US C o C2

===see COC 3 age of trump

for older content see USCoC, see also tag for newer contentaha yikes; opposed anti-corruption eg conflict mineralsrecall Enforcer tag, opposite of Moderationcapt 1/16 this page only

=TOOL:   <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/chambers-of-commerce/">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/chambers-of-commerce/</a><div>=</div><div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Two years later, the US Chamber of Commerce, under the leadership of an aggressive new president named Tom Donohue, picked up on Rove’s strategy.Pledging to “play hardball” against “frivolous” lawsuits, the Chamber spent $10 million on judicial races in 2000 alone. It pumped $4.4 million into Ohio’s Supreme Court election—the largest expenditure from a single source on a court race in US history. In the following years, the Chamber injected tens of millions into races in Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. Corporate America had grasped the potential to install friendly judges who could crack down on costly class actions and neutralize the efforts of consumer advocates. “We’re clearly engaged in hand-to-hand combat,” as Donohue put it, “and we’ve got to step it up if we’re going to survive.”</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Unions spent millions on these races as well—particularly across the Upper Midwest, as labor leaders recognized they could get a great return on investment by backing justices sympathetic to workers’ rights. As an official with the Ohio AFL-CIO once said: “We figured out a long time ago that it’s easier to elect seven judges than to elect 132 legislators.”</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">A major showdown came in 2004, in West Virginia’s Supreme Court election. Don Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy, donated $3 million to Republican candidate Brent Benjamin. Meanwhile, a nonprofit funded primarily by Massey Energy ran TV ads accusing incumbent Justice Warren McGraw of getting a child rapist out of prison and into a job at a high school. After Benjamin won, the investment paid off big time: He later cast the deciding vote to overturn a lower court’s $50 million verdict against Massey Energy. Two years later, the US Supreme Court ruled that Benjamin should have recused himself. It overturned the decision and sent the case back to West Virginia. (Massey Energy ultimately prevailed in state court.)</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
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</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Corporate interests also reaped a huge return on investment in the 2004 Supreme Court election in Illinois. Five years earlier, a jury had handed down a $1.19 billion penalty to the insurance company State Farm for requiring millions of claimants to accept subpar replacement auto parts. State Farm and its employees—working through the US Chamber, the Illinois Republican Party, and an Illinois-based tort reform group—steered $4 million to elect a sympathetic judge named Lloyd Karmeier to the Supreme Court, which was considering State Farm’s appeal of the auto parts verdict. Karmeier, his opponent, and various outside groups spent a record $9.3 million on the race. Karmeier, who would later acknowledge that the sum was “obscene,” won easily. And the millions State Farm spent were a pittance compared with what it gained: The next year, Karmeier cast the deciding vote to overturn the more than $1 billion verdict against State Farm.</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Up to this point, the big spenders were mostly targeting contested judicial elections—ones in which a candidate challenged a sitting justice. Then came the Iowa Supreme Court’s 2009 decision in Varnum v. Brien, in which the seven justices unanimously ruled that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage violated the state constitution. Social-conservative groups leapt into action, targeting three of the seven justices who were up for retention election—ones where voters only check “yes” or “no.” The National Organization for Marriage and its allies spent nearly $1 million and defeated all three. “They wanted to make sure we were punished for our decision and that other judges witnessed that so they wouldn’t do it either,” former Justice Marsha Ternus told me.</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">The strategy of turning sleepy retention elections into political showdowns has been spreading. In Florida’s 2012 retention elections, the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity and the Republican Party of Florida spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to unseat three sitting justices. A group called Defend Justice From Politics spent $3.1 million on the justices’ behalf, helping them prevail. In Michigan in 2012, two anonymously funded nonprofits, the Judicial Crisis Network and Americans for Job Security, poured $2.1 million into attack ads against five judges on Michigan’s 6th Circuit Court, though the judges won out. And earlier this year, Tennessee’s lieutenant governor, Ron Ramsey, took it upon himself to spearhead an effort to unseat three sitting state Supreme Court justices—and, along with them, the attorney general, who is appointed by the court. Ramsey’s PAC pumped $425,000 into a group running negative ads that blasted the three justices as “liberal on crime”and for “helping advance Obamacare.” Funds were also contributed by Americans for Prosperity and the GOP’s State Government Leadership Foundation, which said it planned to spend an additional $5 million in 2014 on judicial races in North Carolina, Tennessee, and elsewhere.</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Though the three Tennessee justices prevailed in the end, one of them, Connie Clark, told me she’s concerned about the precedent set by the fight. “As long as there are no limits on outside money,” she says, “then this will become the new normal.”</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</div><div style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">The transformation of judicial campaigns has alarmed another veteran of the court system. “Judicial elections pose a serious threat,” former US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor told Mother Jones. “If judicial decisions are in fact not fair and impartial—or even if they are perceived as being biased—the basis of support for our courts crumbles.”</div></div><div></div><div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large;">=</div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large;"><a href="https://truthout.org/articles/exxonmobils-shift-on-climate-change-belies-its-contributions-to-climate-deniers/">https://truthout.org/articles/exxonmobils-shift-on-climate-change-belies-its-contributions-to-climate-deniers/</a></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large;">
</div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large;">elliot negin</div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large;">
</div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">after decades of public denial, ExxonMobil now <a href="https://energyfactor.exxonmobil.com/perspectives/better-approach-climate-change/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">acknowledges</a> that “the risk of climate change is real” and says it is “committed to being part of the solution,” at least according to the company’s website and statements. To that end, the largest investor-owned oil company in the world claims it <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/10/09/exxonmobil-gives-million-promote-carbon-tax-and-dividend-plan/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">supports a federal carbon tax</a> and the <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/Energy-and-environment/Environmental-protection/Climate-change/Statements-on-Paris-climate-agreement" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Paris climate agreement</a>.But the company’s recently released <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/Community-engagement/Worldwide-giving/Worldwide-Giving-Report" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">grantmaking report</a> shows that it has not ended its two-decade-long campaign to stymie government efforts to address climate change. By ExxonMobil’s own accounting, it gave $690,000 to eight climate science denier groups in 2019, a 10 percent drop from 2018. In addition, it continued to fund federal lawmakers who oppose a carbon tax, despite its supposed longtime support for the idea. Forty percent of the nearly <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/recipients?id=d000000129" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$1 million</a> it has contributed so far to congressional incumbent campaigns during the 2019-20 election cycle has gone to 115 of the <a href="https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/green/news/2019/01/28/172944/climate-deniers-116th-congress/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">150 climate science deniers</a> still in office.Sixty percent of ExxonMobil’s 2019 donations to climate obstructionist groups for “public information and policy research” went to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, while another 30 percent was split between the American Enterprise Institute and the Manhattan Institute, which have been receiving annual grants from the company since it began financing climate disinformation 22 years ago. All told, ExxonMobil has spent more than <a href="https://ucs-documents.s3.amazonaws.com/global-warming/XOM+Worldwide+Giving+2018.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$37 million</a> on climate science denier organizations from 1998 through 2019, more than any individual funder besides Charles Koch and his brother, the late David Koch, the billionaire owners of the coal, oil and gas conglomerate Koch Industries. Koch-controlled foundations spent more than <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/climate-deniers/koch-industries/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$145 million</a> on many of the same groups over roughly the same time period.did the top three recipients of ExxonMobil grants for climate science denier groups in 2019 toe the company’s publicly stated line on climate? The short answer is no. If actions speak louder than words, the donations call into question ExxonMobil’s commitment to seriously address the climate crisis and deserve a closer look.<h2 style="font-size: large; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 3rem 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 1.2;">The U.S. Chamber Still Opposes Carbon Pollution Standards</h2>The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been a major player in blocking action on climate change going back to the 1990s, when the business lobby and Exxon were members of the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Global_Climate_Coalition" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Global Climate Coalition</a>, a consortium of corporations and trade associations opposed to government policies that would cut carbon emissions.But in 2009 — the same year ExxonMobil first <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/jan/10/exxon-mobil-carbon-tax" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">announced</a> its support for a carbon tax in a cynical attempt to derail cap-and-trade climate legislation — the Chamber’s united front began to crack. A handful of Fortune 500 companies — including Apple, Exelon Corporation and Pacific Gas & Electric — <a href="https://www.npr.org/2009/10/06/113548724/companies-quit-u-s-chamber-over-climate-policy" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">quit</a> the Chamber over its opposition to the cap-and-trade bill while two other high-profile companies — Nike and Johnson & Johnson — retained their membership but <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/sep/29/us-chamber-commerce-climate-change#=" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">rebuked the</a> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/sep/29/us-chamber-commerce-climate-change#=" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">business lobby</a> for the same reason. Since then, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/24/disney-the-gap-and-pepsi-urged-to-quit-us-chamber-of-commerce" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">at least a dozen</a> Chamber members, including Hewlett-Packard, General Mills, Mars, Nestlé and Unilever, have headed for the exits.By contrast, ExxonMobil not only retained its Chamber membership, but it also pledged $5 million in annual installments to help pay for the Chamber’s <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/series/above-the-fold/washington-post-how-the-us-chamber-adapting-evolving-leading" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$250-million renovation</a> of its Washington, D.C., headquarters. In 2019, the company donated <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/Global/Files/worldwide-giving/2019-Worldwide-Giving-Report.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$400,000 for the building </a><a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/Global/Files/worldwide-giving/2019-Worldwide-Giving-Report.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">rehabilitation</a><a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/Global/Files/worldwide-giving/2019-Worldwide-Giving-Report.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;"> and another $15,000 </a>to the Chamber’s Corporate Citizenship Center, bringing its total contributions since 2014 to $4.8 million.[table graf]What does ExxonMobil get for its money? Among other things, the <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/kathy-mulvey/trade-groups-must-be-challenged-for-their-harmful-climate-deception" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">business lobby</a> goes to bat for it in court by <a href="https://www.citizen.org/wp-content/uploads/chamber_litigation_report_part_1.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">filing lawsuits</a> against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in the court of public opinion by funding misleading climate-related reports. A prime example is the Chamber’s <a href="https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/donald-trump-climate-accord-fact-check" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">widely</a> debunked 2017 <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y68ty5g7" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">report</a> that grossly <a href="https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/jun/01/fact-checking-donald-trumps-statement-withdrawing-/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">exaggerated the cost</a> to the U.S. economy of complying with the Paris climate agreement. President Donald Trump cited that report as his <a href="https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/jun/01/fact-checking-donald-trumps-statement-withdrawing-/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">primary rationale</a> for ignoring the U.S. commitment to the accord, and he has vowed to officially pull the United States out in early November.However, in 2019, the Chamber seemed to take a 180-degree turn, <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/addressing-climate-change" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">declaring</a> on its website: “Our climate is changing and humans are contributing to these changes. Inaction is simply not an option.” [CF FALLBACK] Although one could quibble with the assertion that human activity is merely contributing to climate change when in fact burning fossil fuels is the main cause, it was a far cry from when the organization <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/10/more-chamber-commerces-climate-denial/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">maintained</a> in comments submitted to the EPA in 2009 that “a warming of even 3 [degrees Celsius] in the next 100 years would, on balance, be beneficial to humans.”But the Chamber’s turnabout was not complete. Although it now concedes the reality of human-caused climate change, it is still pushing private-sector innovation as the solution to the climate crisis rather than much-needed government regulation, which historically has driven technological advances.So, while the Chamber supports government funding for <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/addressing-climate-change" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">research and development</a> of advanced nuclear reactors, utility-scale batteries, and carbon capture and storage technology, it backed the Trump administration’s <a href="https://www.epa.gov/energy-independence" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">rollbacks</a> of the Obama administration’s 2015 Clean Power Plan, which would have reduced power plant carbon emissions and its 2015 “Waters of the United States” rule, which would have protected small streams, wetlands and groundwater from toxic chemicals.More recently, the Chamber supported the Trump administration’s weakening of the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act by limiting public input in the infrastructure project approval process and rescinding a requirement that federal agencies consider a proposed project’s impact on the climate.Unlike ExxonMobil’s professed support for a carbon tax, the Chamber has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-chamber-climatechange/after-skepticism-u-s-chamber-of-commerce-forms-climate-change-task-force-idUSKBN1W92WH" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">no official position</a>, but if carbon tax legislation ever made it to the Senate or House floor, it presumably would oppose it given its dim view of government regulation.Likewise, the Chamber’s avowed support for U.S. compliance with the Paris climate accord includes a major caveat. Dan Byers, vice president for policy at the Chamber’s Global Energy Institute, <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/22/climate-change-global-translations-1675710" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">told</a> Politico in August 2019 that it is “absolutely important for the U.S. to remain in the Paris climate agreement” but added that the “Obama administration’s pledge was unrealistic, [and] was going to have a negative impact on our economy. And so we’d like to see that revisited.” In other words, the Chamber would like the United States to remain a party to the agreement so that it could lobby to weaken the U.S. commitment to it.<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 3rem 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 1.2;">American Enterprise Institute Still Downplays the Climate Threat</h2>In 2019, ExxonMobil gave the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/Global/Files/worldwide-giving/2019-Worldwide-Giving-Report.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$110,000</a>, bringing its total since 1998 to $4.76 million — more than any other of its climate science denier grantees. The 82-year-old, free market think tank also receives generous funding from other climate disinformation network supporters, including the <a href="https://documented.net/2019/12/bradley-foundations-pour-millions-into-network-of-climate-denial-and-anti-labor-organization-tax-filings-show/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a> and the <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/480918408" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Charles Koch Foundation</a>.What does ExxonMobil get for its money from AEI? A cheerleader for fossil fuels, economist Benjamin Zycher, who — contrary to the company’s professed climate positions — <a href="https://www.aei.org/articles/the-carbon-tax-is-not-just-political-its-ineffective-too/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">argues</a> that a carbon tax would be “ineffective” and has <a href="https://www.aei.org/articles/the-absurdity-that-is-the-paris-climate-agreement/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">called</a> the Paris agreement an “absurdity.”In March, Zycher published a <a href="https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A-Critique-of-the-House-Republican-Climate-Policy-Proposals.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">report</a> arguing that “any plausible policy” to curb carbon emissions “would yield trivial effects while imposing large costs.” Instead, he recommended the federal government adopt a policy of “watchful waiting, adaptation over time, and ongoing investment in resilience against the future effects of climactic[sic] changes.How could Zycher recommend “watchful waiting” given the large costs climate change is already imposing right now? Granted, he published his report before this summer, when heat waves and wildfires burned up the West Coast and hurricanes slammed the Southeast. But last summer was not that different, and climate change-related disasters have been racking up considerable damage over the last few years. From 2017 through 2019, there were <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/summary-stats/2017-2019" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">44</a> unique extreme weather and climate-linked events across the country causing damages of $1 billion or more, collectively costing more than <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/summary-stats/2017-2019" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$460 billion</a>.Nevertheless, Zycher insists fossil fuels are <a href="https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A-Critique-of-the-House-Republican-Climate-Policy-Proposals.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">indispensable</a>. “Opposition to fossil fuels implies a reduction in policies — education, training, health care, and the like — that add to human capital and so increase incomes and the demand for conventional energy,” he wrote. “Therefore, opposition to fossil fuels is fundamentally antihuman.”Zycher made the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9e832c8a-8961-11ea-a109-483c62d17528?accessToken=zwAAAXHw604IkdOegyyKiWER6tOhCUg8YtF1KA.MEUCIDY7KDYiwqK-47nca5CvfTduy65DHi-WnvyA_OKhjK-rAiEAzEyNEOIfmNiwv0eFa3Gz-WdX9hcXmrnSpY3ZakOEvhI&sharetype=gift?token=37bb3af1-7e79-4831-834e-fb6bc4fc4845" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">same argument</a> in a May 7 column in the Financial Times, ranting that environmentalists who aim to deprive the world of fossil fuels “hate humanity, and the planet too.”Putting aside Zycher’s ad hominem attack on the “environmental left,” he deliberately confuses the societal benefits of energy with how it is generated. At several junctures in history, humans switched from wood to coal to natural gas to warm their homes. Likewise, they switched from whale oil to kerosene to incandescents to LEDs to illuminate their homes.Opposition to coal and kerosene in the past or fossil fuels today is not “fundamentally antihuman” when there are better, cleaner alternatives. And it turns out the alternatives — solar and wind, specifically — are now the <a href="https://www.lazard.com/perspective/lcoe2019" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">cheapest sources of electricity</a>, and they could have been more widely available years ago if ExxonMobil and other fossil fuel companies had not stood in the way.<h2 style="font-size: large; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 3rem 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 1.2;">The Manhattan Institute Is Still in Love With Fossil Fuels</h2>The Manhattan Institute, a New York City-based libertarian think tank, received <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/Global/Files/worldwide-giving/2019-Worldwide-Giving-Report.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$90,000</a> from ExxonMobil in 2019. Since 1998, the company has given the organization more than $1.4 million.For the last decade, the institute’s go-to energy expert has been Robert Bryce, who, like AEI’s Zycher, is <a href="https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/three-major-problems-carbon-tax" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">no fan of a carbon tax</a>, ExxonMobil’s supposed pet climate solution. Before he left the think tank at the end of 2019, Bryce spent much of his time bashing renewable energy and extolling fossil fuels in reports and in the pages of the <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/11/renewable-mandates-and-carbon-taxes-lost-big-on-tuesday/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">National Review</a>, <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/03/07/angry-us-landowners-are-killing-off-renewable-energy-projects/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">New York Post</a>, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/robert-bryce-dreaming-the-impossible-green-dream-1402527502" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Wall Street Journal</a> and other publications.Bryce routinely disparages renewables without providing context. In an August 2019 column on the conservative website RealClearEnergy, for example, he <a href="https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2019/08/16/big_winds_big_headwinds_110467.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">maintained</a> that the wind industry is “facing increasing opposition” at least partly because of what he insists is the major threat it poses to eagles and other birds, an assertion he has been making ad nauseum for years. In fact, the <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wind-energy-threat-to-bir_b_4321113" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">top human-caused threats</a> to birds are <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/10/climate-change-threatens-bird-species/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">climate change</a>, <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/buildings-are-hazardous-to-migratory-birds-but-there-are-solutions/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">buildings</a>, power lines, misapplied pesticides, communications towers, and oil and gas industry fluid waste pits — not wind turbines.As for wind energy’s specific threat to eagles, Dan Ashe, a former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, debunked Bryce’s fallacious claim in a December 2016 HuffPost column. “Public attention on eagle loss in recent years has focused almost exclusively on wind energy,” Ashe <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-better-way-to-conserve-eagles_b_5851536de4b0320ed05a9a09" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">wrote</a>. “In truth, wind turbine collisions comprise a fraction of human-caused eagle losses. Most result from intentional and accidental poisoning and purposeful shooting. The majority of non-intentional loss occurs when eagles collide with cars or ingest lead shot or bullet fragments in remains and gut piles left by hunters. Others collide with or are electrocuted on power lines. Disproportionately and solely focusing on wind energy distorts public perceptions at a time when we desperately need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”Cutting carbon pollution is hardly a goal that Bryce or any of his Manhattan Institute colleagues would ever publicly endorse. Doing so would certainly not please their other climate science denier benefactors, which include the <a href="https://documented.net/2019/12/bradley-foundations-pour-millions-into-network-of-climate-denial-and-anti-labor-organization-tax-filings-show/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a>, <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/480918408" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Charles Koch Foundation</a>, hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer’s <a href="https://maplight.org/story/tax-return-shows-mercer-family-fueled-climate-skeptics-last-year-with-more-than-4-million/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Mercer Family Foundation</a>, and Mercer’s daughter, Rebekah, a <a href="https://www.manhattan-institute.org/board-of-trustees" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Manhattan Institute trustee</a>. All have donated considerably more money to the think tank than ExxonMobil in recent years and, unlike the oil company, do not pretend to care about the climate crisis.<h2 style="font-size: large; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 3rem 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 1.2;">Maintaining the Status Quo in Congress</h2>The New York Times recently ran a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/21/business/energy-environment/oil-climate-change-us-europe.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">story</a> pointing out that European and U.S. oil companies are heading in very different directions when it comes to climate change. While BP, Royal Dutch Shell, and other European-based companies are beginning to sell their oil fields and invest in renewable energy, their U.S. counterparts <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-13/chevron-keeps-drilling-for-oil-as-its-rivals-embrace-renewables?sref=ZMY9rmLQ" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Chevron</a> and <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/kathy-mulvey/three-reasons-investors-should-give-exxonmobils-2020-climate-report-the-thumbs-down" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">ExxonMobil</a> are betting that oil and gas will continue to make up at least 50 percent of the energy market for at least the next 20 years.Instead of transitioning to solar and wind, the two U.S. oil giants are spending <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/the-oil-and-gas-industry-in-energy-transitions" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">relatively trivial amounts</a> on unproven technologies, such as <a href="https://www.chevron.com/stories/chevron-invests-in-nuclear-fusion-start-up?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=corporate" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">modular fusion nuclear reactors (Chevron)</a>, <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/Global/Files/energy-and-carbon-summary/Energy-and-carbon-summary.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">algae-based biofuel (ExxonMobil)</a>, and carbon capture and storage schemes (both), which so far have been <a href="https://theenergymix.com/2020/08/05/carbon-capture-failure-in-texas-bodes-badly-for-similar-projects-elsewhere-ieefa-warns/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">costly failures</a>. If those pipe dreams were ever demonstrated to work at the necessary scale, it would still take decades to commercialize them.The main reason European oil and gas companies are taking baby steps to embrace renewables? Government pressure. The European Union has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-eu-target/european-commission-to-propose-more-ambitious-2030-climate-goal-document-idINKBN262160" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">set a goal</a> of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and <a href="https://theclimatecenter.org/actions-by-countries-phase-out-gas/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">seven EU countries</a> plan to phase out vehicles powered by gasoline and diesel over the next few decades. Austria, with the most aggressive timetable, will ban internal-combustion-engine <a href="https://www.erneuerbareenergien.de/archiv/austria-could-ban-new-gas-and-diesel-cars-by-2020-150-437-94794.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">vehicle sales after 2020</a>.Although California <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/climate/california-ban-gas-cars.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">recently announced</a> it would ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 and most diesel-powered trucks by 2045, the Trump administration has taken the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/policy2020/votervital/what-is-the-trump-administrations-track-record-on-the-environment/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">opposite tack</a>, gutting landmark Obama-era rules curbing vehicle and power plant carbon emissions, rolling back methane emission and coal ash storage regulations, and lifting bans on oil and gas drilling on public land. Congress, meanwhile, has declined to consider <a href="https://www.c2es.org/document/carbon-pricing-proposals-in-the-116th-congress/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">climate bills</a> that have been introduced since the beginning of the 2019-20 session.A September 21 New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/21/business/energy-environment/oil-climate-change-us-europe.