Strasser reports: "Newly-discovered audio from a conference call in June captures Mitt Romney asking business owners to urge their employees to vote for him."

Mitt Romney holds a small business roundtable in a warehouse. Notably absent, employees. (photo: David McNew/Getty Images North America)

Leaked Audio Captures Romney Asking Employers to Tell Their Employees How to Vote

By Annie-Rose Strasser, ThinkProgress

18 October 12

ewly-discovered audio from a conference call in June captures Mitt Romney asking business owners to urge their employees to vote for him.

Romney, speaking on a call to the very conservative National Federation of Independent Business, tells a group of business owners that they should “make it very clear” how they feel about the candidates. The audio, discovered by In These Times, also captures Romney telling the business owners to “pass… along to your employees” how their jobs might be affected by who wins in November:

I hope you make it very clear to your employees what you believe is in the best interest of your enterprise and therefore their job and their future in the upcoming elections. And whether you agree with me or you agree with President Obama, or whatever your political view, I hope — I hope you pass those along to your employees. Nothing illegal about you talking to your employees about what you believe is best for the business, because I think that will figure into their election decision, their voting decision and of course doing that with your family and your kids as well.

Listen at 26:44:

There have already been some reports of employers suggesting how their employees should cast their ballots. A CEO of a Florida resort company threatened to fire his employees if Obama won. The CEO of a timeshare company did the same. And the famous right-wing Koch brothers warned of “consequences” of not voting for Romney.

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+58 # michelle 2012-10-18 12:02

Romney wants to be elected through intimidation. This is not how democracy should work. He is very disrespectful toward the American way of life.

No matter what political ideology you believe, the protection of the democratic process should be most important. This is sedition, plain and simple. Now go out there and vote to save democracy from the plutocrats and their ilk.

+8 # portiz 2012-10-19 08:29

The GOP is desperate, and that makes them unpredicatble and dangerous (in all the wrong ways).

+39 # BradFromSalem 2012-10-18 12:48

Interesting.

Deficits are immoral, but using threatening language to scare people into voting a particular way is not. I believe morality would be on the side of helping people so that they can help lower the deficit, and voter coercion is borderline illegal and hardcore immoral.

0 # pegasus4508 2012-10-20 10:49

hardcore immoral - Brad you nailed it. Thanks for the phrase, one we should all remember.

+48 # pianosaurus rex 2012-10-18 16:30

Quoting michelle:

Romney wants to be elected through intimidation. This is not how democracy should work. He is very disrespectful toward the American way of life.

No matter what political ideology you believe, the protection of the democratic process should be most important. This is sedition, plain and simple. Now go out there and vote to save democracy from the plutocrats and their ilk.

A civilization on the rise uses diplomacy, dialogue, conciliatory and inclusive actions to involve other countries in important issues and debate.

A civilization on the decline uses threats, intimidation, military force, and police violence, even against its own people, to further its own end.

Which activities do you see happening in America?

-6 # indian weaver 2012-10-19 04:38

We see all these characteristics of the fledgling fascist totalitarian state. And the American state terrorism is very obvious with drones hovering above us here at home, photographing us, tracking us (vehicles / phones). These are exactly the same USA government terrorist actions using drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan where The People,, like most of us, are now afraid of attacks constantly. And rightfully so as Obama is assassinating innocent civilians constantly, and hiding it, while he himsels hides in the White House with an X Box to murder people, drinking coffed along with our generals. Cowards and terrorists is what our govenment has become. Clearly.

+8 # tswhiskers 2012-10-19 08:52

If it's fascism you're concerned about, look on the red side of the political system, not the blue. Obama and the Dems are not the ones trying to control voter turnout by intimidation, misinformation and state legislation. As for foreign policy, the murder of innocent civilians began with Bush/Cheney and to some extent has continued under Obama, tho I would argue, with much less bloodthirst (remember Abu Ghraib?, that was well before Obama). I think if you would remove your Fox News-tinted glasses you would see govt. policy in a very different light. Obama has done much good in both foreign and domestic affairs and has more respect in the world than did the Bush Admin. Obama has ended one of Bush's wars and plans to end the other in 2014.

0 # pegasus4508 2012-10-20 10:50

Mirror, Mirror I see ME

+17 # X Dane 2012-10-18 22:31

There is NO LOW Romney will NOT go to, to win.... This takes the cake.... In these times when it is not easy to find a job, Romney wants to threaten people into voting for him....because they fear loosing their job!! what a prince!

I sure hope that in the privacy of the voting booth,...or better yet vote by mail. and vote for the person YOU want to vote for. If you really NEED that job, lie and tell your boss what he want to hear.

+9 # LML 2012-10-19 00:11

At least how we vote on our individual ballos is still private....or is it?

+12 # MainStreetMentor 2012-10-19 05:13

This is Fear Management. Romney and Ryan can NOT accept Failure, and to help assure that Failure never darkens their doorsteps, they “stack the deck” in their favor – or attempt to do so. It’s what “Voter ID/Voter reform” legislation is all about, i.e., stack the deck, and deal fear off the bottom of it; it’s what their party’s filibustering is all about. They attempt to create fear all the time – and the event depicted in this article is revealing – just as the non-caring attitude of Romney’s “47%” recording was. Fear is their ally, (remember the “mushroom cloud” comments of their last administration? ). But too much crying of “Wolf” will eventually come back to bite them. And hard.

-11 # MidwestTom 2012-10-19 05:29

So, what is new here? In 2008 balck churches had life size cutouts of OBama next to their voter registration tables located in the entry way to the church. Many evangelical pastors are telling people how to vote. Where so you draw the line?

+14 # Regina 2012-10-19 07:06

Tom: How many "black" churches did you visit during the last campaign? And do you believe that people in predominantly Black communities have no right to stand up against racist poison from the Greatly Obnoxious Party?

-1 # MidwestTom 2012-10-19 19:51

I have an interest in a small school bus operating company, 4 buses, that transported a black choir to various churches, and the drivers all reported the same thing about the registration tables.

0 # Eldon J. Bloedorn 2012-10-20 20:32

The line is drawn based on fear-fear of (LOL) losing your job 'cause you know that black man gonna "screw this company up and you with it." So, what does an evangelical pastor say to his "flock" if he or she does not vote for Obamna, "Tonight God not gonna sing you to sleep? Gonna make the tooth fairy go away.?

-1 # Bruce 2012-10-19 11:45

It completely amazes me how we can take something that is happening daily by all parties and try to turn it into a tool for one party. These tactics are no unique to Republicans. I was in a manfacturing facility and heard basically the same thing from the Democrats. By the way, I am a registered democrat. So instead of wasting valuable time with contriving nonsense lets put something that has revelance and importance on the map.

+2 # Keith Hays 2012-10-19 11:49

In 1964 when I was working the precincts in the Democratic Primary people would say that "I really am a Democrat but I vote in the Republican Primary for business reasons. I don't want to lose my job.

The more things change the more they stay the same!

0 # The Voice of Reason 2012-10-19 17:54

I'm not too big on newspapers, or anyone else for that mater, telling me how to vote. Nor will I vote for anyone who wants to get elected. I don't trust them. No matter how many 'good' people are behind them.

'Vote for me! I'm the greatest. The other guy's an idiot and a danger.' These are offensive. And nothing ever changes: The Oil Criminals still make billions and you keep paying them.

+1 # labman57 2012-10-21 11:05

Romney and many other conservatives believe that your boss should be allowed to inquire about the details of your sex life, decide whether or not it's an acceptable lifestyle and restrict access to health insurance-funde d contraception, so why not allow these same plutocrats to grill you on your political views and influence how you vote?

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