Attorneys general in 19 states are warning Costco “to end all unlawful discrimination imposed by the company through diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies to reflect President Donald Trump’s recent executive order booting DEI out of federal agencies and warning private sectors to do the same.
“Racial discrimination is both immoral and illegal. Race-based employment hiring violates state and federal law, and as the chief law enforcement officer of Kansas, I intend to enforce the law vigorously,” Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach told Fox News Digital in a statement.
Trump’s executive order, signed during his first week in office, will task the attorneys general with rooting out sectors and organizations that allegedly engage in discriminatory DEI practices. Recommendations will be made for potential lawsuits against violators.
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Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and 18 other state AGs wrote a letter to Costco’s CEO to urge an end to the DEI policies within the company. (Getty Images)
The order encourages private-sector entities to align with federal civil rights laws and discontinue “discriminatory” practices. Publicly traded companies, large nonprofits, foundations with significant assets, bar and medical associations and higher education institutions with substantial endowments are potential targets for DEI investigations.
Trump also dissolved all DEI within the federal government. While big companies like Target, McDonald’s and Walmart backed off from their DEI policies, Costco shareholders voted last week to reject an anti-DEI proposal brought by activist shareholder group National Center for Public Policy Research. The measure would have required the wholesale grocery chain to issue a report on the risks associated with their DEI policies.
The Costco board said its “commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary. The report…