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">story</a> cited unnamed energy analysts who excused Chevron and ExxonMobil for not changing their business models. “U.S. lawmakers,” the analysts told the Times, “have simply not given them enough incentives to make a radical break.”A major reason Congress has not given the U.S. oil industry enough incentives to change course is because oil and gas companies have been giving a critical mass of U.S. lawmakers enough incentives to do nothing. As mentioned above, $401,198 of the $991,329 ExxonMobil has spent so far on congressional incumbent campaigns during the current election cycle has gone to 115 of the 150 climate science deniers on Capitol Hill. Likewise, Chevron has spent <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/chevron/recipients?id=D000000015&" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$936,489</a> on incumbent campaigns so far. A little more than $433,000 — 46 percent — has gone to 82 climate science deniers.Besides making campaign contributions, oil companies spend a lot of money to keep tabs on their friends in Washington. So far, the top <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/industries/summary?cycle=2020&id=e01" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">three oil and gaslobbyists</a> during the 2019-20 cycle are Koch Industries, which has spent $30.72 million; Chevron, which has spent $28.54 million; and ExxonMobil, which has spent $28.36 million.Why does ExxonMobil still support so many climate science deniers in Congress while contending to be so keen on a carbon tax? After all, just two years ago the company announced it would <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/10/09/exxonmobil-gives-million-promote-carbon-tax-and-dividend-plan/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">donate $1 million</a> over two years to <a href="https://www.afcd.org/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Americans for Carbon Dividends</a>, a political action group created to promote a revenue-neutral carbon tax.Some lawmakers are bullish on a carbon tax, but ExxonMobil largely ignores them. Since January 2019, <a href="https://www.c2es.org/document/carbon-pricing-proposals-in-the-116th-congress/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">eight representatives</a>, two Republicans and six Democrats — and <a href="https://www.c2es.org/document/carbon-pricing-proposals-in-the-116th-congress/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">nine senators</a>, all Democrats — have introduced <a href="https://www.c2es.org/document/carbon-pricing-proposals-in-the-116th-congress/" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">10 carbon tax bills and one cap-and-trade bill</a>. But only one of the eight representatives and four of the nine senators received a campaign contribution from ExxonMobil during this election cycle. The total amount the company donated to the five lawmakers was $15,000 — a measly 4 percent of what it gave climate science deniers.To be sure, ExxonMobil’s spending on climate disinformation has shrunk dramatically in recent years. The company’s 2019 outlay was less than <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobil-still-funding-climate-science-denier-groups" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">half</a> of what it <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobil-still-funding-climate-science-denier-groups" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">spent in 2017</a> and the lowest amount since 1999, when Exxon was going through its merger with Mobil. Likewise, its campaign contributions to climate science deniers in Congress dropped from <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobil-still-bankrolling-climate-deniers" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$1.1 million</a> during the 2017-18 election cycle to only $400,000, this cycle.But the fact remains that, while the company is saying all the right things publicly about the need to address climate change, it is continuing to fund think tanks and lawmakers who dispute the science and oppose government action. That suggests that its professed support for a carbon tax is no more than a disingenuous public relations ploy to delay government action.The tobacco industry used the very same tactic to hold off regulations for decades, and it worked well until it didn’t, when the industry lost in court and agreed to pay <a href="https://www.npr.org/2013/10/13/233449505/15-years-later-where-did-all-the-cigarette-money-go" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">$246 billion</a> in fines to states over 25 years.</div></div><div>=</div><div><a href="https://www.corporateaccountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Executive-Summary_EN_webversionFINAL.pdf">https://www.corporateaccountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Executive-Summary_EN_webversionFINAL.pdf</a></div><div>...</div><div><div>Industry groups stalk the halls of the UNFCCC</div><div>
</div><div>In this section, Corporate Accountability discusses</div><div>one of the most egregious ways big polluting</div><div>industries undermine climate policy: by walking the</div><div>halls as “observers” to the UNFCCC negotiations.</div><div>Currently, groups like the U.S. Chamber of</div><div>Commerce, Business Europe, and the Business</div><div>Council of Australia, which have all undermined</div><div>climate action on behalf of their corporate</div><div>members, have unfettered access to the climate</div><div>talks. Such access allows for not only direct</div><div>lobbying of delegates, but also for unparalleled</div><div>information gathering, as well as the greenwashing</div><div>of corporate images. To address the myriad ways</div><div>the presence of trade associations undermines</div><div>the talks and to strengthen the implementation of</div><div>the Paris Agreement, the authors resolve for the</div><div>UNFCCC to adopt a standard definition of conflict</div><div>of interest and implement a binding conflict of</div><div>interest policy to help reveal and limit undue</div><div>corporate influence via observer participation.</div><div>Carbon majors masquerading as part of the</div><div>tech solution</div><div>
</div><div>Environmentally sound technologies, such as</div><div>renewable energy and local innovations, will play</div><div>an essential role in mitigating and adapting to</div><div>climate change. While there is a mechanism in</div><div>the UNFCCC to accelerate development, transfer,</div><div>and deployment of climate technologies to Global</div><div>South countries, this mechanism has been coopted</div><div>by Big Polluters, from Électricité de France</div><div>and Shell to the World Coal Association. As Neth</div><div>Daño of the ETC Group explains, this cooptation</div><div>prevents the Technology Mechanism from</div><div>providing sound information and technical advice.</div><div>Instead it allows polluting corporations to project</div><div>an image of being part of the solution while at the</div><div>same time continuing to operate businesses that</div><div>are primarily responsible for the climate crisis. The</div><div>UNFCCC should not allow industry involvement</div><div>to compromise this transfer. Instead, as Daño</div><div>recommends, the Secretariat should fully evaluate</div><div>the environmental, social, and economic impacts</div><div>of climate technologies and ensure that the nonState</div><div>actors invited to take part in technology</div><div>development, transfer, and deployment do not</div><div>introduce potential conflicts of interest.</div></div><div>
</div><div><div>Article 6 and the invisible hand of carbon chaos</div><div>
</div><div>Markets are often portrayed as a magical solution</div><div>to environmental pollution. Yet study after study</div><div>reveals that carbon markets not only fail to reduce</div><div>emissions but create new problems as well.</div><div>Article 6, which may provide incentives to set</div><div>up and expand carbon markets, could very well</div><div>make matters worse—providing opportunities for</div><div>Big Polluters to continue to pollute egregiously</div><div>without consequence and distracting attention</div><div>from real solutions. Not surprisingly, trade groups</div><div>and corporations have promoted these markets</div><div>and affiliated individuals have even found a place</div><div>at the negotiating table. This is unacceptable.</div><div>In this section, Corporate Accountability calls for</div><div>governments to create binding regulations that</div><div>require polluting corporations to drastically reduce</div><div>emissions and reject carbon markets.</div><div>The corrupting influence of corporations’</div><div>COP sponsorships</div><div>
</div><div>For almost as long as the UNFCCC has existed, the</div><div>very same transnational corporations whose profits</div><div>depend on the burning of oil, coal, and gas have</div><div>been permitted to bankroll the U.N. climate talks.</div><div>In this section, Corporate Europe Observatory’s</div><div>Pascoe Sabido makes the case for eliminating the</div><div>corporate sponsorship of international climate</div><div>negotiations. As Sabido outlines, transnational</div><div>corporations use the access to the UNFCCC that</div><div>sponsorship buys them to undermine progress</div><div>and push false solutions (like failed carbon</div><div>trading or carbon capture and storage schemes).</div><div>While addressing sponsorship alone will not fully</div><div>eliminate corporate influence at the COPs, it</div><div>would chip away at the green and blue façades</div><div>Big Polluters have erected. It would also provide</div><div>space for an honest conversation on what role</div><div>Big Polluters should have in solving a crisis that</div><div>they continue to profit from. Sabido concludes</div><div>with a call for a policy to reject sponsorship from</div><div>corporations whose interests are in conflict with</div><div>the objectives of the UNFCCC and for COPs to</div><div>instead be financed equitably by member states.</div><div>
</div><div>Fighting corporate interests in the</div><div>Green Climate Fund</div><div>As Lidy Nacpil of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on</div><div>Debt and Development discusses in this section...</div></div><div>
</div><div></div>4/16<a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/03/13072/chamber-commerce" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/03/13072/chamber-commerce</a>no linksNew materials provided to the Center for Media and Democracy/PRWatch reveal that a top GOP polling firm instructed state Chamber of Commerce lobbyists how to try to defeat popular measures like increasing the minimum wage, despite polling data from business leaders that shows overwhelming support for such progressive workplace policies.
California just passed a statewide measure to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next few years, as other cities have also embraced this and other key workplace reform measures, such as paid sick days.
Read more from the Washington Post's story by Lydia DiPillis here.
Below are key materials about this, including this short video from the webinar with analysis that CMD has prepared:Here is the link to that snippet from the webinar.
Here is the poll, marked up by CMD.
Here is a copy of the slideshow, marked up by CMD.
Here is a transcript of the webinar, highlighted by CMD.
Here is the link to the longer version of the webinar.
Here is some information about who spoke during the webinar.
Here is a backgrounder on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the state chambers of commerce.
Here is CMD's press release summarizing key information about the materials.
Here is some analysis of the polling results by CMD.
Here is an interview on NPR's Fresh Air about the materials and the efforts to preempt local efforts to increase the minumum wage, paid sick, family leave, predictive scheduling and other popular measures. 
Here is the long version with commentary by CMD:
- See more at: http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/03/13072/chamber-commerce#sthash.tUOPmlNL.dpuf--refMadison, WI--Video footage of a closed-door webinar provided to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reveals top GOP pollsters instructing Chamber of Commerce lobbyists to ignore internal survey data showing that Chamber members across the country overwhelmingly support progressive workplace policies including raising the minimum wage, providing paid sick days, and increasing paid family leave. (These and other materials are available <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/03/13072/chamber-commerce" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">here</a>.)In the video, pollsters with LuntzGlobal, the survey research firm of noted GOP pollster Frank Luntz, coach lobbyists from state and local Chambers on how to thwart the "empathy" that Chamber members feel for their employees in order to advance an anti-worker agenda aligned with the Koch Brothers and other corporate interests."This webinar reveals just how deeply corporate interests and their lobbyists are influencing the priorities of state Chambers of Commerce, even when that agenda contradicts the opinions of their local business members," said Lisa Graves, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy, a national watchdog organization that monitors the hidden influence of corporate interests in politics. "Rather than listening to its members and crafting a policy agenda that reflects their priorities, Chamber lobbyists pick their policy positions behind closed doors and then figure out how to convince their members to fall in line.""It's a warped, undemocratic process, and the Chambers should be held accountable for their claims to the public, press, and elected officials that businesses oppose raising the minimum wage, paid sick leave, increased family and medical leave and other common sense policies, when in fact substantial majorities of business executives actually support these public policies," she added.During the hour-long webinar, which was hosted by the Council of State Chambers in February 2016, LuntzGlobal consultants present the results of an internal survey of 1,000 C-suite executives who are either current or prospective Chamber members. The poll finds that – contrary to the Chamber's lobbying agenda – 80 percent of current or prospective Chamber members support raising the minimum wage, 73 percent support paid sick days, 78 percent support predictive scheduling policies, 72 percent support increased maternity leave time, and 82 percent support increased paternity leave time, among other policies.In the webinar, a LuntzGlobal consultant asks about the poll findings: "So what do these results all have in common? Well quite frankly, they're all empathetic." In response, the consultants advise Council of State Chamber lobbyists on messaging and strategies to help their members get over their empathy and to undermine and change their members' views: "So what we'll try to do is actually give you a few helpful hints on how to actually combat these [workplace reform efforts and their popularity among business leaders] in your states…""With their internal polls showing that business owners and executives support raising the minimum wage by an overwhelming 80-to-8 percent, it's unconscionable that the U.S. Chamber and state chambers continue to fight the wage increases that America's workers and our economy need," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project.In state and cities where these policies have been debated, the local Chamber is almost always in the frontlines of the local opposition, working with other local affiliates of the National Restaurant Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and other corporate trade groups to slow or stop the advances of these policies.- See more at: http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/04/13075/top-gop-pollster-chamber-commerce-lobbyists-poll-shows-your-members-support#sthash.LpeYhtYm.dpuf<a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chamber-of-commerce-warns-of-dangers-of-sanders-win" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chamber-of-commerce-warns-of-dangers-of-sanders-win</a>BS?In a break from tradition, Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue weighed in on the Democratic presidential contest, warning that a nomination of avowed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders would put America on a "dangerous path."

