Murray Hill PR Firm Plans (Satirical) Run For Maryland Congressional Seat

Corporations are taking note of the impact that the Supreme Court decision to remove limits on corporate campaign spending will have on federal elections. One is even taking matters a step further -- with tongue firmly in cheek.

On its website, the progressive PR firm Murray Hill has announced its satirical plan to run for Congress, in what it calls the "First Test of 'Corporate Personhood' In Politics."

From their press release:

"Until now...corporate interests had to rely on campaign contributions and influence peddling to achieve their goals in Washington. But thanks to an enlightened Supreme Court, now we can eliminate the middle-man and run for office ourselves."

Murray Hill Inc. is believed to be the first "corporate person" to exercise its constitutional right to run for office. As Supreme Court observer Lyle Denniston wrote on SCOTUSblog, "If anything, the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission conferred new dignity on corporate "persons," treating them -- under the First Amendment free-speech clause -- as the equal of human beings."

Murray Hill agrees. "The strength of America," according to the firm's release, "is in the boardrooms, country clubs and Lear jets of America's great corporations. We're saying to Wal-Mart, AIG and Pfizer, if not you, who? If not now, when?"

Murray Hill's campaign announcement even comes complete with their first official campaign commercial.

Watch The Murray Hill Campaign Announcement:

Comments

[Ngonyama]

08:49 PM on 02/03/2010

So suppose we elect this "person". What happens? A lengthy litigation ending in the Supreme Court having to reveal how they betray the legacy of the Founding Fathers once more...

It would be hilarious if it were not so incredibly sad...

[DrPaulProteus]

06:33 PM on 02/02/2010

Absurdism: the only route left... this is great. I'd vote Murray Hill.

[uniquindividual]

10:00 PM on 01/30/2010

They should also try to gt babtised or take holy communion as a corporation in Alito's church.

[sloreader]

05:44 PM on 01/30/2010

Stick it to the man Murray Hill!

[Raccoon1]

02:31 PM on 01/30/2010

The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism — ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. ” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

[Richcelt]

11:24 AM on 01/30/2010

Does Maryland have open primaries? If they do, we should encourage the Democrats to cross party lines and vote for this Corp to be the Republican nominee. XD

[missmanners]

12:58 PM on 01/30/2010

No, MD doesn't.

They should start a party. Maybe corporacrats?

[Okieborn]

08:17 AM on 01/30/2010

The Supreme court really opened the gates to a complete take over of corporations !!
The Bush gang of five should be happy now !!

[sloreader]

05:45 PM on 01/30/2010

The Supremes screwed the pooch on this one.

[Okieborn]

08:15 AM on 01/30/2010

America,
Here we go on the very first test run to see if infact Corporations can indeed run our country !!

[Guy Underbridge]

06:17 PM on 01/30/2010

yep, and the cuts backs on citizenship due to 'restructuring' soon to follow

[TsaniLK]

07:48 AM on 01/30/2010

Hey, don't laugh, this could happen. Aterall, we're the State who made Michael Steele Lt. Gov. And the rest is history.

[quillsinister]

10:36 PM on 01/29/2010

Absolutely. Fracking. Brilliant.
:-D

[mlaiuppa]

07:48 PM on 01/29/2010

The problem with this is it's too close to the truth. There are some who would not recognize it as satire.

I also think, given the Supreme Court Ruling, that there is nothing to prevent an artificial person I.E. Corporation, from running for a public office. If they were prevented and took it to the Supreme Court, they Supreme Court could rule in the favor of the Corporation's right to run for public office, based on their latest ruling.

Mussolini called it. Corporatism. Thanks to George W. Bush.

[hang319]

02:46 PM on 01/29/2010

I can see it now -- the inauguration of President CITGO.

[kucheka]

10:26 AM on 01/29/2010

Careful, Murray Hill! This video is being posted everywhere. I didn't know it was tongue in cheek, and if I didn't run across this article, I would have walked away thinking Murray Hill was one of the bad guys!

[kucheka]

10:58 AM on 01/29/2010

...meaning, I didn't know it was produced by Murray Hill.

[jon86]

09:40 AM on 01/29/2010

Remember Stephen Colbert for President sponsored by Doritos? Also, has anybody seen Idiocracy...

[FightTheLies]

09:50 AM on 01/29/2010

Loved that movie. I feel that the movie would come to life if left to the right wing uneducated Republicans and sponsored by people like Fuddruckers.

[bcgd]

04:13 PM on 01/29/2010

yes and yes! Both were hilarious and proves comedians
have the best grip on what goes on in politics. Round it off with Mr. Black
Anyway take a look at this motion
http://www.movetoamend.org/
Gained 52K signatures since the verdict, takes 15 seconds.
Pass it on the friends family coworkers, state reps and local progressive AM Channel

[Grunty1]

09:27 AM on 01/29/2010

Are we sure this is truly satrical? The bad thing is that someone will probably end up challenging this in court and this SC will rule that it IS legal!

[JCC1]

06:24 PM on 01/30/2010

William,

To the best of my knowledge, Murry Hill, Inc.is at least 30 years old and has been a a U.S. "citizen" for at least nine years at the time of election to the Senate, so why not? Unlike Haliburton, you haven't moved your Corporate Headquarters to Dubai, have you? Or, like Goldman Sachs, you haven't shifted large pieces of your Accounting/Investing Departments to the Cayman Islands for tax purposes, have you?

If not, I say "Go For It" and force the Supreme Court to decide on that, too.