Ohio McDonald's Threatens Employees Unless They Vote Republican

Yes, McDonald's franchises are operated by local franchisees who are not all necessarily republicans. The biggest McDonald's franchisee in Lexington, KY, for example, is a Democratic party activist.

But until I see McDonald's corporate headquarters condemn this Ohio franchisee's behavior and impose the maximum punishment allowed under the franchise contract, I'll be passing on my favorite Big Mac and fries.

David Dayen at Firedoglake:

Here’s a truly horrific story that shows the state the United States of Corptocracy circa 2010. A McDonald’s franchise in Ohio sent a note in the paychecks of their workers urging them to vote for Republicans in next Tuesday’s elections. And they implicitly threatened to stop all wage and benefit increases if those Republicans do not win, essentially tying the future economic fortunes of their employees to their vote.

This violates Ohio law in addition to federal election laws, and the lawyer is suing.

It’s completely predictable, and I’m sure not the first time, that employers have intimidated their employees at work to vote for a particular candidate. Because of the Citizens United decision, this employer can now spend money on behalf of their preferred candidates in an unlimited fashion. This letter itself is basically an in-kind donation. But this behavior, as Allen Schulman says, an outgrowth of the arrogance of corporate interests in the wake of Citizens United, to think they can bully and purchase their way to electoral glory. The intimidation of workers here reflects the intimidation of politicians they don’t like by donating heavily to attack them.

Click here to see the letter.

Steve Benen makes the point that while repugs whine and bitch about non-existent voter intimidation by democrats, when actual voter intimidation comes to light, as in this case, it's always committed by republicans.