Show-Me State Times

On April 15, 2025, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, along with Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, took a public stance against the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives adopted by the Business Roundtable. They led a coalition of 14 states in sending a letter urging the Business Roundtable to abandon these policies, which they deem "unlawful and misguided."

Attorney General Bailey stated, "As Attorney General, I will ensure that corporate policies are focused on our state’s success and not ideological distractions." He criticized these initiatives as prioritizing "racist DEI initiatives" over free-market principles and expressed concerns about the impact on working Americans and investors.

The Business Roundtable, composed of CEOs from major companies, was criticized for following a social agenda by adopting DEI practices. The letter argues that these practices include unlawful programs, such as favoring certain racial groups, mandatory racial training, and racial percentage targets. The coalition emphasized that DEI policies may lead to legal challenges as they potentially conflict with employment laws.

"It should be clear that attempts to reorient corporate policy to appease progressive activists are not only unworkable, but they are also often illegal," the coalition stated. They argued that a corporation’s purpose should be to focus on its obligations to shareholders and merit-based hiring.

The letter calls on the Business Roundtable to end practices such as quotas, targets, and racial preferences. Failure to do so, the attorneys general warned, may result in legal action from state authorities.

Attorney General Bailey has been active in addressing what he sees as discriminatory practices. In July 2024, he filed a lawsuit against IBM for alleged violations of the Missouri Human Rights Act, and in February, a similar suit was filed against Starbucks.

The states joining Missouri in signing the letter were Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota.