using race as a factor in hiring or employment.
The letter sent by the 13 Republican Attorneys General comes in the aftermath of a Supreme Court decision that ends decades-long affirmative action policies at colleges and universities.
"They should not be sending letters trying to intimidate employers into abandoning efforts to embrace diversifying the workplace," Raoul said.
Raoul further accuses the Republican Attorneys General of "cloaking their letter in a theme of colorblindness," while saying that the leaders falsely claim programs designed to address racial disparity are unlawful.
In Wednesday's letter, the 21 Attorneys General showed staunch support for corporate diversity programs, while calling claims of white discrimination at Fortune 100 companies "hollow."
Attorneys General from the following states joined Raoul in signing the letter issued to Fortune 100 companies:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
A list of Fortune 100 companies can be found here.
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