West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey joined a coalition of Republican attorneys general in a letter Thursday threatening “serious legal consequences” against Fortune 100 companies that continue to value race and diversity, equity and inclusion in their hiring practices.
The lettersigned by 13 Attorneys General, refers to the Supreme Court of the United States recent decision the elimination of affirmative action in universities on the grounds that any continued use of racially motivated hiring practices would violate state and federal employment discrimination laws.
The group of attorneys general criticized companies that gave preference to contractors with diverse workforces or minority leadership.
“We urge you to immediately end any unlawful racial quotas or preferences your company has implemented in its employment and contracting practices,” said the letter, which also describes the companies’ hiring practices as explicitly racial quotas and preferences in hiring, recruiting, retention, promotion and advancement.
The Fortune 100 are the largest public and private companies in the United States by revenue. The coalition of attorneys general said Airbnb, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Snapchat, TikTok and other companies have adopted race-based hiring and promotion practices and racial quotas.
“Such blatant and widespread racial discrimination in employment and contracting by Fortune 100 companies compels us to remind you of the obvious: racial discrimination is both immoral and illegal,” the attorneys general wrote.
The letter continues: “If you choose not to do so, know that you will be held accountable – sooner rather than later – for your decision to continue to treat people differently based on the color of their skin.
The letter was also signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Morrisey is currently is running for governor in the 2024 election. He has been the state’s Attorney General since 2013.