He urged Democrats to reject the Vermont independent's bid.

The Chamber, the nation's largest businesses trade association and a powerful force in congressional races, historically has stayed out of the presidential contests. It makes no endorsements and usually refrains from commenting on the race except to promise an open door to the eventual winner.

In a statement Wednesday following Sanders' 60-38 percent win over Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary, Donohue broke with that tradition to slam the candidate's economic platform as "wholly misguided."

"Socialism is a wrong and dangerous path for America. It's failed everywhere it's ever been tried, bringing shared misery instead of shared prosperity. It undermines personal initiative and responsibility, stunts innovation and growth, makes people serve government — not vice-versa— and robs individuals of the dignity of earning their own success and charting their own course," he said.

"The Chamber urges all Americans to reject this failed, antiquated and discredited economic system. There's no place for it in a country that strives to be free, prosperous and always looking to the future."

Sanders is locked in a tight race with front-runner Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Most observers expect that she still will win, but the strength of Sanders' New Hampshire victory has raised the prospect of a long primary fight during which Clinton may feel obliged to shift further leftward to counter him.

The Vermont senator has run a campaign largely based on a message of hard-left economic populism, blaming all of the nation's woes on the actions of the very richest people. He has called for a $15 minimum wage, higher taxes on the wealthy and the middle class, breaking up large financial institutions, pulling out of international trade deals, eliminating the secret ballot in union elections, and replacing Obamacare with a government-run single payer health care system.

That is pretty much the opposite of the Chamber's agenda. It has leaned generally rightward politically, calling for fewer regulations, lower taxes and more international trade. It opposes conservatives on some major issues such as immigration, in which it favors relatively open-door policies.
Also from the Washington Examiner

In his statement, Donohue quoted the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's opinion of the kind of policies Sanders is proposing: "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."

Donohue said she was "still right today."

<a href="http://www.c-span.org/video/?400423-1/book-discussion-influence-machine">http://www.c-span.org/video/?400423-1/book-discussion-influence-machine</a> The Influence MachineAlyssa Katz talked about her book The Influence Machine: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Capture of American Life
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform just devoted much of an entire day to bemoaning the proliferation of <a href="http://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/legal-reform-summit/2015-legal-reform-summit?utm_source=website&utm_medium=carousel_1_Legal_Reform_Summit_Agenda&utm_campaign=AGENDA_KEE_2015_1006" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">breaches of Americans’ personal data</a>.<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AsbestosNation/posts/897951153624169:0" data-width="500" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AsbestosNation/photos/a.784673461618606.1073741827.774199922665960/897951153624169/?type=3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, established by Tom Donohue, prioritizes stripping rights away…Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AsbestosNation/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">Asbestos Nation</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AsbestosNation/photos/a.784673461618606.1073741827.774199922665960/897951153624169/?type=3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">Tuesday, October 27, 2015</a></blockquote></div></div>My colleagues and I at <a href="http://www.ewg.org/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">Environmental Working Group</a> Action Fund find it impossible to take these complaints seriously when the chamber and institute are among the most zealous proponents of the <a href="http://www.asbestosnation.org/badfellas/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">so-called FACT Act</a> (H.R. 526 and S. 357), federal legislation that would require public disclosure of <a href="http://ecowatch.com/?s=asbestos" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">asbestos</a> disease victims’ intensely personal information on the Internet. The FACT Act would force them to give their full names and partial Social Security numbers and tell the world about their medical conditions and employment history. They would be prime targets for <a href="http://www.asbestosnation.org/analysis-identity-theft-for-asbestos-victims-looms-under-congressional-proposal/" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">identity theft.</a>This year, the chamber and institute have spent more than $63 million combined to lobby for numerous bills, including FACT Act.Environmental Working Group Action Fund sent a camera and crew to the event (well, outside of the building) to gauge how some of the conference guests felt about violating sick Americans’ privacy. Chamber President Tom Donohue spotted our people and turned down an alley.Here is what a few other attendees had to say about the implications of the FACT Act for the privacy and financial security of asbestos victims:=hse sci comm 11/14 huffpo B johnson...<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Examples of the revolving door abound: former chief counsel Margaret Caravelli had joined the committee from the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association; she is now on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee staff. Dan Byers, the Energy and Environment Subcommittee staff director, went to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy Institute, its fossil-industry lobbying wing. Before Smith became committee chair, Environment Subcommittee staffer Clinton Woods came from the energy task force of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, where he helped the American Gas Association draft a report on “EPA’s hostility to fossil fuels.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The committee's majority is now also home to a new generation of lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry. After the Energy and Environment subcommittee was split into two, it gained two new staff directors, Stephen Sayle for Energy and Allyne Todd Johnston for Environment. Given their backgrounds, the subcommittees could more appropriately be named Fracking and Coal.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sayle is a prominent fossil-industry lobbyist who got his start with Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas). In the 1990s, he was the chief counsel for Barton’s investigations into EPA fine particle air quality rules. While a top lobbyist at the Dutko and Dow Lohnes lobbying shops, Sayle’s clients included a cavalcade of oil, gas, and coal companies and front groups: Duke Energy, Cinergy, Chevron, Iroquois Gas, National Grid, Calpine, ITC, Tenaska, PSEG, Tesoro, the American Chemical Council, the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, and the Electric Power Supply Association. (Sayle also represented the Environmental Working Group, an environmental health research and advocacy group, on toxic-chemical regulation in 2010.) Sayle was one of The Hill’s top lobbyists of 2012 for his “background on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sayle’s return to the committee is somewhat surprising –- the energy subcommittee primarily has jurisdiction over the Department of Energy science labs, which focus on nuclear research, advanced biofuels, battery technology, and climate research -– not well aligned with Sayle’s focus on natural-gas and petrochemical lobbying.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">However, the explosive growth of fracking in the nation in the past decade has raised serious new scientific questions about the risks and benefits of this formerly obscure method of extracting natural gas. How the federal government responds to scientific evidence of fracking’s threat to water supplies and our climate is a multi-billion-dollar question. That Republicans would add a fracking lobbyist to the House Science Committee is hardly surprising: Obama’s new Secretary of Energy is Ernest Moniz, a natural-gas-industry-funded scientist expected to steer the agency towards supporting oil and gas development.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Johnston came to the House Science Committee in 2013 from the staff of Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), where he was the chief climate policy advisor for the senator, a climate-science conspiracy theorist. Prior to that, Johnston was the Director of Air Quality for the coal industry’s primary trade group, the National Mining Association, from 2005 to 2007. During his tenure, he worked as a representative of the “Coarse Particle Coalition,” a group of gravel, cement and minerals groups that aimed to block scientifically backed soot standards during the George W. Bush administration.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Johnston then joined Sen. George Voinovich’s (R-Ohio) staff, drafting climate legislation in 2007 that supported a continued increase in greenhouse pollution and massive subsidies for the coal industry. In 2011 he moved to Inhofe’sstaff, replacing Tom Hassenboehler when that operative moved over to America’s Natural Gas Alliance. Johnston and Sayle declined comment for this story. According to committee Republican press aide Zachary Kurz, thecommittee has a policy of not making staffers available for public comment.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Environmentalists say industry groups are taking advantage of the key staff placements to help drive their plans.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Industrial polluters are using the back rooms of Congress in this traditionally sleepy committee to assert an extreme corporate agenda,” clean-air advocate John Walke of the Natural Resources Defense Council argued in a telephone interview. “If you connect the dots, the agenda is to systematically bias the system, whether by weakening conflict of interest standards when corporations serve on scientific advisory bodies or thwarting regulations that address industrial pollution.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The ties between the committee's Republicans and oil, gas and coal groups run deeper than staffing, of course. Press accounts in recent years have noted that fossil fuel interests have donated large amounts to Republicans on the House Science Committee.<a href="

