Ben
& Jerry's Accuses Unilever of Muzzling It Due to Trump (Connecting the Dots: Alec Baldwin, Norman Lear, The
Movement Resource Group, Ben
& Jerry’s, Unilever PLC, United Nations, Palestine (Hamas) & Soros
Funding, All Networking, Against Israel)
Newsmax.com
Friday,
24 January 2025 09:32 PM EST
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/ben-andjerrys-unilever-donald-trump/2025/01/24/id/1196461/
Ben & Jerry's ratcheted up its
censorship lawsuit against Unilever on Friday, accusing its parent company of
suppressing a social policy statement the U.S. ice cream maker wanted to
release because it mentioned President Donald Trump.
The
allegation came in an amended complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, where
Ben & Jerry's in November accused Unilever of silencing its
attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees and end
military aid to Israel and threatening to dismantle its independent board.
Ben
& Jerry's wants a court order freeing the board to continue oversight of
its social mission and requiring Unilever to honor its commitment to make $25
million of payments to groups chosen by the ice cream company.
Unilever
and Ben & Jerry's did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Both
companies have been publicly at odds since 2021 when Ben & Jerry's decided
to stop selling Cherry Garcia, Chubby Hubby, and other ice cream flavors in the
Israeli-occupied West Bank because it was inconsistent with the company's
values.
That
led some investors to divest Unilever shares and Ben & Jerry's to sue its
parent for selling its Israeli business to a local licensee.
A
settlement in 2022 required Unilever to respect Ben & Jerry's independent
board and social mission, as well as make the $25 million of payments.
London-based
Unilever since then announced plans to spin out its ice cream business,
including Ben & Jerry's, to simplify its product portfolio and cut costs.
The lawsuit, however, could complicate those plans.
"It
doesn't help it, because anytime you have a cloud over it, it makes it harder
to either sell it or spin it out. It affects folks' interpretation of its
value," said Charles Elson, a retired University of Delaware law professor
and a corporate governance expert.
Donald
Trump, Nelson Peltz, Elon Musk
In
the amended complaint, Ben & Jerry's said its management and board, with
input from Unilever's global head of litigation, worked after Trump's election
on a post to be released on Inauguration Day, discussing hot-button issues such
as abortion, climate change, minimum wages, and universal healthcare.
But
on Jan. 18, two days before Trump's inauguration, Unilever ice cream chief
Peter ter Kulve "unilaterally barred Ben & Jerry's from issuing the
post because it specifically mentioned 'Donald Trump,'" the complaint
said.
Ben
& Jerry's said ter Kulve appeared to base his decision on intuition, while
ignoring the company's history of challenging the Trump administration.
It
also said ter Kulve soon held a town hall meeting where he touted how Unilever
board member and activist investor Nelson Peltz, a Trump supporter, had
introduced the president to Elon Musk, the Tesla founder and close Trump
adviser.
The
complaint said that according to ter Kulve, "despite four decades of
progressive social activism--and years of challenging the Trump
administration's policies specifically--criticizing Trump was now too taboo for
the brand synonymous with 'Peace, Love, and Ice Cream.'"
Many
companies in retail, banking and other sectors have curtailed support this
month for programs whose perceived social impact has drawn opposition from
Trump and his supporters.
Resistance
to Payments
Ben
& Jerry's was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in a renovated gas
station in 1978 and kept its socially conscious mission after Unilever bought
it in 2000.
According
to the amended complaint, Ben & Jerry's planned to direct $5 million from
Unilever to human rights groups and $20 million over 10 years to support
Palestinian almond farmers and a fair-trade almond supplier it had long used.
It
said Unilever opposed the $5 million of payments because it believed they would
support "Palestinian human rights," and has not made the second $2.5
million installment.
Ben
& Jerry's also said ter Kulve resisted the $20 million payment because he
disliked the 2022 settlement and had not heard of the almond supplier.
Unilever's
dozens of other products include Dove soap, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Knorr
bouillon cubes, Surf detergent, and Vaseline petroleum jelly.
Connecting
the Dots:
Alec Baldwin is a
director at People for the American Way.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the People for the American Way.
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Norman Lear is
a director at the People for the American Way and the president of
the Lear Family Foundation.
Lear
Family Foundation was a funder for the People for the American
Way and the Movement Resource Group.
Ben and
Jerry's Foundation was a donor for the Movement Resource Group.
Movement
Resource Group was a funder for the Occupy Movement.
Occupy Wall
Street was the initial protest for Occupy Movement.
Zuccotti Park is the
staging area for 2011 NYC protests for Occupy Wall Street.
Brookfield
Office Properties is the owner of Zuccotti Park.
Diana L. Taylor was
a director at Brookfield Office Properties and is Michael
R. Bloomberg’s companion.
Michael R.
