Politics

Growing Chorus Calling for Full Disclosure of Funding Sources for U.S. Chamber, Shadowy Front Groups

By Karina

In the wake of Republican Senators blocking consideration of the DISCLOSE Act last month, supporters of full disclosure of campaign advertising continue to raise concerns about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?s possible use of funds from foreign interests and foreign governments, in addition to various corporate special interests, to influence American elections:

Michael Keegan, President, People For The American Way:

It?s no surprise that foreign owned companies are interested in supporting Republicans. After all, Senate Republicans voted in lockstep to block legislation that would have prevented foreign corporations from using American companies as conduits for spending money in our elections. The GOP voted to keep foreign money in elections and to keep corporate money secret? Voters should be well aware of which interests are already pulling the strings for many of the candidates who are seeking their vote.

Nick Nyhart, President, Public Campaign:

The U.S. Chamber has pledged to spend $75 million this election cycle to install its acolytes on Capitol Hill, and now it appears they might be doing it with foreign money… No wonder the American people are angry?everyday they see a new story about a secretive outside group spending unlimited sums on our elections without any sort of transparency or accountability.

Craig Holman, Public Citizen:

Because of the lack of disclosure laws people are buying the election but we don’t know exactly who.

Larry Kudlow, CNBC television host, editor and columnist for the conservative magazine National Review and former Reagan Administration official:

Why not have the media posting of the contribution information on the Internet? That’s all. And let everybody decide? Who, what, when, how, where, who got it? Put it up on the net and let free speech and free politics take its work? American Crossroads and Karl Rove and all them should post also.

Leo Gerard, International President, United Steelworkers:

Let me say categorically that this is outrageous, it`s wrong. It shouldn`t be tolerated. No other country on earth would tolerate this?Who do they think they are kidding? This is an insult to America, and they should be held accountable. They should be made to say every single donation from every single country from every single company, America is not for sale to the Chamber of Commerce or to foreign corporations.

Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO:

It’s outrageous. … It doesn’t surprise us.

Peter Stone, Center for Public Integrity:

But we don?t know how much they are holding back and how much they have raised so far?It is still conceivable they could pour as much as $50 million in the last weeks of the campaign into a gamut of activities, including ads and get-out-the-vote efforts.

This is why Congressional Democrats fought for the DISCLOSE Act?to keep the voices of the American people from being drowned out in American elections by the well-funded voices of corporate special interests and foreign entities. Senate Republicans and their outside allies, including the U.S. Chamber, worked to defeat the critical legislation. Little surprise that Republicans opposed public disclosure and blocked debate in the Senate. Before getting bogged down in the Senate, 99% of Republicans voted against the DISCLOSE Act when it passed the House last June.

Full post as published by The Gavel on October 07, 2010 (boomark / email).