Georgia Business Owners and Leaders Hold Press Conference Calling Out Herschel Walker’s Questionable Business Practices

Today, elected officials and business leaders held a press conference in front of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta to call out Trump-tapped Senate candidate Herschel Walker’s questionable business practices. New reporting found that Walker sits on the board of a company that took nearly $10 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans and laid off 90% of their workers at the same time. Walker previously mocked large businesses that took advantage of the loans. 

The GOP candidate’s business record has already been under scrutiny after it was reported that he “exaggerated claims of financial success,” with associates calling him a “temperamental and unreliable business partner.” 

Watch a video of the press conference here, and see quotes from speakers below.

“In the face of so much suffering, Herschel Walker has the absolute nerve to shame businesses for doing right by their workers and helping get their folks through the worst of these trying times,” said State Rep. Teri Anulewicz. “We need leaders in the Senate who put the needs of Georgia’s businesses and workers first in the halls of Congress. Senator Reverend Warnock continues to be that leader – and Herschel Walker has once again proved he is not prepared to do that. Georgians of all political stripes deserve a whole lot better than what Herschel Walker has to offer.”

“The PPP program was a godsend. When I learned of Mr. Walker’s comments, calling businesses like mine to be ashamed of our participation in the program, frankly, it frustrated me. This program was there to make sure that many businesses in our community had the resources necessary to continue on. And Mr. Walker should know that businesses all across this state are looking for representatives to be in office that will be there for them and create legislation that ultimately will be the lifeline for their businesses under trying circumstances,” said Ryan Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot. 

“When I hear shameful stories like this one — about large corporations taking millions of dollars in government loans, kicking 90% of their employees to the curb, and then continuing to pay failed businessmen like Herschel Walker to sit on their boards — I’m disgusted,” said Adam Harrell, Co-founder of Nebo Agency, an Atlanta-based marketing company. “The fact that a U.S. Senate candidate would brag about being affiliated with a business like this — one that lays off their employees while their executives cash in, that takes advantage of government funding only to turn their back on their own workers — is beyond the pale. Herschel Walker — you should be embarrassed. Embarrassed to serve on the board of this company and pocket cash at the expense of employees’ livelihoods. And embarrassed to look Georgia workers in the face while claiming their employers should be “ashamed” for keeping them on the job. ”

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