Representatives Rodney Hubbard and Jim Lembke among elected officials co-signing and gathering signatures for letter to protect Missouri jobs.

St. Louis, MO–Today, State Representative Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield) was joined by other elected leaders in announcing bipartisan opposition to the proposed takeover of Anheuser-Busch by a foreign company. The legislators expressed their opposition in a letter they are asking other elected officials to sign before sending to the Board of Directors of Anheuser-Busch.

“For Missourians, this is not about beer, it is about our community, our state, our jobs and our civic identity” commented Rep. Cunningham. “Selling off such a vital piece of our heritage would be devastating to the local community. I trust the directors will do what is right so Anheuser-Busch will remain an American Company.”

Rep. Cunningham’s main concern is the threat of job cuts. According to a recent Associated Press story, InBev is notorious for cutting costs of the companies it acquires. “The thousands of jobs it provides in our city is something we cannot allow to be put in jeopardy – not without a fight,” remarked Rep. Rodney Hubbard, (D-St. Louis) as he announced his support for the letter.

Rep. Jim Lembke also signed the letter and added, “We must exhaust all of our options to keep Anheuser-Busch American owned. It’s time for us all to put politics aside and Missourians first.”

St. Louis Representatives Cunningham, Hubbard and Lembke are asking all legislators to sign a bipartisan letter being sent to Anheuser-Busch’s Board of Directors. The letter reads:

Honorable Members of the Board,

We write to express our strong opposition to the sale of Anheuser-Busch to a foreign company. As Missouri’s elected representatives, we often have differences of opinion on how certain problems facing Missourians should be resolved. In this case, however, we wish to express bi-partisan opposition to a sale that could result in a quintessentially American company being moved, thousands of family-supporting jobs lost and, most importantly, the end of a genuine piece of Missouri’s heritage.

As you know, in its 150-plus years, Anheuser-Busch has established itself as one of America’s most revered and recognizable companies. The company has helped build our local community by giving countless donations to educational and civic projects. That spirit of community service has not been limited to St. Louis, or even Missouri, as Anheuser-Busch and its foundation have given hundreds of millions of dollars to charities across the country.

For these reasons, and many more, we are optimistic that each of you will consider the long-term consequences of selling Anheuser-Busch. Additionally, we are optimistic you will work closely with local and state officials, as well as community leaders, to find options that would keep this important company in St. Louis.

Thank you,

Related:

Politico: “This Bud’s not for you”

Comments

comments