The president of a Florida-based warehousing and logistics company that employs more than 3,000 people across the country sent an e-mail to his employees earlier this week implying that their jobs may depend in part on Mitt Romney winning the election on Tuesday. In the e-mail, obtained by Up w/ Chris Hayes, Cliff Otto, the president of Saddle Creek Corporation, wrote to his employees:
In the past, Saddle Creek has not felt it imperative that we communicate with our associates regarding the political issues that affect our business. This year the positions taken by the two presidential candidates with regard to these issues are starkly different. As such [we] feel it would be wrong for us not to share with you the company’s position on just a few of the critical issues and, at the same time, how each of the two candidates compare to our position. … We do not support candidates based on their political affiliation. We do support candidates that share our positions with regard to the key issues facing our company and our country. Thank you for considering what Saddle Creek believes is in the best interest of our company, and therefore our jobs and our future.
Attached to the email was a flier (posted at left) which read:
We are getting close to a very important election and every vote counts. Never before has a Presidential election posed such a contrasting view on how to achieve success for the most Americans. Saddle Creek has a clear position on very important issues that have a profound effect on our company and the future opportunities for all who work at Saddle Creek.
The flier then lists the company’s positions on two key issues, energy and taxes, and indicates that it supports Romney’s stances on both. In a statement to Up w/ Chris Hayes, Saddle Creek President Cliff Otto said, quote,
Saddle Creek’s communication was respectfully directed to its employees for whom it has the greatest appreciation. It was provided in the spirit of ensuring that they are fully informed on this subject. We feel the document speaks for itself and we have no further comments.
Otto joins the ranks of Westgate Resorts CEO David Siegel, billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch and many other CEOs of small and medium-sized businesses across the country who have attempted to marshal their employees to support Romney. As Up w/ Chris Hayes has reported, Arthur Allen, the CEO of Florida-based software company ASG Software Solutions, has sent several emails to his employees exhorting them to vote for Romney and donate to his campaign.
Sal Gentile