http://www.democracynow.org/2015/8/21/in_victory_for_corporations_court_rejects

t. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers asked a federal court to modify or scrap U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing so-called conflict minerals.">http://www.democracynow.org/2015/8/21/in_victory_for_corporations_court_rejects</a>t. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers asked a federal court to modify or scrap U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing so-called conflict minerals.<a href="http://littlesis.org/org/33405/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce">http://littlesis.org/org/33405/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce</a><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Government Positions</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="First U.S. federal agency" href="http://littlesis.org/org/14615/Department_of_State" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Department of State</a>   First U.S. federal agency</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165686" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Assistant inspector general of foreign assistance (past)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Includes multiple levels of presidential advisory boards and advisors" href="http://littlesis.org/org/28677/White_House" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">White House</a>   Includes multiple levels of presidential advisory boards and advisors</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165688" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Deputy special assistant (past)</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Business Positions</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Washington, D.C.-based investment bank" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44428/Adelphi_Capital" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Adelphi Capital</a>   Washington, D.C.-based investment bank</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/183052" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Senior Advisor</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="International management consulting firm" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45212/The_Hay_Group" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">The Hay Group</a>   International management consulting firm</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/183054" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Senior Partner (past)</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Other Positions & Memberships</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Business lobbying group" href="http://littlesis.org/org/33405/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>   Business lobbying group</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/162164" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Director</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> +2 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Industry association" href="http://littlesis.org/org/40171/American_Chemistry_Council" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">American Chemistry Council</a>   Industry association</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165682" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">CEO (?→'04)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44241/American_Trucking_Associations" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">American Trucking Associations</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165685" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">CFO (past)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Non-profit arm of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, dedicated to identifying and fostering public debate on emerging critical issues" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44423/National_Chamber_Foundation" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">National Chamber Foundation</a>   Non-profit arm of U.S. Chamber of Commerce,...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/166976" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Board member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45211/Center_for_Corporate_Citizenship" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Center for Corporate Citizenship</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/183053" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">President (past)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Non-profit affiliate of U.S. Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44435/Center_for_International_Private_Enterprise" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Center for International Private Enterprise</a>   Non-profit affiliate of U.S....</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/167162" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Chairman</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Education</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/34395/University_of_South_Dakota" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">University of South Dakota</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165689" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Graduate ⋅ JD</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In The Office Of</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="US Secretary of State 1973-1977" href="http://littlesis.org/person/35018/Henry_A_Kissinger" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Henry A Kissinger</a>   US Secretary of State 1973-1977</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165687" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Deputy assistant secretary (past)</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Donation/Grant Recipients</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/30726/US_Chamber_of_Commerce_PAC%28Ncap%29" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">US Chamber of Commerce PAC (Ncap)</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/165690" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">4 contributions ⋅ $1150 ('08→'12)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Former Governor of Massachusetts" href="http://littlesis.org/person/34136/Mitt_Romney" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Mitt Romney</a>   Former Governor of Massachusetts</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/652456" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">1 contribution ⋅ $500 ('11)</a></li></div></div></div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="United States Government body geared towards supporting a " common="common" sense="sense" energy="energy" strategy="strategy" to="to" keep="keep" america="America" secure="secure" prosperous="prosperous" and="and" clean="clean" href="http://littlesis.org/org/33423/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce%27s_Institute_for_21st_Century_Energy" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century </a><a title="United States Government body geared towards supporting a " common="common" sense="sense" energy="energy" strategy="strategy" to="to" keep="keep" america="America" secure="secure" prosperous="prosperous" and="and" clean="clean" href="http://littlesis.org/org/33423/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce%27s_Institute_for_21st_Century_Energy" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Energy</a>   United...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/874075" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">child org</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="C100 members recommend Chamber policy" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44220/Association_Committee_of_100" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Association Committee of 100</a>   C100 members recommend Chamber policy</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/874076" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">child org</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Non-profit arm of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, dedicated to identifying and fostering public debate on emerging critical issues" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44423/National_Chamber_Foundation" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">National Chamber Foundation</a>   Non-profit arm of U.S. Chamber of Commerce,...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/874077" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">child org</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Non-profit affiliate of U.S. Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44435/Center_for_International_Private_Enterprise" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Center for International Private Enterprise</a>   Non-profit affiliate of U.S....</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/874078" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">child org</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Part of US Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/org/148600/Congressional_and_Public_Affairs_Division" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Congressional and Public Affairs Division</a>   Part of US Chamber of Commerce</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/874080" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">child org</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/46198/Center_for_Capital_Markets_Competitiveness" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/874079" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">child org</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Holdings</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Paper based in Illinois and owned by the Chamber of Commerce to highlight " anti-business="anti-business" actions="actions" by="by" trial="trial" lawyers="lawyers" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45369/Madison_County_Record" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Madison County Record</a>   Paper based in Illinois and owned by the Chamber of...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/184374" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Owner ('04→)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="West Virginia based paper owned by the Chamber of Commerce to highlight " anti-business="anti-business" actions="actions" by="by" trial="trial" lawyers="lawyers" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45370/West_Virginia_Record" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">West Virginia Record</a>   West Virginia based paper owned by the Chamber of Commerce...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/184375" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Owner</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="SE Texas based paper owned by the Chamber of Commerce to highlight " anti-business="anti-business" acts="acts" perpetrated="perpetrated" by="by" trial="trial" lawyers="lawyers" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45371/Southeast_Texas_Record" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Southeast Texas Record</a>   SE Texas based paper owned by the Chamber of Commerce to...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/184377" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Owner ('07→)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Non-profit affiliate of U.S. Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44435/Center_for_International_Private_Enterprise" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Center for International Private Enterprise</a>   Non-profit affiliate of U.S....</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/792550" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Affiliate</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Memberships</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/39117/Coalition_for_Affordable_Health_Coverage" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/166162" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Group consisting of the US Chamber, NAM and the Business Roundtable" href="http://littlesis.org/org/52348/Coalition_for_Derivatives_End-Users" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Coalition for </a><a title="Group consisting of the US Chamber, NAM and the Business Roundtable" href="http://littlesis.org/org/52348/Coalition_for_Derivatives_End-Users" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Derivatives</a><a title="Group consisting of the US Chamber, NAM and the Business Roundtable" href="http://littlesis.org/org/52348/Coalition_for_Derivatives_End-Users" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> End-Users</a>   Group consisting of the US Chamber, NAM...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/246477" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Anti-climate policy group of the 1990s" href="http://littlesis.org/org/52325/Global_Climate_Coalition" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Global Climate Coalition</a>   Anti-climate policy group of the 1990s</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/246329" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member (past)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="US Chamber/NAM global warming group" href="http://littlesis.org/org/50618/Alliance_for_Energy_and_Economic_Growth" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth</a>   US Chamber/NAM global warming group</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/237132" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="The most prestigious US foreign policy think tank" href="http://littlesis.org/org/33271/Council_on_Foreign_Relations" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Council on Foreign Relations</a>   The most prestigious US foreign policy think tank</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/326453" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">"premium" corporate member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="group of large multinational corporations that are lobbying Congress to 'repatriate' over $1 trillion in foreign profits at a highly-reduced tax rate. " href="http://littlesis.org/org/86122/WIN_America_Campaign" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">WIN America Campaign</a>   group of large multinational corporations that are lobbying...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/372973" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Supporter</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Group of over 150 corporations and trade associations pushing for the TPP" href="http://littlesis.org/org/202386/U.S.Business_Coalition_for_TPP" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. Business Coalition for </a><a title="Group of over 150 corporations and trade associations pushing for the TPP" href="http://littlesis.org/org/202386/U.S.Business_Coalition_for_TPP" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">TPP</a>   Group of over 150 corporations and trade...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/972510" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="ECPA reform coalition" href="http://littlesis.org/org/139722/Digital_Due_Process_Coalition" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Digital Due Process Coalition</a>   ECPA reform coalition</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/727609" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="A coalition of businesses and trade associations" href="http://littlesis.org/org/137145/Essential_Worker_Immigration_Coalition" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Essential Worker Immigration Coalition</a>   A coalition of businesses and trade...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/704654" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Leadership & Staff   <a href="http://littlesis.org/org/33405/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce/board" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; background: transparent;">board & execs »</a></div><div class="section_meta" style="box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.3em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">1-10 of 171 :: <a href="http://littlesis.org/org/33405/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce/leadership" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; background: transparent;">see all</a></div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Senior advisor for The Robertson Foundation; former secretary to Henry Kissinger" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44159/Greg_Lebedev" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Greg Lebedev</a>   Senior advisor for The Robertson Foundation; former secretary to Henry...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/162164" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Director</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> +2 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Chairman of Amway; former chairman of the US Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44059/Steve_Van_Andel" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Steve Van Andel</a>   Chairman of Amway; former chairman of the US Chamber of Commerce</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/160624" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Board Member</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> +1 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="GOP PR/money magnate" href="http://littlesis.org/person/9943/Thomas_D_Bell_Jr" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Thomas D Bell Jr</a>   GOP PR/money magnate</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/148493" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Director</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> +1 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="President & CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44427/Tom_Donohue" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Tom Donohue</a>   President & CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/147864" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">President ('97→)</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> +1 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="President, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS and former general counsel to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/person/66379/Steven_J_Law" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Steven J Law</a>   President, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS and former general...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/204377" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Chief legal officer and general counsel</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> +1 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of AEGON N.V." href="http://littlesis.org/person/4478/Donald_J_Shepard" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Donald J Shepard</a>   Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/161133" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Board Member</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> +1 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="CEO of Oldcastle" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44064/Mark_S_Towe" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Mark S Towe</a>   CEO of Oldcastle</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/160685" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Board Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="CEO of Tramco" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44063/Leon_Trammell" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Leon Trammell</a>   CEO of Tramco</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/160684" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Board Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="President & CEO of CAIVIS Acquisition Corp" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44074/David_A_Steinberg" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">David A Steinberg</a>   President & CEO of CAIVIS Acquisition Corp</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/160870" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Director (?→'10)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Chairman and chief executive officer of RPM" href="http://littlesis.org/person/6890/Frank_C_Sullivan" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Frank C Sullivan</a>   Chairman and chief executive officer of RPM</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/160706" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Board Member</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Recipients</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Non-profit research and education organization, climate change denial front group" href="http://littlesis.org/org/41893/Heartland_Institute" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Heartland Institute</a>   Non-profit research and education organization, climate...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/408469" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Donation ⋅ $25000 ('10)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="CO2: They call it pollution. We call it life" href="http://littlesis.org/org/41886/Competitive_Enterprise_Institute" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Competitive Enterprise Institute</a>   CO2: They call it pollution. We call it life</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/733616" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Donation ⋅ $5000 (Jun 1 '13)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Lobbying group for Republican Party states' attorneys general" href="http://littlesis.org/org/175128/Republican_Attorneys_General_Association" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Republican Attorneys General Association</a>   Lobbying group for Republican Party...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/904183" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Donation ⋅ $1205970 ('14)</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Members</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Archer Daniels Midland Company" href="http://littlesis.org/person/1412/Patricia_A_Woertz" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Patricia A Woertz</a>   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Archer Daniels...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/121149" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member of the Business Council and Business Roundtable</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/154/Nike" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Nike</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/162795" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Largest privately-held premium paper manufacturer in North America" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44218/Mohawk_Fine_Paper" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Mohawk Fine Paper</a>   Largest privately-held premium paper manufacturer in North...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/162793" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member (?→Oct 20 '09)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="multinational consumer electronics and software company" href="http://littlesis.org/org/104/Apple" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Apple</a>   multinational consumer electronics and software company</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/162792" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member (?→Oct 5 '09)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Chairman of Amway; former chairman of the US Chamber of Commerce" href="http://littlesis.org/person/44059/Steve_Van_Andel" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Steve Van Andel</a>   Chairman of Amway; former chairman of the US Chamber of Commerce</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/183132" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Chairman ('01→'02)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45397/Pennsylvania_Chamber_of_Business_and_Industry" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/185262" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Google organizes the world's information and makes it universally accessible" href="http://littlesis.org/org/151/Google_Inc." style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Google Inc.</a>   Google organizes the world's information and makes it universally...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/721995" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Long been active in Democratic politics at the local, state and national level, in the world of business on a national and international level and the practice of law in Connecticut and nationally." href="http://littlesis.org/person/17159/Peter_G.Kelly" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Peter G. Kelly</a>   Long been active in Democratic politics at the local, state and...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/340419" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">member</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Chamber of Commerce affiliate membership organization that advocates fair treatment of business in the courts and regulatory agencies." href="http://littlesis.org/org/45683/National_Chamber_Litigation_Center" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">National Chamber Litigation Center</a>   Chamber of Commerce affiliate membership...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/190463" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Affiliate</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em;">Services/Transactions</div><div class="section_meta" style="box-sizing: content-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.3em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">1-10 of 50 :: <a href="http://littlesis.org/org/33405/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce/transactions" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; background: transparent;">see all</a></div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Large law and lobbying firm" href="http://littlesis.org/org/115669/Akin_Gump" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Akin Gump</a>   Large law and lobbying firm</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186841" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbying client ⋅ $450,000 ('06→'09)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/org/25667/Mitchell_Silberberg%26_Knupp_LLP" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186826" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbying client ⋅ $10,000 ('08→'09)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Lobbying Firm" href="http://littlesis.org/org/45496/Leading_Edge_Policy_and_Strategy" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Leading Edge Policy and Strategy</a>   Lobbying Firm</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186771" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">client ⋅ $8,100 ('09→)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Lobbyist and Senior Policy Advisor for John McCain" href="http://littlesis.org/person/19479/David_Crane" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">David Crane</a>   Lobbyist and Senior Policy Advisor for John McCain</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186821" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbying client ⋅ $6,000</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="government relations and consulting" href="http://littlesis.org/org/17011/Quadripoint_Strategies_LLC" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Quadripoint Strategies LLC</a>   government relations and consulting</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186823" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbying client ⋅ $6,000 ('09)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Lobbyist at Quinn Gillespie" href="http://littlesis.org/person/16971/Dave_Lugar" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Dave Lugar</a>   Lobbyist at Quinn Gillespie</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186765" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbyist</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Lobbyist" href="http://littlesis.org/person/45497/Justin_L_Wellner" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Justin L Wellner</a>   Lobbyist</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186774" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbyist</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="view profile" href="http://littlesis.org/person/25320/Catherine_Goode" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Catherine Goode</a></div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186762" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbyist ('09)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Lobbyist and former chief of staff to Trent Lott" href="http://littlesis.org/person/16991/John_David_Hoppe" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">John David Hoppe</a>   Lobbyist and former chief of staff to Trent Lott</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186768" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbyist</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="lobbyist at Brownstein, Hyatt et al" href="http://littlesis.org/person/16983/Manuel_Ortiz" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">Manuel Ortiz</a>   lobbyist at Brownstein, Hyatt et al</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/186763" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Lobbyist</a></li></div></div></div><div class="subsection" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding: 0.4em 0.4em 0.2em 0.2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Donors</div><div class="relationship-section" style="box-sizing: content-box; border-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); margin-bottom: 1em; line-height: 20px;"><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Health insurance trade association and lobbying group" href="http://littlesis.org/org/35306/America%27s_Health_Insurance_Plans" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background: transparent;">America's Health Insurance Plans</a>   Health insurance trade association and...