Bloomberg is Diana L. Taylor’s companion, was
the New York (NY) mayor and a benefactor at the Harlem
Children's Zone.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Harlem Children's Zone and the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society and a benefactor at the Harlem
Children's Zone.
Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for
the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).
Malcolm Rifkind is
a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a
director at Unilever PLC.
Ted
Turner is a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat
Initiative (think tank) the founder of CNN and the chairman for
the United Nations Foundation.
N.R. Narayana Murthy is a
director at the United Nations Foundation and was a director
at Unilever PLC.
Unilever PLC acquired Ben
& Jerry's.
Ann M. Fudge is a
director at Unilever PLC and a director at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Cameron F. Kerry is
a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F.
Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
Michelle Obama was
a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was
an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Sidley Austin
LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.
R. Eden Martin is
counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial
Club of Chicago.
Newton N. Minow is
a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago and the president of the Crown Family Foundation.
Crown
Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces.
Haim Saban is a
board member for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
a
friend of Shimon Peres, a benefactor for the Saban Center
for Middle East Policy and a trustee at the Brookings Institution
(think tank).
Shimon Peres was
a friend of Haim Saban and the president of Israel.
Saban
Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
Mark B. McClellan was
a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a
commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution
(think tank) and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
(think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
Jessica
Tuchman Mathews was an honorary trustee at the Brookings
Institution (think tank), the president of the Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace (think tank) and is a director at the Nuclear
Threat Initiative (think tank).
Donald Kennedy was
a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think
tank) and a commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a
funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).
Margaret A.
Hamburg is the VP for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think
tank) and was the commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
Ted Turner is a
co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) the
founder of CNN and the chairman for the United Nations
Foundation.
N.R. Narayana
Murthy is a director at the United Nations Foundation and was
a director at Unilever PLC.
United Nations Foundation is a partner
with the ONE Campaign.
International
Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder
for the International Rescue Committee.
George Soros was the
chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Michelle Obama was
an advocate for the ONE Campaign and a lawyer at Sidley
Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was
an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Sidley Austin
LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.
R. Eden Martin is
counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial
Club of Chicago.
Newton N. Minow is
a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago and the president of the Crown Family Foundation.
Crown
Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces.
Lester Crown
is the VP for the Crown Family Foundation, a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute
(think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Aspen Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Walter Isaacson
is the president & CEO for the Aspen
Institute (think tank) and was the chairman & CEO for CNN.
Ted Turner is
the founder of CNN, a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat
Initiative (think tank) and the chairman for the United Nations
Foundation.
N.R. Narayana
Murthy is a director at the United Nations Foundation and was
a director at Unilever PLC.
Unilever PLC acquired Ben
& Jerry's.
Ann M. Fudge is a
director at Unilever PLC and a director at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society.
Susan E. Rice was
a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the
White House national security adviser for the Barack Obama
administration and the United Nations U.S. ambassador for
the Barack Obama administration.
Donald F. McHenry
is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank)
and a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations.
Palestine (Hamas)
is a member of the United Nations.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder
for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is a board member
for the International Crisis Group.
Nancy E.
Soderberg was the VP for the International Crisis Group and
an alternate U.S. representative for the United Nations.
Mark
Malloch-Brown is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group and
was the deputy secretary-general for the United Nations.
Thomas R.
Pickering is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group and was
a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations.
Samantha Power was a
board member for the International Crisis Group,
Barack
Obama’s aide
and the United Nations U.S. ambassador for the Barack
Obama administration.
Palestine (Hamas)
is a member of the United Nations.
Yo-Yo Ma is an
artist in residence at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a
messenger of peace for the United Nations.
Thomas R.
Pickering was a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations and
a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Hisashi Owada was
a Japanese representative for the United Nations and a lifetime
trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Olara A. Otunnu is
the undersecretary general for the United Nations and a trustee at
the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Lester Crown
was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is a
member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the VP for the Crown
Family Foundation.
Crown
Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces.
Newton N. Minow is
the president of the Crown Family Foundation, a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
R. Eden Martin is
the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and counsel
at Sidley Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was
an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Sidley Austin
LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.
Michelle Obama was
a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP and an advocate for the ONE
Campaign.
International
Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the International Rescue Committee.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society.
International
Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
United
Nations Foundation is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
N.R. Narayana
Murthy is a director at the United Nations Foundation and was
a director at Unilever PLC.
Unilever PLC acquired Ben
& Jerry's.
Ted Turner is the
chairman for the United Nations Foundation, a co-chairman for
the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.
Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for
the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society.
Walter Isaacson is
the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and
was the chairman & CEO for CNN.
Yo-Yo Ma is an
artist in residence at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a
messenger of peace for the United Nations.
