Who Funds The Chamber Of Commerce? Help HuffPost Find Out

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been vociferous in its opposition to White House initiatives on financial reform, health care reform and climate change legislation.

The pro-business behemoth boasts 3 million members (though that number has been disputed since it includes hundreds of smaller chambers around the country) and shelled out $34.7 million on lobbying expenditures in the third quarter of 2009.

Despite the widely-reported exodus of a few companies (Exelon, Nike, Apple) over its climate change stance, Chamber president Tom Donohue remains defiant, telling the Wall Street Journal:

"One thing I can tell you: They can go out and chase me and chase the Chamber and put stuff in the newspaper. It only... drives more and more support... You think we are going to blink because a couple of people are out shooting at us? Tell 'em to put their damn helmets on."

Which brings up the question: Who is funding the Chamber?

Huffington Post wants to find out more about the Chamber's members -- help us learn more about who is funding the Chamber by telling us what you know. Though their funding comes from membership dues, those are based on size so larger companies end up contributing most of the Chamber's revenue. These amounts are not made public and HuffPost is wondering whether any companies have adjusted their level of support recently? Send us your tips at [e-mail].

The group has always refused to disclose its donors or even its taxable spending on political races, once even secretly buying its own newspaper in Madison County, Illinois to help spread its propaganda.

The Chamber's board of directors is represented by industry giants such as IBM, AT&T, Massey Energy, Deloitte LLP, 3M, Caterpillar, Accenture, Pfizer Inc. and The Charles Schwab Corporation.

So far, the only information it is required to disclose are donors to their political action committee, which includes executives at railroad giant Norfolk Southern, steel-casting company Baycast and State Farm Insurance.

According to the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform's 2007 990 tax form, Donohue earned $3.1 million and the institute spent $35.3 million on program services.

UPDATE: On Tuesday, Dylan Ratigan delved deeper into the question of who funds the Chamber of Commerce on MSNBC. Watch the segment below and check out the end where he asks viewers to send any information to [e-mail].

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

If you have additional information regarding where the Chamber of Commerce receives its funding, email [e-mail].

Comments

[PoliticiansRspineless]

The libs in this country will not be totally happy til every corporation and rich american migrates to another country.

[itolduso]

Oh-that would be lovely! If only they would leave.... but where else in the world would they be worshipped they way they are here? Only in American society is money considered more important than intelligence, talent, honor, manners, & grace. Only in this country do we elevate and admire the clueless, classless, and rude.... if they have lots of money. The rest of the world sees them for the 'parasites' they are.

[StewartIII]

NewsBusters -- HuffPo's New Obsession: Take Down the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2009/10/27/huffpos-new-obsession-take-down-u-s-chamber-commerce

[changeself]

and your obsession is...?

[christinathornell]

They really need to change their mission statement.

"To advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility."

[RustyPatina]

Three words would do it: make more money.

[MoMick]

A few years back, the CoC was exempt from the requirement to register as a lobbyist organization (though lobbying is all they have ever done). Do they still enjoy that exemption?

[klinker1]

Beginning with the local Chambers on up to the U.S. Chamber, these organizations are no longer about small businesses much less the mom and pops and other small business owners around the U.S. They take your dues and give nothing back that helps promote or develope a small business. They have lunches and dinners and put your name on a member list. So What? They offer "counseling" but offer no concrete help when it comes time to obtain capital or new clients. As far as advertising, an ad in the phone book does about as well..Once you start talking about the national organization, then they absolutely offer nothing for the small businesses to which I am referring.

[silverball]

...can't wait until we see the "oz" behind this curtain....it's always sounded and acted so pro american (and therefore, it's workers)....but i think its going to be so CORPORATE VALUES....and why are they so anti any form of transparen­cy???...ar­en't they for WE, THE PEOPLE???.....

[denlong]

It is called the "Chamber of Commerce" because their job is to promote commerce.

Nothing about people!

[OldLizard]

Last week, the Chamber ran a blatantly anti-union negative ad against the Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia. If you are a Virginia worker, you should take that into account and vote!

[BigDogMom]

This is a bogus question, as a former CoC member, for a very brief period, membership is based on the number of employees and gross receipts. The larger your company is the more you pay in membership. These large Corp.'s such as IBM, Xerox, AT&T and a like, have multi locations, so therefore each location can take out a membership in that particular town/city using the whole Corp's total employee numbers, not just how many are in that town/cities location...do the math....

[PatCcj]

Pretty good explanation why the CoC only lobbies for big Corps and not small businesses. Its not PAC money, but "membership dues".

[000Jade000]

Well, we know that Bank of America and AIG likely used some bailout money to lobby against the EFCA:

http://efcaunionbustingclub.blogspot.com/2009/04/efca-is-chamber-of-commerce-using.html

Home Depot, too:

"The national Chamber of Commerce and several leading corporations have funded aggressive lobbying and advertising campaigns to discredit the EFCA. In October, Bank of America hosted a conference call of corporate executives led by Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus, who appealed for money to defeat EFCA—which he said would cause "the demise of a civilization."

http://www.socialistaction.org/bernt1.htm

[irisisland]

I want a tax increase. What's a 1% hike?...we won't even feel it, but the benefits to our social and economic structure would be significant....but I don't want it going to the war effort.

[itolduso]

http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/ccc/members.htm Start with this link- then visit each chamber listed and you'll discover that the Boards are made up of ALL big business interests; hospital chains, electric & gas companies, insurance companies, drug companies, corporate law firms, ect., this is why even though the majority of it's members may be small businesses- the decisions & policies all favor big business.

[ItsTooLate]

In Grand Junction, Colorado, in the last election our local CofC endorsed a whole slate of candidate, all Republicans (no surprise). More recently they expelled from its membership a grass-roots environmental watchdog group for taking public positions that weren't pro-oil and gas development. We've since made it a policy not to do business with any local business that is a member of the CofC.

[changeself]

yeah, newt gingrich send me a fundraising letter through our local CoC.

i told him to go to HELL.

[lohu]

I can't believe you liberals are so gullible. Dems are famous for raising taxes, I hope you are ready for the tax hikes. This governmet reminds me of Carter that spent too much and zero improvement in the economy.

[ObamAtomic]

Lol,still talking about Carter,Lol,One generation go! LOL!

[Dial8]

Blah blah blah raise yer taxes blah blah blah take yer guns blah blah blah socialism blah blah Jimmy Carter

^ typical right wing incoherent babble

[bccmeteorites]

We have to be even more famous for raising taxes on the war profiteers. You Republicans want war all over the world cloaked in now-cliches such as security and patriotism don't you? Then I'm sure you are ready to give up 50 percent of your income to do just that. Put your money where your mouth is.

[interestedinthis]

Too funny. Conservatives have the corner on gullibility. It's astounding that there are still people who think "Fox News" is really a news station rather than the bunch of hired hands that they are whose mission is to fool viewers into voting and speaking against their own self-interest. They've revealed their true propagandist nature enough now that most intelligent people have seen through their lunacy.

[pkafin]

Ronald Regan signed into law what was, at the time, the largest tax increase in the history of the United States. In terms of real dollars, it remains the second highest tax increase in the history of this nation.

But wait, that's a fact. How does the conservative brain handle facts? Your response will be telling.

[Somsai]

I've been asked many times by fellow local business people to join the Chamber.

Besides costing about $300 I just dont' like their politics. So. . . Who funds the chamber? Not me by gosh.

[DuPageDem]

Chamber members: Take note, your membership fees are being wasted on a suit which doesn't stand a chance in court. For those who disavow science, it's an easy reach to also ignore the law.