Attorney General Raúl Labrador, alongside 14 other state attorneys general, has called for the Business Roundtable to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The Business Roundtable, an association representing some of the nation's leading companies, is accused of implementing policies that stray from free-market principles in favor of DEI, which the attorneys general describe as costly and divisive.
The group contends that the Business Roundtable's current focus on DEI initiatives detracts from its original mission to foster economic growth, job creation, and maximize shareholder returns. These policies are criticized for moving away from merit-based hiring, with the letter arguing they are "not only unworkable but also often illegal."
Attorney General Labrador emphasized, “Corporations have an obligation to focus on creating value for their shareholders. When that duty is replaced with race-based hiring and DEI mandates, it raises serious legal concerns under state and federal law. These companies should return to merit-based practices and sound business judgment. The American people want a return to fairness—where individuals are judged by their abilities, not their immutable characteristics.”
The letter suggests that members of the Business Roundtable are starting to reconsider these DEI policies. It concludes by stressing the need for a return to merit-based hiring and warns that failure to do so may result in legal action from state attorneys general.
Joining Labrador in signing the letter are attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota, with the letter being led by Missouri.
Read more from the Idaho Dispatch here.