Thomas R.
Pickering was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think
tank) and a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations.
Palestine (Hamas)
is a member of the United Nations.
Hisashi Owada was
a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a
Japanese representative for the United Nations.
Lester Crown
was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is a
member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the VP for the Crown
Family Foundation.
Crown
Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces.
Newton N. Minow is
the president of the Crown Family Foundation, a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
R. Eden Martin is
the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and counsel
at Sidley Austin LLP.
Barack Obama was
an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Sidley Austin
LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.
Michelle Obama was
a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP and an advocate for the ONE
Campaign.
International
Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the International Rescue Committee and People for the American
Way.
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Alec Baldwin is a
director at People for the American Way.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the People for the American Way.
George Soros was the chairman for
the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Norman Lear is
a director at the People for the American Way and the president of
the Lear Family Foundation.
Lear
Family Foundation was a funder for the People for the American
Way and the Movement Resource Group.
Ben and
Jerry's Foundation was a donor for the Movement Resource Group.
Movement
Resource Group was a funder for the Occupy Movement.
Occupy Wall
Street was the initial protest for Occupy Movement.
Zuccotti Park is the
staging area for 2011 NYC protests for Occupy Wall Street.
Brookfield
Office Properties is the owner of Zuccotti Park.
Diana L. Taylor was
a director at Brookfield Office Properties and is Michael
R. Bloomberg’s companion.
Michael R.
Bloomberg is Diana L. Taylor’s companion, was
the New York (NY) mayor and a benefactor at the Harlem
Children's Zone.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Harlem Children's Zone and the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a benefactor at
the Harlem Children's Zone.
Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for
the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).
Malcolm Rifkind is
a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a
director at Unilever PLC.
Unilever PLC acquired Ben
& Jerry's.
Ann M. Fudge is a
director at Unilever PLC. and a director at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for
the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Donald F. McHenry
is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank)
and a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations.
Palestine (Hamas)
is a member of the United Nations.
Resources:
Past Research
Alec
Baldwin Threatens Trump Impersonator (Connecting the Dots: Alec Baldwin, People
for the American Way, Saturday Night Live, MSNBC & Soros Funding, All
Networking) (Past Research on Alec Baldwin & the
Movement Resource Group)
Tuesday,
February 25, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/02/alec-baldwin-threatens-trump.html
Ben
& Jerry's 'Change Is Brewing' Funds Defund Police Movement (Past Research on Ben & Jerry's & Unilever PLC)
Tuesday,
September 21, 2021
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2021/09/ben-jerrys-change-is-brewing-funds.html
FDA
Fails to Protect Americans from Dangerous Drugs and Unsafe Foods (Past Research on the FDA)
Sunday,
May 10, 2015
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/05/fda-fails-to-protect-americans-from.html
Hours
After John Kerry Demands Green Transition Accelerated – His Emissions Closet
Swings Wide Open (Connecting the Dots: Cameron Kerry, John Kerry, Teresa Heinz
Kerry, Soros, the Climate Reality Project, the Brookings Institution (think
tank), the EPA and onto the FDA, Pfizer & Johnson & Johnson. It’s the
Network That Never Ends. One Project (Climate Change) Just bleeds into the Next
(Covid Project)) (Past Research on Cameron Kerry
& Sidley Austin LLP)
Thursday,
July 21, 2022
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/07/hours-after-john-kerry-demands-green.html
Report:
Obama Threatened to Shoot Down IAF Iran Strike (Past
Research on Israel)
Tuesday,
March 3, 2015
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/03/report-obama-threatened-to-shoot-down.html
Bishop
Defends Asking Trump to 'Have Mercy' in Sermon (Connecting the Dots: The
Episcopal Church, Refugees International, The United Nations Foundation, The
Methodist Church, The ONE Campaign, America Votes, The View, ABC & Soros
Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the United
Nations Foundation)
Thursday,
January 23, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/01/bishop-defends-asking-trump-to-have.html
Most
Post-WWII German Justice Officials Were Former Nazis: Study (Past Research on the ONE Campaign)
Monday,
October 10, 2016
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/10/most-post-wwii-german-justice-officials.html
Charleston:
CNN’s Sick Pattern of Using the Dead as Political Weapons Against the Right (Past Research on CNN)
Saturday,
June 20, 2015
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/06/charleston-cnns-sick-pattern-of-using.html
MSNBC
Airs Palestinian Jihad Propaganda Map (Past Research
on Palestine)
Tuesday,
October 20, 2015
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/10/msnbc-airs-palestinian-jihad-propaganda.html
THE
NEW WORLD DISORDER (Connecting the Dots: The United Nations & Soros
Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the
United Nations)
Monday,
June 26, 2023
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-new-world-disorder-connecting-dots.html