</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em;"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/984792" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Donation ⋅ $102400000 ('09→'10)</a></li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="501(c)6 led by Koch Brothers" href="http://littlesis.org/org/131092/Freedom_Partners" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Freedom Partners</a>   501(c)6 led by Koch Brothers</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/982809" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Grant ⋅ $1000000 ('11)</a>   [<a class="toggler" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> +2 </a>]</li></div></div><div class="related_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.3em; border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.4em 0.3em;"><div class="related_entity_entity" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><a title="Electric utility lobbying giant" href="http://littlesis.org/org/44990/Edison_Electric_Institute" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Edison Electric Institute</a>   Electric utility lobbying giant</div><div class="related_entity_relationship" style="box-sizing: content-box; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.5em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: content-box; margin-left: 10px;"><a class="relationship" title="view details" href="http://littlesis.org/relationship/view/id/979941" style="box-sizing: content-box; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0.2em; background: transparent;">Donation/Grant ⋅ $25,050</a></li></div></div></div>see http://www.chamberofcommercewatch.org/energy: http://www.chamberofcommercewatch.org/challengingthechamber/energy/As evidenced by the January 2014 release of its so-called <a href="http://www.energyxxi.org/energy-works-for-us" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">“Energy Revolution” agenda</a>, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advances policies that benefit some of the biggest dirty energy companies in the world. Instead of supporting measures that would boost clean energy and energy efficiency, the U.S. Chamber promotes measures that would keep America anchored to the fuels of the past. The U.S. Chamber’s 2014 efforts to get rid of the decades-long crude-oil export ban, for example, would increase profits for Big Oil, reduce U.S. energy security and increase prices for consumers. Additionally, further global reliance on oil will intensify carbon pollution--exacerbating climate change--while setting back the world’s progress in embracing cleaner fuels and renewable sources of power, and other long-term solutions needed to rectify the problem of climate disruption. The U.S. Chamber’s support of nuclear power expansion would similarly profit major corporations by sticking ratepayers with the tab and <a href="http://www.citizen.org/Page.aspx?pid=2183" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">increasing risks</a> of poisoning our water and food sources and leaving a legacy of contamination for current and future generations of Americans. As it does in other areas, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce provides a way for major corporations to attack environmental safeguards without having to associate their names with those attacks. The U.S. Chamber keeps its full membership secret, but in 2012 alone, energy intensive and polluting industries that stand to directly benefit from the U.S. Chamber’s deregulatory proposals <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/01/16/14107/top-us-corporations-funneled-185-million-political-nonprofits#nonprofit/u-s-chamber-of-commerce" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">contributed at least $5 million</a> of the $11 million voluntarily disclosed by companies (out of $189 million in total revenue) to fund the Chamber’s work. The actual totals likely are much more, as this includes only those companies that voluntarily disclosed. <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/about-us/board-directors" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">The U.S. Chamber’s board of directors</a> includes seven companies that heavily use or sell dirty energy: Southern Company (one of the largest utility companies in the country, with <a href="http://environmentamericacenter.org/sites/environment/files/reports/Dirty%20Power%20Plants.pdf" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">the two facilities emitting the most greenhouse gases</a> in the country), Black Hills (<a href="http://www.komatsuamerica.com/mining-Wyodak-Resources" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">runs the oldest operating surface coal mine in the U.S.</a>), Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (owned by Warren Buffett, hauls enough coal to generate roughly 10 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S., <a href="http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0116-bnsf-spill-20140116,0,2923628.story#axzz2qaoFI6bB" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">paid $140,000 for a chemical spill it failed to report</a> and transports volatile fracked oil, which has caused <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2014/01/05/exclusive-permit-shows-bakken-oil-casselton-train-contained-high-levels-volatile-chemicals" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">train explosions</a>), Phillips 66 (deals in natural gas liquids and petrochemicals; was No. 4 on the 2013 Fortune 500 and the second most polluting energy company on the Political Economy Research Institute’s <a href="http://www.peri.umass.edu/toxicair_current/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Toxic 100 Air Polluters list</a>), Consol Energy, Inc. (the leading producer of high-BTU bituminous coal in the U.S. and the country’s largest underground coal mining company), Dow Chemical Co. (<a href="http://www.peri.umass.edu/toxicair_current/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">the fourth most air-polluting company</a>, and a major pesticides producer) and ConocoPhillips (the third-largest oil company, with <a href="http://www.corp-research.org/conocophillips" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">a long rap sheet</a> of offenses against workers and the environment, and itself <a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/conocophillips" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">an active lobbyist and political spender</a>). In early 2014, <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/judicial/201843-why-does-the-us-chamber-oppose-small-businesses-harmed-by-bp" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">the Chamber filed an amicus brief in support of BP</a>'s effort to re-open a class action settlement it agreed to in 2012 for the compensation of thousands of American small businesses damaged by the company's Deepwater Horizon spill. BP is a foreign company and had already agreed to the settlement - but BP is also a bigger company, with deeper pockets, than the small businesses damaged by its environmental recklessness.defectors:In September 2009, <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/09/28/out-the-door-exelon-leaves-chamber-of-commerce-over-climate-policy/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">three major energy companies</a> – PG&E, PNM and Exelon, the largest electric utility company in the country – <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2009/09/28/174442/exelon-ditches-chamber/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">left the Chamber</a> over its opposition to climate change legislation (though Exelon has since made at least one donation to the Chamber). Apple <a href="http://chamber.350.org/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">also left over climate change</a>; “Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in that effort,” Apple said in a statement. <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/09/30/62203/nike-chamber/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nike left</a> the Chamber’s board of directors the same month, prompting the New York Times editorial board <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/opinion/30wed3.html?r=0" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">to write</a>, “The United States Chamber of Commerce’s web site says the group supports ‘a comprehensive legislative solution’ to global warming. Yet no organization in this country has done more to undermine such legislation.”   In July 2013, Skanska USA, an arm of Swedish construction giant Skanska, left the U.S. Chamber, <a href="http://blog.usa.skanska.com/why-skanska-dropped-its-membership-in-the-u-s-chamber-of-commerce-to-protest-proposed-changes-to-leed-in-government-buildings/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">saying</a>, “Sustainability is one of Skanska’s core values. And we will not be a part of an organization that supports the American High-Performance Building Coalition (AHPBC), which harbors the American Chemistry Council and opposes the implementation of a new, stronger LEED certification program (LEEDv4).” Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards are the worldwide gold standard for sustainable building, but chemical companies at the U.S. Chamber pushed it to oppose strengthening the program.  When in comes to energy, the U.S. Chamber focuses on enshrining the status quo: blocking regulations that promote clean air and water, promoting expansion of centralized fossil fuel production and transportation systems all benefit entrenched interests at the expense of cleaner and more efficient, sustainable rivals.----financial reform: In 2006 and 2008, the U.S. Chamber spent more money lobbying members of the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee than it did on any other House committee. Three of the top 10 <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/lobby.php?id=D000019798" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">bills it lobbied for in 2013</a> were designed to deregulate the financial sector.   The U.S. Chamber has about a dozen large financial and insurance companies on <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/about-us/board-directors" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">its board of directors</a>, and more on the board of its anti-civil justice associate, the Institute for Legal Reform. Along with lobbying and advertising vehemently against financial safeguards such as the Volcker Rule, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a <a href="http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059992502" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">conflict minerals disclosure rule</a> and other parts of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform act.   The U.S. Chamber is particularly concerned about the Volcker rule, which, when implemented, will stabilize the financial sector by greatly limiting U.S. banks’ ability to engage in proprietary trading. The U.S. Chamber has been <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/alison-frankel/2014/02/12/could-an-obscure-1994-law-upend-the-volcker-rule/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">exploring legal arguments</a> calling the rule unduly burdensome, even though banks were highly profitable for decades without engaging in proprietary trading. It also <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2010/05/chamber-cheers-derivatives-loophole" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">worked for a loophole</a> exempting oil, manufacturing, financial, real estate and other types of companies from regulations on the highly volatile practice of derivatives trading. After <a href="http://prospect.org/article/killing-dodd-frank-softly-0" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">pulling out all the stops</a> <a href="http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/wall_street_is_killing_dodd-frank_one_regulation_at_a_time_20130430" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">to delay and kill Dodd-Frank</a>, the U.S. Chamber had the audacity <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/218295-chamber-dodd-frank-rollout-leaves-biz-in-dark" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">to then criticize it</a> for not being implemented expeditiously. <div>
<div>The U.S. Chamber frequently opposes financial reform in the name of “small business,” failing to acknowledge that small businesses in fact will be big winners with a strong Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/business/smallbusiness/19credit.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A majority</a> of America’s small firms now use bank-financed credit cards to help finance their daily operation. The small businesses reliant on these cards for operations were subject to the same predatory abuses from the banks as retail consumers: hidden fees, arbitrary rate increases and opaque terms buried in the card agreements’ fine print. Moreover, in the current recession, the big banks have continued to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/business/smallbusiness/19credit.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">punish these businesses</a> by arbitrarily raising interest rates and lowering credit limits regardless of the business’ economic situation.   During the worst phase of the Great Recession, the U.S. Chamber did nothing to help small business regain access to lower-cost credit. Instead, the U.S. Chamber launched a multimillion-dollar <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125236911298191113.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">ad campaign</a> to defeat the small business protections in the proposed financial reform legislation, falsely claiming that every small business owner who offered store credit would be regulated by the bills. Independent analyses found these claims <a href="http://www.bizmonthly.com/the-impact-of-the-dodd-frank-act-on-small-business/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">false</a> time after time <a href="file:///C:/Users/jvilleda/Downloads/Challenging%20the%20Chamber%20issue%20area%20contents.docx#msocom_2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> .   When the Obama administration’s pay czar Kenneth Feinberg ordered executive pay limits at firms bailed out by the federal government, an </a><a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenumbers/2009/10/executive-pay-cut-away.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ABC/Washington Post poll</a>found 71 percent of the public endorsed the move, with 58 percent strongly in support. Yet in the summer of 2009, when the U.S. House of Representatives considered legislation that would give shareholders an advisory vote on executive pay and eliminate the perverse incentives in compensation practices that led to the financial crisis, U.S. Chamber lobbyists <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/letter/letter-hr-3269-corporate-and-financial-institution-compensation-fairness-act-2009" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">attacked</a> the measure as an “unprecedented governmental intrusion into matters that have historically been addressed by private actors.”  </div><div>
</div><div>health care reform:</div><div>In 2010, tax forms and anonymous sources revealed that health insurance companies had <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-17/insurers-gave-u-s-chamber-86-million-used-to-oppose-obama-s-health-law.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">given the Chamber $86.2 million in 2009 to spend on opposing health care reform</a>, even as many of the same companies expressed support for the reform in public. In 2010, the Chamber launched an ad saying, "Washington wants $600 billion in new borrowing for their health care bill," <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2010/03/burrowing-into-borrowing/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">despite the fact</a> that the Congressional Budget Office projected the bill would reduce the deficit by $138 billion over 10 years. Years after the passage of the ACA, the Chamber continues to use it in misleading ways as a reason to <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/us-chamber-of-commerce-alex-sink-david-jolly-florida-elections-2014-103187.html?hp=r6" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">attack</a> candidates for office. Politifact rated as “<a href="http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2012/may/21/us-chamber-commerce/chamber-commerce-claims-20-million-people-will-los/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">mostly false</a>” a Chamber ad claiming that the ACA would cause 20 million people to lose their coverage and another Chamber ad “<a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/feb/15/us-chamber-commerce/us-chamber-commerce-ad-attacking-tim-kaine-says-he/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">false</a>” that called the ACA a job-killer. More recent fact-checking has reiterated that <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/02/04/no-cbo-did-not-say-obamacare-will-kill-2-million-jobs/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">the ACA will not have a significant impact on businesses’ demand for labor.</a> The Washington Post <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/02/11/a-discredited-4-pinocchio-survey-gets-cited-again-on-national-television/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">gave four out of four Pinocchio's</a> to a Chamber report that appeared in GOP talking points and made the claim that most small businesses blamed the health care law for harming their ability to hire. In an attack ad against then-U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin, the Chamber called the public option “wildly unpopular,” earning itself <a href="http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2012/oct/01/us-chamber-commerce/chamber-commerce-says-health-care-public-option-id/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">another “false” rating from Politifact</a>. And what about the Chamber’s contention that the law would “crush small businesses with billions in penalties?” <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/oct/18/us-chamber-commerce/us-chamber-says-health-care-law-hammers-small-busi/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Also false</a> – the bill exempts some small businesses from penalties and gives credits to most of the others. Once again, the Chamber’s feigned concern for small businesses belies its true constituency – 15 directors on <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/about-us/board-directors" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">its board</a> represent companies or institutions tied to the health care industry, 10 of which (the public ones) had an average $27.5 billion in revenue in the last recorded year, according to Public Citizen’s calculations. This includes health insurance carrier State Farm, whose CEO is the chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The board of the Institute for Legal Reform, the Chamber’s anti-civil justice affiliate, also is heavily populated by representatives of the health insurance and pharmaceuticals industries. Of eight such groups represented on its board, seven had an average previous year’s revenue of $42.8 billion, according to research, and the eighth is the trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents the biggest companies in the drug industry. This would help explain why the ILR promotes policies like <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/press-release/us-chamber-commends-supreme-court-preserving-availability-arbitration-consumers-and" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">forced arbitration </a>, which blocks consumers’ access to courts when they have disputes with companies, including health insurance providers.</div><div>
</div><div>--</div><div>The U.S.  Chamber is not a government body but at times has so much influence that it’s not far off. “The Chamber views itself as a shadow-government policymaking body,” a former U.S. Chamber economist, Lawrence Hunter, <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2010/1007.verini.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">said</a>.   As our 2014 report, <a href="http://www.citizen.org/us-chamber-of-commerce-funders-dominated-by-large-corporations-report" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The Gilded Chamber,”</a> showed, the U.S. Chamber is largely funded by entities contributing large donations – just 64 donations added up to more than half of the money it raised in 2012. As a 501(c)(6) non-profit, the U.S. Chamber must list all donations over $5,000, but not the names of the givers. Only a handful of companies voluntarily publish their contributions; by not reporting, the rest can lobby and campaign invisibly. <a href="file:///C:/Users/jvilleda/Downloads/Challenging%20the%20Chamber%20issue%20area%20contents.docx#msocom_1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  As the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) was being debated, the U.S. Chamber increased its lobbying.  </a><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/27/27greenwire-us-chamber-ended-2009-with-spending-spree-79614.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Chamber spent $71.1 million</a> in the last three months of 2009 alone. Moreover, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the health insurance industry’s main lobbying group, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/06/13/499093/health-care-insurers-spent-100-million-to-combat-the-affordable-care-act/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">paid</a> the U.S. Chamber $100 million to lobby against the ACA – all while AHIP was supporting the insurance plan in public. That lobbying money only became publicly known a year later.   The next year was no different. 2010 tax forms and anonymous sources revealed that health insurance companies had <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-17/insurers-gave-u-s-chamber-86-million-used-to-oppose-obama-s-health-law.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">given the U.S. Chamber $86.2 million in 2009 to oppose health care reform</a>, even as many of the same companies continued to show support for the reform in public. The U.S. Chamber has lobbied against small excise taxes on the hugely profitable medical devices industry, for repealing or weakening the ACA’s employer mandate (while also <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/02/11/a-discredited-4-pinocchio-survey-gets-cited-again-on-national-television/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">peddling highly misleading arguments</a> about its impact on small business hiring) and for other measures that would pick apart the ACA and leave millions without access to affordable healthcare.   The U.S. Chamber even <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2010/12/17/135699/chamber-911-responders/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">fought against a bill supplying health care to 9/11 first responders</a> and emergency workers because it was funded by ending a tax loophole exploited by foreign corporations doing business in the U.S.   It’s time to get the money out of American politics, or, at the very least, to expose groups like the U.S. Chamber who’s campaign spending put it in a better position than most to influence the outcome of elections.</div><div>The content of the U.S. Chamber’s rhetoric is consistently toxic to the rhetoric of American politics, in that the U.S. Chamber’s campaign spending is primarily againstcandidates rather than for candidates. It is also highly partisan – the vast majority of its campaign spending is designed to oppose Democrats. During the <a href="http://shutthechamber.org/sites/default/files/documents/a_u.s.chamber_watch_report-november_2010_0.pdf" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2010 midterms,</a> it spent $32 million on hand-picked candidates, 93 percent of whom were Republicans.<a title="" href="file:///C:/Users/jvilleda/Downloads/Challenging%20the%20Chamber%20issue%20area%20contents.docx#ftn1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </a>In 2012 it spent at least $35 million on congressional races –<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/business/how-tom-donohue-transformed-the-us-chamber-of-commerce.html?pagewanted=2&r=0" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">supporting</a> two Democrats and 38 Republicans in the House, and no Democrats and 12 Republicans in the Senate. That season it <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cycle=2012&cmte=US+Chamber+of+Commerce" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">spent</a> $28 million against Democrats and just $346,000 against Republicans. It also spent $3 million for Republicans and $305,000 for Democrats.   In December 2013, after saying the U.S. Chamber would be spending big money – <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/194030-report-chamber-planning-50m-campaign-to-curtail-tea-party" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">at least $50 million</a> – in Republican primaries, CEO Tom Donohue was asked if they’d be spending in Democratic primaries as well. “I don’t know,” he <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2FBreitbart-TV%2F2013%2F12%2F12%2FUS-Chamber-CEO-Tom-Donahue-Says-Organization-Will-Be-Involved-in-GOP-Primaries&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNECVjZIWNs-e24-HWc-Di09FyhZzw" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">said</a>, “I haven’t thought about that too much yet.”   Many Americans can and do contribute to campaigns, but very few can contribute at the head-turning levels of the U.S. Chamber, in what is clearly rife for creating the appearance of undue influence. It’s time for politicians to reject the U.S. Chamber’s shady money and for companies funding the Chamber to step out of the shadows and lobby for their profit-seeking policies openly – or not at all.   See what the U.S. Chamber spent in the 2012 elections <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=US+Chamber+of+Commerce&cycle=2012" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">here</a> and its 2014 election spending <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cycle=2014&cmte=US+Chamber+of+Commerce" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">here</a>.   See what the U.S. Chamber spent on lobbying in 2013 <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000019798&year=2012" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">here</a>.</div><div>
</div><div>--</div><div>worker safety</div><div>
</div><div>Since 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson first introduced an occupational health and safety bill to Congress, the U.S. Chamber has opposed government oversight of how companies treat their workers. In the 1990s, the U.S. Chamber <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=yNFN1OpnkBkC&pg=PA185&lpg=PA185&dq=US+Chamber+of+Commerce+OSHA+fast+food+nation&source=bl&ots=l1dhtA7u3&sig=zz2Llq2YnKqivbSzyszaR85eVVw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=AQjHU_O7F8bfsATrpIKQDQ&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=US%20Chamber%20of%20Commerce%20OSHA%20fast%20food%20nation&f=false" target="blank" style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">worked with congressional Republicans</a> to introduce legislation that would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to spend at least half of its budget on “consultation” with businesses, rather than enforcement (which was already low), and it unfortunately helped make history in defeating an ergonomics safety rule. Today it continues to push back against OSHA interpretations and rulemakings.</div><div> 

