More than 90 company executives, 100 law enforcement officials back Harris

[September 07, 2024] WASHINGTON (Reuters) -More than 90 company executives, including the chief executives of Yelp and Chobani as well as the former CEOs of PepsiCo, Ford Motor Co and Yahoo!, endorsed U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency in a letter released on Friday.

Separately, more than 100 current and retired law enforcement officials also backed Harris in her contest against Republican former President Donald Trump ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election. They cited her experience as a prosecutor and her commitment to curb gun violence.

The company executives, which include the heads of top sports and investment companies, said they were confident that the Democrat would continue to bolster the economy and preserve American democracy.

"Harris has a strong record of advancing actions to spur business investment in the United States and ensure American businesses can compete and win in the global market," they wrote.

"She will continue to advance fair and predictable policies that support the rule of law, stability, and a sound business environment, and she will strive to give every American the opportunity to pursue the American dream," the group added.

Among those backing the vice president were billionaire Mark Cuban, former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, according to the letter obtained by Reuters and first reported by CNBC.

Laurene Powell Jobs, head of the Emerson Collective and widow of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, also endorsed Harris, as did the former chief executives of Merck, Aetna, GoDaddy, Blackstone and Starbucks, among others.

Harris faces a tight race against Trump in a critical election as the economy weighs heavily on some voters, as does the future of U.S. democratic systems. Both candidates are laying out their vision for jobs and economic growth ahead of November's contest even as some early voting is poised to begin in some U.S. states.

The vice president's economic plan would aim to cut taxes for most Americans, tackle grocery "price gouging," bolster housing and offer new child tax credits. She would also seek to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%. Key labor groups have also endorsed her.

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks behind a protective glass during a campaign stop in North Hampton, New Hampshire, U.S. September 4, 2024. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Trump in remarks this week to the New York Economic Club said he would lower companies' tax rate to 15% and hire billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk to audit the U.S. government. He also vowed to allow large-scale housing construction on U.S. public lands and said he would declare a national emergency to eliminate regulations for energy projects.

Goldman Sachs, in a note this week, said economic output was likely to take a hit next year if Trump wins, mostly from increased tariffs on imports and tighter immigration policies.

Under a Harris presidency, the United States would likely see stronger job grown and a "very slight boost to GDP" investment and growth, its analysts said.

The current and retired law enforcement officials cited Trump's proposed cuts to law enforcement funding and his own criminal charges as well as his promises to pardon those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and to terminate the Constitution.

"Trump has repeatedly shown he does not respect law enforcement or the rule of law," they wrote. "He creates disorder that puts law enforcement and all Americans at risk."

The group includes the law enforcement heads of Atlanta; Bloomington, Indiana; Arlington, Virginia; Stonecrest, Georgia; Henderson, Nevada; and other localities as well as retired police chiefs of Philadelphia, Washington, Seattle and Oakland, California, among other cities.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose and Susan Heavey; additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Jonathan Oatis)

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