MoveOn Asks DoJ To Launch Criminal Investigation Of Chamber's Funding

[Joanne98]

Source: Huffington Post

The Democratic Party's infrastructure responded with noticeable alarm on Tuesday to a report that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce may be funding its political efforts with foreign donations.

The story, broken by the liberal blog Think Progress, contained all the elements of a compelling election story -- a pro-business lobby, operating largely in the dark, supporting conservative, free-trade candidates with money that may be culled from international corporations. Somewhat lost in the discussion (though quite evident in the Think Progress report) was the possibility that the Chamber's actions pushed the legal limits for acceptable electioneering.

On Tuesday afternoon, the progressive advocacy group MoveOn.org honed in on that element of the report, sending a letter to the Department of Justice's Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, urging him and the criminal division to launch an investigation into the matter.

"On behalf of the more than five million members of MoveOn.org Political Action across the nation, I am writing to request that the Department initiate an immediate criminal investigation into the use by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of contributions by foreign nationals to pay for advertising advocating the election or defeat of candidates for federal office. Information brought to light today by Think Progress, a project of the nonpartisan nonprofit organization Center for American Progress Action Fund, strongly implies that the Chamber has willfully violated federal campaign finance laws that outlaw the use of foreign cash in U.S. elections."




Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/05/moveon-asks-doj-to-launch_n_751534.html

[AzDar]

1. K & R

:kick:

[LandR]

27. DOC Leads Electioneering Communications

I am closely following the increase of electioneering communications or political broadcasts in 2010, which is up 288.5% in September of 2010 compared to the previous midterm in September of 2006, and the Department of Commerce has spent more money in September in electioneering communications than any other firm, PAC, 527, or 501(c)(4). The link below goes to the filing page of electioneering communications in 2010, where the Department of Commerce has many such filings. I think it's good that MoveOn is bringing attention to this issue, which is truly a threat to Democracy, due to some people having an out-sized voice. Regarding foreign money in federal elections, the FEC clearly says that only American citizens can donate toward elections, which includes foreign PACs that can also collect money from their American employees. The crux of MoveOn's argument is whether they can prove that the Department of Commerce is receiving money from people other than American citizens. While MoveOn may not succeed in dismantling the Department of Commerce with this accusation, they are certainly bringing an appropriate focus for the public to view the atrocities being committed in the realm of campaign finances.

http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/ec_table.shtml

[bjobotts]

59. Grayson in the House should try to do to the Chamber what repubs did to ACORN

[bjobotts]

60. If dems did this 24/7 coverage on the propaganda network FAUX

[bjobotts]

61. Frum was fired for saying republicans now work for FOX.All pres. candidates on payroll

"I used to think FOX worked for conservatives but with all the republican presidential candidates now on FOX's payroll, conservatives now work for FOX"

The Ministry of Propaganda doesn't care about profits, just getting out their message to buy our legislature. Stop FOX now.

[Stuart G]

2. K and R

I hope that this becomes a national story.

"Should Chinese Corporations fund ads by trying and elect officials in federal elections.who will control tariffs on Chinese Corporations.?"

Might make some interesting news..

[HughMoran]

3. Massive K&R!!

The Chamber is a criminal organization - glad to see they're in trouble.

[TxVietVet]

14. I'd pay my fortune to see Tom Donahue

frog-marched out of the Chamber of Commerce headquarters. he just loves Communist China for it's cheap labor and dictatorial handling of labor issues. Kill the workforce.

[DinahMoeHum]

21. Yeah, he's a real piece of work, and a $$$ shakedown artist. . .

re this article:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2010/1007.verini.html

(snip)
Oddly, while Donohue casts himself as the voice of business, he has never worked for a corporation or any kind of for-profit concern—only for trade associations, nonprofits, and the federal government.
(snip)

[bulloney]

45. The Chamber always preaches deregulated capitalism except when it comes to the communist countries

they love to outsource U.S. jobs to.

[zeemike]

4. And a couple of years from now they will get around to it.

But by then we may have a new AT and he might find something else to work on.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Double Kicked,

:kick: :kick:

[Uncle Joe]

7. and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Joanne.:thumbsup:

[David Zephyr]

6. K&R.

Bravo!

[Bitwit1234]

8. The more you see and find out about these republicans

and their funders they more you continue to be shocked. It seems they are as unAmerican as they come. They yell and scream about being patriotic and yet when the truth comes out THEY ARE THE ONES who are ruining this country and are on the verge of treason.

