Chamber Fires Back, Vows to Ramp Up Campaign Spending

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WSJ:

by Elizabeth Williamson

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue fired the latest salvo in a war with the White House over campaign financing Tuesday, vowing to ramp up spending for pro-business candidates in the face of what he called a smear campaign and “sad” efforts by President Barack Obama to salvage the election by accusing the group of criminal activity.

A week ago, ThinkProgress, a part of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, released a report charging that the chamber’s $75 million campaign war chest “likely” contained foreign money derived from dues paid by overseas corporate members. It is against federal law for foreign firms or citizens to finance U.S. campaigns. The chamber has denied that foreign members’ payments—which chamber officials say total less than 1% of its $200 million budget—are used for political activities. The chamber is not legally required to disclose its donors.

The White House and Democrats have seized on the charge, although they acknowledge they have no evidence that the law was violated.

“The administration and its Congressional allies are desperately trying to change the subject away from our stalled economy and nearly double-digit unemployment,” Donohue wrote in a letter to the chamber’s directors and partners.

“It won’t work….Nor will the Chamber be silenced,” he wrote. “In fact…you will see us ramp up efforts to educate voters about the positions of candidates of both parties who are committed to free enterprise and economic growth.”

Donohue also charged that more than $400 million in outside money—much of it from undisclosed sources—was used to help elect President Obama and congressional Democrats in 2008. He noted that in the current election cycle, unions had announced plans to spend in excess of $150 million to support pro-union candidates.

“You can see why it is absolutely critical that the business community remains engaged in the political process,” he wrote. “If we succumb to threats and intimidation and become distracted or silenced, the only voices left will be those of the unions and other antibusiness activists.”

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