I was outraged to see Wells Fargo investors vote last week in their annual shareholder meeting to increase pay and compensation for the bank’s executives – despite the degree of fraud and scandal that has made Wells one of America’s most notorious, criminal corporations.
While protesters rallied outside the shareholder meeting in Iowa, CEO Tim Sloan – who earns 291 times the average Wells Fargo employee salary – responded to growing criticism of the bank saying: “We can’t be all things to all people.”
No, Wells, you can’t – nor should you be anything to many of us.
The fact is, this lawless bank has no place in California – which is why we must divest from it entirely! Sign this petition calling on the California State Treasurer to extend the two-year sanctions against Wells Fargo into a permanent ban on any state business with this criminal corporation.
Luckily other solutions are available, like creating a State Bank of California to manage the people’s money in a responsible and ethical way. Enough investing our public dollars in a corporation that robo-signs, red-lines, illegally charges customers, and unlawfully forecloses on homeowners. Enough financing a bank that invests in private prisons and fossil fuel infrastructure!
Enough of Wells Fargo. It is time for our towns and our state to follow the lead of Seattle, Los Angeles and so many other communities that have divested from Wells – and show that the people don’t forget when banks cheat, lie and destroy lives.
Wells Fargo got slapped last month with a $1 billion federal fine, but this doesn’t pass for justice, not by a long shot. The bank has committed too many crimes and done too much damage. That is why we must tell our Treasurer to end our state’s financial relationship with Wells Fargo once and for all. Please sign our petition if you agree!
As the Mayor of Richmond, I fought against Wells Fargo and the other reckless Wall Street banks that broke laws, crashed our economy, and ravaged our communities. As California Lt. Governor, I vow to sustain that fight until justice is done and the people prevail over the banks.