Corporate Governance

The U. S. Chamber of Commerce?s Dirty Tricks, Business and Political

By Adam G. Kurtz

    According to leaked e-mails and documents posted on line by Wikileaks and as reported in the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times and Politico, the powerful U. S. Chamber of Commerce (CoC) has been engaged in a covert dirty tricks campaign to spy on and discredit its political adversaries, including, but not limited to, U.S. Chamber Watch.  Chamber Watch is a pro union not-for-profit organization that challenges and exposes the pro business agenda of the CoC.  Chamber Watch was particularly active during this past fall?s mid-term elections when the CoC was engaged in a high profile political fight with President Obama and his Democratic allies.  Apparently, Chamber Watch?s efforts to counter the CoC?s agenda have had an impact.  In fact, as reported in Politico,

?a cache of thousands of leaked e-mails and documents made public by a group of hackers suggests that the Chamber?s allies apparently saw Chamber Watch as something more than a  mere nuisance. ?All of US Chamber Watch?s tactics have had varying degrees of success and have hindered the CoC?s efforts, but their messaging campaigns continue to be the most effective, read one  ?read one document. ?To degrade [Chamber Watch?s] messaging capabilities and credibility would represent a huge win for the CoC and should be a focus,? concluded the document.? 

     More specifically, the CoC and their law firm, allegedly hired several cyber-intelligence firms, called Team Themis, to develop a multi million dollar plan to discredit the CoC?s critics.  

For further information see, e.g.: (i) Washington Post, ?Hacked e-mails reveal plans for dirty-tricks campaign against U.S. Chamber foes,? Dan Eggen, 2/14/11; (ii) LA Times, ?Government contractors targeted Chamber of Commerce's critics,? Tom Hamburger and Matea Gold, 2/15/11; (iii) New York Times, ?Hackers Reveal Offers to Spy on Corporate Rivals,? Eric Lipton and Charlie Savage, 2/11/11; and (iv) Politico, ?Scrappy Nonprofit Packs a Big Bite? (Print Version Headline), Kenneth P. Vogel, 2/23/11.

Full post as published by PomTalk on March 28, 2011 (boomark / email).