[indimuse]

10. I agree

with EVERY word you wrote! These people are dangerous!

[glinda]

29. They have the shell game down to an art.

[MetaTrope]

35. Remember that Bush's Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao, was a business partner with the Chinese army

Back in the day, even the Republican noise machine was disturbed by that: http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=7869

[blue97keet]

48. Chao once published an article in Parade Magazine titled

"Can you be replaced by a foreign worker?"

[ieoeja]

56. And his uncle was President then Chairman of the American-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

And his father updated Chinese nuclear facilities. Although that was done with the Senate's approval so as to avoid another Chernobyl.

And W himself gave the Chinese some of our most advanced reconnaisance, communications, and air traffic control of all our militaries' air forces when they captured an AWACs his first year in office.

And the Bush's replaced their Texas ranch with a ranch in Argentina.

And Cheney bought a mansion in the United Arab Emirates.


A more paranoid individual would get the impression they have just about drained us Americans dry and are moving on to greener pastures, taking their legally-because-they-made-it-legally gotten gains with them before we figure it out.

[No Elephants]

44. Koch Bros, funders of Tea Party, owe the start of their family fortune to Joe Stalin.

Imagine how conflicted Joe McCarthy's corpse must be.

Wish I could have seen its nasty skull explode.

[lark]

67. TRAITORS

that's the accurate word for these outsourcing companies and their promoters - the Chamber.

[indimuse]

9. KNR! n/t

[truthisfreedom]

11. This is one organization that needs to be neutered.

[TroglodyteScholar]

12. ---WHUMP!---

[defendandprotect]

13. We'll wake up one morning to find the Saudis and Bushes own America ... !!

[The Wizard]

50. Already happened but

you forgot China.

[defendandprotect]

55. Is it official? Meanwhile, I'm sure Bushes and Saudis also own a good

chunk of China .... so kinda back where we started --

Poppy Bush was investing in China decades ago -- same re Kissinger, Eagleburger --

and selling arms, as well.

Then, there are the drugs -- !!

[The Wizard]

15. Don't count on the DoJ

to do anything. The Bush cartel trolls are still in place there.

[depakid]

17. Agreed, but you can't blame Bush for the Obama administration's disgraceful track record

on accountability. Anywhere.

Their actions and omissions are affirmative choices that they themselves have been making.

[The Wizard]

33. Has Obama left these people in place

because of Senate filibusters?

[depakid]

34. If so, that says something infinitely worse

[No Elephants]

46. Doubt it.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

16. K & R

[nannah]

18. why isn't it treason to open American Election Campaigns

to unlimited foreign investment?????

[glinda]

30. It appears so to me.....

[annabanana]

19. kabam!

I hope this gets some big strong legs..

[geckosfeet]

20. Well that didn't take long. Wonder if they were doing this even before the supremes opened the door.

MoveOn Asks DoJ To Launch Criminal Investigation Of Chamber's Funding

MoveOn's pitch to DoJ contains an important bit of nuance. In addition to alleging that foreign contributors are funding the Chamber illegally, the group argues that the business lobby is also illegally recruiting these donations.

"he Chamber," writes Justin Ruben, MoveOn's Executive Director, has dispatched former Ambassador Frank Lavin to speak before foreign Chamber affiliates about what is at stake for business in the 2010 midterm elections. If, as it appears, the Chamber is soliciting contributions from foreign corporations and foreign nationals while communicating to them the importance of the U.S. elections, the Chamber is at least indirectly soliciting contributions from foreign nationals for use in connection with U.S. elections.

Bold font mine. To emphasize that they have "dispatched former Ambassador Frank Lavin to speak before foreign Chamber affiliates about what is at stake for business in the 2010 midterm elections."

I don't see anything that "appears" to be soliciting contributions. If the above statement is true in it's clearest sense, I see an unequivocal and indisputable effort to solicit contributions.

Country for sale, get it while it's hot.

[frontrange]

22. Directory to all U.S. Chamber offices and members

Here's the directory to all U.S. Chamber members and offices.

Contact the office and tell them what you think.

