Chamber Of Commerce Campaign Fund Bankrolled By Foreign Donors

Think Progress:

In recent years, the Chamber has become very aggressive with its fundraising, opening offices abroad and helping to found foreign chapters (known as Business Councils or "AmChams"). While many of these foreign operations include American businesses with interests overseas, the Chamber has also spearheaded an effort to raise money from foreign corporations, including ones controlled by foreign governments.

Read the whole story: Think Progress

Comments

[VikingQuest]

09:44 PM on 10/19/2010

Evidence people!

Where is it?


"The Democrats have offered no evidence that the chamber is using foreign money to influence the elections."

http://www­.nytimes.c­om/2010/10­/11/us/pol­itics/11ob­ama.html

About ThinkProgress' Article:

"The piece detailed the chamber’s overseas memberships, but it provided no evidence that the money generated overseas had been used in United States campaigns."

http://www­.nytimes.c­om/2010/10­/09/us/pol­itics/09do­nate.html

"Yet while Obama is trying to tie Republicans and some of their backers to the specter of foreign interference in U.S. elections, an examination of the evidence provides little support for the claims."

http://abc­news.go.co­m/Politics­/vote-2010­-foreign-m­oney-us-ch­amber-comm­erce-ads/s­tory?id=11­853117

"The Obama administration and its allies are waging all out war on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Republican-leaning groups, accusing them of using foreign money to help finance political ads.

Trouble is, they have no evidence."

http://www­.cbsnews.c­om/stories­/2010/10/1­2/politics­/main69503­87.shtml

"Democrats, from President Barack Obama on down, are trying to turn an evidence-free allegation into a major campaign theme"

http://www­.factcheck­.org/2010/­10/foreign­-money-rea­lly/

[seanparnell]

09:25 AM on 10/06/2010

These allegations are poorly founded, not to mention highly selective.

While the report's authors and so-called "reformers" jump to the conclusion that foreign funds are being used, there is no actual evidence of this, just conjecture. Just looking at the numbers in the report shows that only a small fraction of Chamber funds come from overseas affiliates, hundreds of thousands or maybe even a few million dollars out of a budget of at least $150 million. Are foreign funds co-mingled with domestic revenues? Perhaps, but there is no evidence that is the case (and the Chamber says it isn't).

Also, the highly selective nature of the attack on the Chamber is typical of the "reform" movement. Where is the outrage or at least concern over foreign funds coming into union general treasuries? The use of the word "international" in many unions names is not accidental, after all. Like the Chamber, foreign membership dues are doubtless a small fraction of overall revenues, but the report only focuses on the Chamber while ignoring the typically Democrat-friendly unions and their identical issue.

Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics
http://www.campaignfreedom.org
http://www.twitter.com/seanparnellccp

[twmorganstern]

07:16 AM on 10/06/2010

Why so surprised? This was the bloody point of the Citizens United ruling!! Ya see, the New America represents dollars, not people. You pay for representation in our 'government', it's not some entitlement you are just born into. Organize all you want. Say all of the obvious truths you want. The pieces are almost all in place for the New America, and there is no avenue for reform.

Here is the answer that no one wants to hear or do. Transact business with people, not corporations. Yup you get less and pay more, but you are keeping money where it can benefit other people.
If you don't like their rules, stop playing their game.

[Zutroy]

04:45 AM on 10/06/2010

This hypocrisy is absolutely beyond belief. The funders who disseminate smears calling Obama a Maoist are actually recieving donations from the government that Mao founded.

It's one thing if the US voluntarily sells bonds to finance government and China voluntarily buys those bonds, but it's entirely different when an organization is expressly soliciting donations from China in order to smear someone as socialist.

Break up the US Chamber of Commerce.

[seanparnell]

09:28 AM on 10/06/2010

Where do you get your information from? There is nothing that suggests the Chamber is soliciting funds from overseas in order to fund anti-Obama ads or any other sort of political messages. The Chamber has foreign affiliates - does that mean they can't speak out in politics? Because I'd recommend you check out the use of the term "international" in a good number of unions' names.

Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics
http://www.campaignfreedom.org
http://www.twitter.com/seanparnellccp

[moongal6]

03:13 AM on 10/06/2010

This 'Agency' is accelerating our path into plutocracy. After reading the article, these people seem almost treasonous in their activities. Now, I think I know why Michael Steele has been traveling around to other countries, for the GOP it is safer for him to be away and they have him doing the bidding of this corrupted entity.
I feel sick.

[DeanaMugni]

10:54 PM on 10/05/2010

Ah, even after being registered only through one of your "approved" networks (facebook, twitter, etc) do comments have to still be "approved" before being posted. So much for the first amendment of free speech, for the American concept of hearing from "the people", for the open forum of public debate. Left is the new right. Meet the new boss... the same as the old boss. Hardly impressive. We've learned one huge lesson from the Baby Boom generation: don't tear down anything until you have something better to replace it with!

[Intolerantcentrist]

10:53 PM on 10/05/2010

… even the US Chamber of Commerce has been affected by the global economy.

Funny, the GOP’s rail against the thought our judges using “foreign” laws; yet they seem more than happy to let “foreigners” buy laws from Congress.

