Prominent firms found themselves under the GOP’s microscope, with allegations of explicit racial objectives and DEI commitments. Perkins Coie LLP, Winston & Strawn LLP, and Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP found their initiatives particularly highlighted.
However, these legal behemoths remained tight-lipped, with representatives opting for silence when probed for reactions.
The Root of the Storm: A Supreme Court Verdict
The tempest can be traced back to the June Supreme Court decision, Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard. This landmark ruling found Harvard College and the University of North Carolina in breach of the 14th Amendment’s equality clause.
Yet, while GOP attorneys assert that this ruling ripples beyond academia to touch employment and contracting, their Democratic counterparts argue otherwise. The Democratic bloc asserts that private companies’ hiring practices remain untouched by this verdict and accuse the GOP of employing scare tactics.
Echoing Sentiments Across Aisles
This letter isn’t a lone voice in the wilderness. Earlier in July, a GOP faction urged Fortune 100 entities to halt diversity-boosting endeavors. Around the same time, Senator Tom Cotton raised eyebrows by hinting at potential federal law violations by DEI programs.