Boycott all member businesses.

http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/directory

[Jefferson23]

23. K&R excellent news. n/t

[applegrove]

24. Good.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

25. Ooh boy, liberals/progressives strike again. (n/t)

[Enthusiast]

26. K&R

I'm sure the DOJ will get right on it. :sarcasm:

[Lost4words]

28. K & R! nt

[glinda]

31. I hope something comes of this and that the whole Chamber comes down.

[zehnkatzen]

32. Get the SOB's! n/t k/r

[groundloop]

36. Since foreign corporations are people, shouldn't they too have a path to citizenship?

Foreign born individuals have a way to become citizens, after which they are allowed to vote and make political donations. Since the supremes have ruled that corporations have the same rights as people, foreign corporations should now have a similar path to citizenship and the right to influence (i.e. buy) elections.


:sarcasm:



Seriously, it would be great to see the chamber go down for this. President Obama was spot-on when he said that unlimited annonymous corporate money in elections was dangerous, and this is proving him right. You'd think the r's and teabaggers would dislike Chinese and Saudi money buying elections, but.....

[HereSince1628]

37. Yes, but they have to touch Wall St, if we catch them while still

in the East River then we get to send them back home.

[blue97keet]

49. Multinationals already have multiple citizenship

and are traitors and illegal immigrants to all of them.

[LiberalLovinLug]

62. Why stop there?

Once the Roberts Corporate Court gave them that path to citizenship, they could then run for President!

A more perfect shield against any criminal charges, since under current laws, no one person in a corporation can be held liable for what the corporation as a whole carries out.

Just think

President General Electric

President Wal-Mart

President Goldman Sachs (oops I was going for sarcasm)

[Lint Head]

38. Please, please investigate an prosecute these criminals just to

show the people that our nation is not dead.

[xchrom]

39. recommend

[BlancheSplanchnik]

40. LINK to Move On's PETITION

http://pol.moveon.org/pac/chamberinvestigation/?r_by=23885-1598628-FnZgmdx&rc=comment_paste


KnR

[HillbillyBob]

41. It was only a matter of time or more accurately get caught.

I knew it was only a matter of time before the chamber of hoes err commerce would be trying to shake down foreign corpses for campaign bribes.

[The Uncola]

42. May this actually bear some fruit..

.. in the fight to at least slow the corporate take over of our government, but honestly, I have serious doubts that it will. The corporate lean of both major parties has become so evident, one must have their head inserted deep into their colon not to see and acknowledge it. The Repubs are wholly owned subsidiaries and the Dems, if truth be told, aren't much better. I highly doubt that either will do a damn thing that will lessen the unstoppable power now wielded by their main source of campaign funds and assorted other graft. Corporations own the SCOTUS already, so even IF the DOJ tries to do the right thing, which is HIGHLY DOUBTFUL, it won't matter, it will quickly slapped down and turned into a "Constitutionally protected right" by our exalted "keepers of justice."

Makes me wanna :puke:

[h9socialist]

43. Dissolve the Chamber!!!

The dissolution of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and it's various state level affiliates would be the best thing to happen for America's working people in 234 years!!!! Keep the heat on the bastards until they melt!!!

[No Elephants]

47. Typical troublemaking professional Left move!

I love it.

[Little Star]

51. Yes!!!!

[lonestarnot]

53. Like you name, hate your team.

:evilgrin:

[Little Star]

57. lol

[efhmc]

52. Am a member of the Chamber in 3 small towns in Texas because

of renting lodging, I have been wondering how much of my dues go into the coffers of repukes and if I should concentrate on another form of advertisement. Where can I find out if and how much of my money goes to the national organization? I have been composing the letter in my mind for a while but want to get my info straight. I do a lot of business from Chambers referrals.

[Populist_Prole]

54. Wonderful sunlight to disinfect with

There's not a singular group/bloc/association I have hated more than this one. Pure evil

[veganlush]

58. K&R

[myrna minx]

63. K&R n/t

[bobburgster]

64. They sure as hell sould open one up.

There not the only ones needing to be investigated. It is turning into a nightmare with all these groups buying all these ads for repugs and blatantly lying. A NH one is called something like RevereAmerica.....can't really tell their ID on the commercials is so small and disappears to quickly for me to read it accurately.
I found their site. Gov. Pataki is involved in this one. They also helped Scott Brown get elected.

Edit info. coorections

[Zax2me]

65. Rec. K&R n/t

[LaPera]

66. I'm behind MoveOn 99.9% of the time and I have supported them MANY times....

And I certainly will support MoveOn in this instance...The bullshit republican U.S. Chamber of Commerce (CoC)....This is very slimy bullshit to try and take over our country with their greed lies & hatred by all involved, the corporations, multinationals, the wealthy, republicans, CoC and the U.S. Supreme Court!

www.moveon.org