‘Corporate America’ not above the law

Recently, Hobby Lobby agreed to pay a $3 million fine and turn over thousands of artifacts smuggled out of Iraq and the Middle East in yet another unfortunate display of corporate double standards.

According to the USA Today and Associated Press, the arts and crafts supplier known for its president’s strong religious beliefs bought $1.6 million of cuneiform tablets and other artifacts in a “clandestine” deal “fraught with red flags” — meaning Hobby Lobby knew what it was doing was wrong and went to great lengths to hide it, no matter what company officials claim about their motives.

In a great understatement, President Steve Green said the company “should have exercised more oversight and carefully questioned how the acquisitions were handled.” ... That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t put the company above the law — and nor should a company that claims to be so steeped in religion need a fine to be encouraged to do what is right. Yet the fact is that while the fine is more than normally issued in such cases, to a huge company like Hobby Lobby it is a mere slap on the wrist. The “punishment” is unlikely to do much to deter Hobby Lobby or other companies — “Corporate America” continues to skate when it comes to lawbreaking and illegal, predatory practices.

Read the full editorial from the Ashtabula Star-Beacon at bit.ly/2wdSeXF