[DeanaMugni]

10:46 PM on 10/05/2010

So it's all liberal, politically correct and wonderful to give/do business with/be involved with hundreds of thousands (even millions) of dollars at times to "foreigners" for certain events in the name of being "global" and "humanity" and "we're all one human family and any borders or national interests of the USA are parochial and evil"... except when it comes to something like this. Now the liberal stance is how evil it is... those "foreigners" and how subversive they are and wanting to take over and we have to watch out for them and protect our own interests. Could you get anymore transparent? I also love how the Huffingtonpost only allows you to register through facebook or twitter, etc... or any of their "approved" sites or networks....but is not simply open for comments to the general public. How convenient for the spineless. I'm sure no "foreign" element will come up when it next serves your liberal interests to get involved with companies that take away US jobs or governments that blatantly go against the security interests of the US. Liberals are children and compulsively narcissistic- bending objective values and rules to always suit themselves at the time. Repulsive.

[ModeratorStephanie]

10:58 PM on 10/05/2010

You do NOT have to sign up through a social network. There is an option for creating a Huffington Post account.

[TanzaniteDiamonds]

02:29 PM on 10/08/2010

Hi Stephanie:

When you get a chance, would you please post a link to your blogger moniker on Adam's current blog on "Community Moderator Badges", so that others can see your resourceful answers -- in your profile comment history -- regarding flagging issues.

I don't know why the URL isn't working for some posters, and you don't show up in my friends list (even though I've fanned you).

But, if they can see you posting directly from that thread, it'll be easier for them to recognize you, instantly.

Especially, since you've already answered a lot of questions, that are now being asked on Adam's blog.

Thanks!

[moongal6]

03:16 AM on 10/06/2010

Ill informed, at best. I am the general public as I refuse to have a FB account, etc.

[DeanaMugni]

11:26 AM on 10/06/2010

Of course comment on the trivial thing and miss the point of the post. So, so typical.

[nypapajoe]

10:32 PM on 10/05/2010

The republicans are taking in campaign money from foreigners if that's not selling out our country then what is?

[tunes59]

10:43 PM on 10/06/2010

Where was your anger when the FEC had to step in before Obama returned almost $3.3 million in foreign contributions, including China, and has refused to disclose donors of millions of dollars in small amount contributions?

[bmike]

08:41 PM on 10/05/2010

Corporation in Mo. pleaded guilty to influence of pediatricians use of unfit drug for kids.Corporation fined 300 million nobody goes to jail. Looks like only corporation did wrong no human wrong doing.Court say corporation is human that exist only on paper shouldn't at least the paper go to prison.

[Rimser]

06:38 PM on 10/05/2010

And someone please explain how John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, et al, are not considered activitist jurists. There must be some way to impeach a judge, even one on the Supreme Court. It is as plain as the nose on his face that Judge Roberts has been bought and paid for by corporate interests. How else does one explain a decision such as the one granting corporations "personhood". This is not a case of "unintended consequences". This was completely intentional.

[Ravenlea]

09:38 PM on 10/05/2010

It's only activism if Republicans disagree with it. If people are pushing a right wing agenda (Constitution be damned), then it's not activism, it's patriotism. It always strikes me funny - in a sardonic way - that the GOP is always screaming about liberal activism when the real - and rather rampant -activism is on the right.

[TGNY]

06:07 PM on 10/05/2010

So corporations are individuals but many individuals make up a corporation in the form of shareholders. Corporations can now spend unlimited amounts of money (same as an individual) on elections but they do not have to report it to their taxes the same way an individual does because they use a shadow group to do their dirty work and that shadow group only has to disclose their donors once a year. The money is then written off by the corporation as a donation to a "non-for-profit."
Dems..now is the time to show corporations that they may be able to flood our politics with 100's of millions of dollars but when the democratic base shows up...they lose.

Vote...to keep hope alive.

[binkis1]

06:50 PM on 10/05/2010

Thabnnk you republican roberts activist court we have corporate personhood, that allows those like the Chamber to finacnce ads out of their General Fund..which takes FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS that go into the general fund...

We have Demint and Webster from florida , buck from Colorado---, condemning young women and gays to not teach in public schools and against abortion for victims of rape and incest webster also believes women should not work outside the home if she has children,---Does that sound like Sharia Law to anyone but me!

They want to privitaze Social Security and medicare...as well as cut benefits! However, keep the tax breaks for the wealthy and lower the corporate taxes! Is this your America.?...It certainly is not mine!

[Ucan2]

05:56 PM on 10/05/2010

When the stimulus act was first rolled out, there was a Buy America Provision put in to help American companies rebound. The Chamber of Commerce lobbied the republicans in congress to remove that language.

[Ucan2]

05:49 PM on 10/05/2010

Why was this taken off the front page?
This could prove to be very damning for the republicans, then again i just answered my question.

[tunes59]

10:55 PM on 10/06/2010

It might have been pulled because the FEC had to step in before Obama returned almost $3.3 million in foreign contributions, including money from China, and still refuses to disclose donors of millions of dollars in small amount contributions?

[nobodysgirl]

05:44 PM on 10/05/2010

The Chamber is a big wh*re, selling its soul to the corporations, supporting their use of illegal labor and anything at all that will benefit the mega-millionaires and Fortune 500.

America doesn't need the chamber anymore.