Publix Heir’s Funding of Capitol Trump Rally Leads to Boycott | Eater
"Once viewed as a sunny, family-friendly, employee-owned regional supermarket chain consistently ranked among the best companies to work for, the chain is now facing consumer backlash after reports that Julie Jenkins Fancelli, an heir to the founder, donated $300,000 to the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the deadly U.S. Capitol attack. Reporting says she provided the bulk of the $500,000 needed for the event, directly contacted far-right pundit Alex Jones to offer support, and has a history of large GOP donations including $171,100 to a pro-Trump PAC in 2019 and more than $50,000 via a trust to a PAC for Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018–2019. Critics point to a pattern of politically conservative contributions — including a $670,000 donation connected to 2018 gubernatorial politics and a later $100,000 PAC donation to DeSantis that critics say preceded an exclusive vaccine-distribution contract — alongside allegations of mistreatment of LGBTQ workers and gender discrimination. Customers and activists have responded with calls to boycott (the related hashtag trended on Twitter), with some long-time shoppers calling the revelations the “last straw,” while corporate leaders have issued a brief statement distancing company operations from the donor and otherwise remained largely silent on the controversy." - Jenny G. Zhang
