DC residents have a right to know what a special interest of unparalleled economic and political power like Walmart is doing to try to influence the Council. Council members have a duty to fully and promptly disclose their relationships with Walmart, so their constituents can determine whether or not their elected representatives are acting in their best interests or Walmart’s. DC Council members are called upon you to disclose: 

• Whether any of your campaign officials, staff, advisors, volunteers or fundraisers has received any payment or donation from Walmart, from a public relations or lobbying firm acting on its behalf, or from a developer of any of Walmart’s planned stores over the past year.
• Whether your election committee or constituent services fund has accepted contributions from Walmart, companies acting on its behalf, or a developer of any of its planned stores over the past year.
• What meetings you have had, and when did they take place, with Walmart representatives, lobbyists acting on the company’s behalf, or a developer of any of its planned stores over the past year. This is to ensure that the decision-making process around Walmart’s efforts to open stores in DC is conducted in the light of day, so that everyone can be held accountable.
  

The Living Wages, Healthy Communities Coalition is an alliance of grassroots-based organizations, pastors, workers, environmentalists, parents, students and community members concerned about the quality of life in DC communities and committed to securing, decent, living wage jobs. The Respect DC Campaign, organized by the coalition, has been actively soliciting support from DC Council members, local residents and community leaders to hold Walmart accountable to DC residents, mainly by signing an enforceable agreement to ensure community benefits and worker protections.