Dems seize on foreign donations to pounce on U.S. Chamber backing

[Rheo]

The Hill:

Endangered Democrats in several key Senate races are seizing on what they say is evidence that foreign interests are helping fuel their opponents' campaigns.

Sens. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) and Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher (D) have blasted their opponents for benefiting from campaign spending by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which accepts foreign contributions to its general treasury fund.

The criticism is part of a broader Democratic strategy, outlined by White House political strategist David Axelrod in a July meeting with Senate Democrats, to paint Republicans as the defenders of corporate special interests.

The Democratic campaigns have seized on a report published earlier this week by ThinkProgress, a blog affiliated with the Center for American Progres, a liberal think tank.

The Chamber is proud to have global companies among our membership,” Freeman said. “We’re careful to ensure that we comply with all applicable laws. No foreign money is used to fund political activities.”

She said the report was motivated by political considerations and a plan to “take business and its representative organizations out of the advocacy process.”

Freeman said the business councils were created to represent U.S. companies in overseas markets. These groups pay “nominal dues” totaling around $100,000, Freeman said.

The report has given ammo to Democratic candidates who have been targeted by the Chamber’s $75 million campaign spending plan for the midterm election.

Democrats in Washington have supplemented the campaign trail criticism of the Chamber by calling for a federal investigation of the issue.


The Washington State Democratic Party on Thursday tried to turn the Chamber's political activity against GOP candidate Dino Rossi.

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has called on the Federal Election Commission to investigate allegations that the Chamber has used money from foreign groups for political ads.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has written a letter to the Internal Revenue Service asking it to investigate the political activity of groups organized under section 501©6 of the tax code, such as the Chamber.

[Casino67]

Was there ever any complaints about what/who Soros was donating to? Incognito.

[AceRimmer]

Where was this RAT outrage in the 90's when King Bubba was getting campaign contributions from the Riadys and Chicoms? Same old hypocricy as usual from the Left.

[Casino67]

The Hill:

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) asked the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Wednesday to investigate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's funding for its political activities.

Franken wrote FEC Chairman Matthew Petersen to ask for a probe into whether the Chamber is indirectly using money from foreign corporations to finance its political operations, which have largely targeted Democrats, this cycle.

"I am writing to ask that you investigate these claims, enforce existing laws and regulations prohibiting foreign spending in American elections, and strengthen those very last through new regulations and policy guidance," Franken wrote.

The senator's letter comes on the heels of a report by the liberal blog ThinkProgress that suggested the Chamber, through foreign-based affiliates, has raised money for its general operations, a pool of money that is "commingled" with the business advocacy group's political spending fund.

[Rheo]

Related thread.

 

TRR thread, not named the same but additional info

 

[Casino67]

ABCNews.com:

President Obama this afternoon joined the gang of Democrats and liberal groups alleging that the US Chamber of Commerce is using foreign funds to influence American elections.

Referring to a study by the liberal group ThinkProgress that – correctly – notes that the US Chamber of Commerce has some funding sources abroad, including foreign corporations and American Chambers of Commerce around the world (or “AmChams”), the President said, “just this week, we learned that one of the largest groups paying for these ads regularly takes in money from foreign corporations.”

The president then took this step, saying, “groups that receive foreign money are spending huge sums to influence American elections, and they won’t tell you where the money for their ads come from.”

[Pepper]

Rheo

The Democrats are odious in their hypocrisy.

From the article:

 

"Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has called on the Federal Election Commission to investigate allegations that the Chamber has used money from foreign groups for political ads."

you have to laugh bitterly. Al Franken, a little man who is in all probability the product of Democratic engineered election fraud in his state. A pimple on a carbuncle of festering corruption.

 

If we don't flush as many as possible out November we will only have more bitterness and division in 2012.

[Rheo]

Rheo

The Democrats are odious in their hypocrisy.

From the article:

 

"Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has called on the Federal Election Commission to investigate allegations that the Chamber has used money from foreign groups for political ads."

you have to laugh bitterly. Al Franken, a little man who is in all probability the product of Democratic engineered election fraud in his state. A pimple on a carbuncle of festering corruption.

 

If we don't flush as many as possible out November we will only have more bitterness and division in 2012.

In one post he nails it.....democrats: odious, hypocrisy, festering corruption, little man, fraud, bitterness, division, etc