ST. PAUL – This week, the Minnesota Jobs Coalition launched a TV ad in support of Nolan West, a State House candidate in Blaine. West was forced to resign his job at the legislature after troubling social media posts, including a tweet about lynching President Obama, surfaced. Many Minnesota corporations helped fund the ad.

Alliance for a Better Minnesota Action Fund (ABMAF) Executive Director Joe Davis released the following statement:

“Corporations including Minnesota-based Best Buy, 3M, and Medtronic are funding an ad to help elect someone that commented in favor of lynching President Obama. While these companies have mission statements that boast respect and community, their actions show otherwise. Minnesotans deserve to know the truth: that these places that we shop and these employers of our family and friends are supporting a candidate who has a troubling and racist history, because they care more about getting a Republican elected than what’s best for Minnesota families.”

Mission Statements:

• Best Buy: Everything that Best Buy is now – and strives to become – ultimately ties back to our core values as a company.

UNLEASH THE POWER OF OUR PEOPLE

LEARN FROM CHALLENGE AND CHANGE

SHOW RESPECT, HUMILITY AND INTEGRITY

HAVE FUN WHILE BEING THE BEST

• 3M: The mission of 3Mgives: To Improve Every Life through Innovative Giving in Education, Community and the Environment – mirroring our corporate vision…”

• Medtronic: To maintain good citizenship as a company. (See Citizenship to learn more.)

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