<span class="acc-trigger active" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(212, 212, 212); outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; line-height: 18px; width: 940px; cursor: default !important; background: rgb(246, 246, 247);"><a href="http://www.chamberofcommercewatch.org/challengingthechamber/worker-safety/#" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px 10px 38px; outline: none medium; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; position: relative; display: block; cursor: default !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Hurting workers in pursuit of the bottom line</a><div class="acc-container" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 18px; width: 942px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 25px 20px; border-width: 0px 1px 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-left-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">Companies lobby against worker protections through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, thereby opposing popular safety measures without sullying their brand names. When they are successful, this enables the companies to skimp on expenditures to protect their workers, thereby burdening employees with additional safety risks and future costs of health care.  

The U.S. Chamber has consistently opposed efforts by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to make workplaces safer for workers. Many of these battles involve fine details of regulation writing and rule-making, and are often hashed out away from widespread public view. For example, the U.S. Chamber opposes OSHA’s attempts to require the <a href="http://www.jacksonlewis.com/media/pnc/7/media.2557.pdf" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background: transparent;">disclosure</a> of workplace injury data – the nature of the injury, and when and where it occurred. The U.S. Chamber has long opposed rules to limit workers’ exposure to <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/02/07/171182464/silica-rule-changes-delayed-while-workers-face-health-risks" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background: transparent;">silica </a>, one common cause of injuries in the workplace.  

One of President George W. Bush’s OSHA heads, Edwin Foulke, was a member of the U.S. Chamber’s Health and Safety Committee, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/washington/25osha.html?pagewanted=all&r=0" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background: transparent;">during which time</a> he testified before Congress promoting so-called voluntary compliance programs for companies – a far weaker alternative to OSHA enforcement and one often pushed by the U.S. Chamber.  

The U.S. Chamber has expended a lot of resources fighting against standards to improve ergonomic safety, one of the most common hazards in worker health. Perhaps most notoriously, at the end of President Bill Clinton’s second term, the U.S. Chamber pushed for <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/unsafe-at-these-speeds/osha-offers-few-protections-for-worker/osha-blocked-in-controversial-att" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background: transparent;">the overturning of a thoroughly studied rule to protect millions of workers</a> from work-caused musculoskeletal disorders, helping lead to <a href="https://www.law.upenn.edu/cf/faculty/afinkel/workingpapers/FinkelSullivan_Final.pdf" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background: transparent;">the only time Congress has ever overturned an agency rule</a>. Then in 2010, it <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32660.html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background: transparent;">fought against</a> OSHA simply adding a column to federal surveys for employers to record when a worker’s injury is musculoskeletal in nature. The rule would simply provide the public and employers with a more accurate count of how many musculoskeletal injuries are occurring, but even that was too much for the U.S. Chamber to stomach.  
</div></div>--old: <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/">http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/</a><h3 class="title" style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/election-spending/differences-between-bribery-and-lobbying" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">The Differences Between Bribery And Lobbying</a></h3><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/investopedia/article/The-Differences-Between-Bribery-And-Lobbying-3841859.php" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">The San Francisco Chronicle: The Differences Between Bribery And Lobbying</a>By Manish Sahajwani, 9/5/2012 <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/election-spending/differences-between-bribery-and-lobbying" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">More...</a><label style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: bold;">Tags: </label><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/election-spending" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">election spending</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/influence" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">influence</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/lobbying" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">lobbying</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/us-chamber-commerce-0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/news-0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">In the News</a>blog dated?<h3 class="title" style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/tracking-the-chamber/alcoa-joins-gang-us-chamber-commerce-directors-trouble-over-fcpa-violations" title="Alcoa joins the gang of U.S. Chamber of Commerce directors in trouble over FCPA violations " style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">Alcoa joins the gang of U.S. Chamber of Commerce directors in trouble over FCPA violations</a></h3><div class="content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px; line-height: 22px;"><div id="node-596" class="node node-teaser node-type-blog" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(162, 189, 208);"><div class="node-inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial;"><div class="author" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="submitted" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Posted by Sam Jewler on January 09, 2014</div></div><h3 class="title" style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/tracking-the-chamber/whose-opportunity-us-chamber-commerce-talking-about" title="Whose Opportunity Is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Talking About?" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">Whose Opportunity Is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Talking About?</a></h3><div class="content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Whose opportunity does U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue talk about when he talks about opportunity?<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial;">The Chamber’s policies might give the largest corporations the opportunity to grow, but that is often not the same thing as growth and opportunity for the American people. After-tax corporate profits in the third quarter <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/12/20/how-to-measure-corporate-americas-huge-profits/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: none;">topped 11 percent of GDP for the first time</a> since the records started in 1947. But everyday Americans aren’t doing so well, with <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/12/30/sheila-bairs-graph-of-the-year-for-many-americans-theres-been-no-recovery-at-all/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: none;">real median household income declining 4.4 percent since 2009</a>.<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">When <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/issues/labor/minimum-wage" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: none;">the Chamber opposes increasing minimum wages</a> to coincide with growth in productivity and the economy overall, one must ask whose growth and opportunity the Chamber is pushing for.<p style="margin: 5px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/tracking-the-chamber/whose-opportunity-us-chamber-commerce-talking-about" title="Read the whole post" rel="nofollow" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">More...</a></div><div class="terms terms-inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; display: inline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tags: <ul class="links inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px; list-style: square; border: 0px; display: inline; text-align: right;"><li class="taxonomy_term_511 first" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/2014" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">2014</a></li> <li class="taxonomy_term_513" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/growth" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">growth</a></li> <li class="taxonomy_term_106" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/jobs" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">Jobs</a></li> <li class="taxonomy_term_512" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/opportunity" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">opportunity</a></li> <li class="taxonomy_term_384" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/state-american-business" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">State of American Business</a></li> <li class="taxonomy_term_59" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/tom-donohue" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">Tom Donohue</a></li> <li class="taxonomy_term_93 last" style="margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; display: inline; list-style-type: none; background: none !important;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/us-chamber-commerce-0" rel="tag" title="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a></li></ul></div></div></div><div id="node-595" class="node node-teaser node-type-blog" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(162, 189, 208);"><div class="node-inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial;"><div class="author" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="submitted" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">Posted by Jake Parent on July 31, 2013</div></div><h3 class="title" style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/tracking-the-chamber/us-chamber-commerce-hits-1-billion-lobbying-milestone" title="The U.S. Chamber of Commerce hits $1 billion lobbying milestone" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: none;">The U.S. Chamber of Commerce hits $1 billion lobbying milestone</a></h3><div class="content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ever wonder why our political system seems to be dominated by corporate interests?</div></div></div></div><h3 class="title" style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/citizens-united/ohio-unions-battle-conservative-super-pacs-votes" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">Ohio Unions Battle Conservative Super PACS for Votes</a></h3><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/us/politics/ohio-unions-face-tough-battle-with-super-pacs.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">The New York Times: Ohio Unions Battle Conservative Super PACS for Votes</a>By Monica Davey and Steven Greenhouse, 9/4/2012The election commission’s $2 billion figure for donations from corporate PACs and employees did not include the amount that business spends on lobbyists or business’s political donations to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/citizens-united/ohio-unions-battle-conservative-super-pacs-votes" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">More...</a><label style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: bold;">Tags: </label><a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/citizens-united" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">Citizens United</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/dark-money" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">dark money</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/election-spending" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">election spending</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/outside-spending" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">outside spending</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/political-spending" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">political spending</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/us-chamber-commerce-0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/news-0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: none;">In the News</a>Extremist Republican Tom Cotton, joined by an assortment of corporate lobbyists, proudly announced today his endorsement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is another good reason — a very good reason — to vote against Tom Cotton. It is NOT, as you might think, really an umbrella organization for all the little chambers around the country that labor to land business. It is a fully integrated part of the Republican machine and anonymously funded. It can be found on the wrong side of every populist issue — from wages and worker protection to the environment and fair taxes. Source Watch notes: <blockquote style="margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 480px; border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 17.4720001220703px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">... the New York Times reported in October 2010 that half of the Chamber's $140 million in contributions in 2008 came from just 45 big-money donors, many of whom enlisted the Chamber's help to fight political and public opinion battles on their behalf (such as opposing financial or healthcare reforms, or other regulations). The Chamber is "dominated by oil companies, pharmaceutical giants, automakers and other polluting industries," according to James Carter, executive director of the Green Chamber of Commerce.</blockquote> Kochs involved? You betcha. Drill baby drill. Where there's a Koch there's a Cotton. He's proud of his 92 percent chamber voting record, an affront to day-laboring Arkansans. The U.S. Chamber is so bad, Source Watch notes: <blockquote style="margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 480px; border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 17.4720001220703px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The U.S. Chamber's partisan, corporate-funded (and often untrue) campaign attacks have compelled many local Chambers of Commerce to disassociate from the U.S. Chamber. Despite the U.S. Chamber's attempts to portray itself as a community of small businesses and local Chambers of Commerce, the interests the U.S. Chamber served in the 2010 elections were those of its large corporate donors. More than 40 local chambers issued statements during the campaign distancing themselves from the U.S. Chamber, including chambers in the "battleground states" of Iowa and New Hampshire. Some chambers are considering what Politico calls the "extraordinary" step of ending their affiliation with the U.S. Chamber and quitting in protest.</blockquote>

t. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers asked a federal court to modify or scrap U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing so-called conflict minerals.

The SEC adopted a regulation in August that requires companies using gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum in their products to make “reasonable” efforts to determine if those materials came from the Democratic Republic of Congo or an adjoining country. Business groups have complained the measure is burdensome, costly to administer and ineffective.

Trade in those minerals -- used in electronic devices -- is helping to finance conflict and contributing to a humanitarian crisis in the central African nation, according to the SEC.

<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 29.1240005493164px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 2.5rem; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 1; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Petitioners request that this rule be modified or set aside in whole or in part,” the two Washington-based business advocacy groups said in a joint filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington on Oct. 19.

The measure was mandated by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. It applies to companies with SEC-reporting obligations for whom the minerals are “necessary to the functionality or production” of an item they manufacture, the agency said in an Aug. 22 statement announcing the rule’s adoption.

It applies to Apple Inc., Boeing Co. and thousands of other U.S-listed manufacturers whose products incorporate the metals.

The first disclosure reports are due by May 31, 2014, the agency said.

“While the petitioners did not state a basis for a challenge in their filing, we believe our legal interpretation and economic analysis are sound and we look forward to defending the rule that Congress directed us to write,” John Nester, a spokesman for the SEC, said in a statement.

<h2 style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 2.5rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 1; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">‘Complex Issue’</h2>

<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 29.1240005493164px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 2.5rem; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 1; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In a joint statement, the groups that though the measure was well-intentioned, it “is not an effective approach to this complex issue.”

“The final conflict mineral rule imposes an unworkable, overly broad and burdensome system that will undermine jobs and growth and may not achieve Congress’s overall objectives.”

The case is National Association of Manufacturers v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 12-1422, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Washington).

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Harris in Chicago at<a href="mailto:aharris16@bloomberg.net" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; transition: color 0.1s ease-out; text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(43, 0, 247); background: transparent;">aharris16@bloomberg.net</a>

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at <a href="mailto:mhytha@bloomberg.net" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; transition: color 0.1s ease-out; text-decoration: none; outline: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(43, 0, 247); background: transparent;">mhytha@bloomberg.net</a>

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-10-22/sec-sued-over-conflict-minerals-rule-by-business-groups

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<div class="byline story" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 29.1240005493164px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://alternet.org">AlterNet</a> [1] / By <a href="http://www.alternet.org/authors/cliff-weathers">Cliff Weathers</a> [2]</div>

<h1 class="node-title">CEO of Coal Mine Where 29 Workers Died Is Indicted</h1></div><div class="the_body body_story clearfix"><div class="big_story_tools_bottom_container">

<div class="story-date">November 14, 2014  |  </div>

Don Blankenship, the CEO of the Massey Energy coal mine that exploded and killed 29 workers in 2010 has been indicted on charges that he conspired to violate federal mine safety and health standards.

The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Charleston, West Virginia, says that Blankenship hid safety violations at the West Virginia mine between January 2008 and April 2010, when the disaster took place. The suppressing of the safety violations impeded a federal mine safety investigation following the blast, the indictment alleges.

Blankenship can face 31 years in prison if convicted.

<a href="http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20141113/GZ01/141119629#sthash.9VgARQ9v.dpuf">The four-count indictment</a> [3], filed in U.S. District Court includes conspiracy to violate mandatory federal mine safety and health standards, conspiracy to impede federal mine safety standards, securities fraud, making false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission, and impeding the post-explosion inquiry of federal mine safety investigators. Three of the charges are felonies and one is a misdemeanor.

“It’s an important day for many, many families in the Central Appalachian coal fields,” said Bruce Stanley, an attorney representing the widows of the miners who died in the blast. “For the first time in my memory, the CEO of a major coal producer is being held criminally accountable for the atrocious conduct that occurred on his watch.”

Calling Blankenship “as criminally culpable as any mass murderer,” labor and environmental activists have been calling for the former Massey CEO to face legal consequences since soon after the blast, while the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had actively defended him. Massey was a director of the Chamber of Commerce at the time.

The Upper Big Branch Mine disaster was the worst in the United States since 1970. The Mine Safety and Health Administration released its final report in December,  2011, which was that flagrant safety violations by Massey Energy contributed to a coal dust explosion. The MSHA issued 369 citations, assessing $10.8 million in federal penalties. Alpha Natural Resources, the company that acquired Massey in 2011 for $7.1 billion, later settled all corporate criminal liabilities for $209 million. Blankenship is not associated the current management.

Alpha Natural Resources announced that it would close the Upper Big Branch Mine in 2012.

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<div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/coal-mining">coal mining</a> [5],</div>

<div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/west-virginia">west virginia</a> [6],</div>

<div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.alternet.org/tags/worker-safety">worker safety</a> [7]</div>

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</div>

<div class="print-source_url" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 29.1240005493164px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Source URL: <a href="http://www.alternet.org/ceo-coal-mine-where-29-workers-died-indicted">http://www.alternet.org/ceo-coal-mine-where-29-workers-died-indicted</a></div>

<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 29.1240005493164px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Links:

[1] http://alternet.org

[2] http://www.alternet.org/authors/cliff-weathers

[3] http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20141113/GZ01/141119629#sthash.9VgARQ9v.dpuf

[4] mailto:corrections@alternet.org?Subject=Typo on CEO of Coal Mine Where 29 Workers Died Is Indicted

[5] http://www.alternet.org/tags/coal-mining

[6] http://www.alternet.org/tags/west-virginia

[7] http://www.alternet.org/tags/worker-safety

[8] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B

==

BW bk: USCoC ppt on do biz iraq incl list of merc co

==

vouchers?  CoC directory  http://education.uschamber.com/content/national-education-organizations

report card <a href="http://education.uschamber.com/event/2014-leaders-laggards-0">http://education.uschamber.com/event/2014-leaders-laggards-0</a>

As the Obama administration begins to take action to <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/obama-power-play-epa-agenda-climate-change-102894.html">rein in the emissions from the dirty energy industry</a> [1], big business groups all over the country have announced that they aren’t willing to stop polluting <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/196968-business-plans-major-pushback-on-energy-regulation">without putting up a very serious fight</a> [2].

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Gas Association, and 74 other big business groups said that they are banding together to fight the administration’s forthcoming power plant standards that will require carbon capture technologies to be in place at all plants.  <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/196968-business-plans-major-pushback-on-energy-regulation" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to The Hill</a> [2], the groups said that they are planning “everything from lobbying to litigation” in order to fight the administration’s efforts.

These business groups say that they have seen “<a href="http://desmogblog.com/2013/07/03/war-coal-doesn-t-exist-says-coal-lobby">what Obama has done</a> [3]” to the coal industry, and fear that their industries could be targeted next.  They are also fearful that too much emphasis is being put on developing renewable energy, as <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/196968-business-plans-major-pushback-on-energy-regulation">The Hill points out</a> [2]:

American Gas Association President Dave McCurdy, a former Democratic congressman from Oklahoma, said the coalition would need to protect a single-minded push toward renewable energy production.

As expected, politicians in Washington saw that the industry was pushing back, so they have jumped on the bandwagon.

A coalition of Senators, led by Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/197157-senators-urge-obama-to-reconsider-climate-regs">have sent a letter</a> [4] to Obama, asking him to reconsider the EPA’s plans to require carbon capture technology at new and existing power plants.  The coalition consists mainly of Republicans, with the exception of Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who represents the coal-dependent state of West Virginia.  Mr. Blunt has <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=n00005195&type=I">personally received more than $1.8 million in campaign money</a> [5] from the dirty energy industry over the course of his career.

The Senators <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/197157-senators-urge-obama-to-reconsider-climate-regs">say that the cost of the new standards</a> [4] would be passed onto consumers, who would be forced to pay higher energy rates as a result.  The combined profits of the oil, coal, and gas industries in <a href="http://priceofoil.org/2013/09/26/profits-oil-gas-coal-companies-operating-u-s-canada/">both the U.S. and Canada for 2012 was $271 billion</a> [6], so they should easily be able to afford the technology without having to force consumers to pay more.

The current yearly cost to American taxpayers of air pollution <a href="http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/pollution-environment/health-effects-costs-air-pollution-research-roundup">ranges from $19 billion to $167 billion</a> [7], and the new standards being rolled out by the EPA will help to reduce those costs.

The industry can put up a fight if they wish, but they need to be completely transparent about the fact that they believe their profits are worth more than the lives of the<a href="http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/study-air-pollution-causes-200000-early-deaths-each-year-in-the-us-0829.html">200,000 people who die each year</a> [8] from air pollution.

</div>

<div class="field-item even"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/3676">chamber of commerce</a> [9]</div>

<div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/1308">republicans</a> [10]</div>

<div class="field-item even"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/15220">Roy Blunt</a> [11]</div>

<div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/5666">Joe Manchin</a> [12]</div>

<div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/7305">Standards</a> [14]</div>

<div class="field-item even"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/6834">Safety</a> [15]</div>

<div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/6039">air pollution</a> [16]</div>

</div>

<div class="blogreadmore" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Read more: <a href="http://desmogblog.com/2014/02/10/business-coalition-announces-massive-offensive-against-environmental-protections">Business Coalition Announces Massive Offensive Against Environmental Protections</a> [17]</div>

</div>

<div class="print-source_url" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Source URL: <a href="http://desmogblog.com/2014/02/10/business-coalition-announces-massive-offensive-against-environmental-protections">http://desmogblog.com/2014/02/10/business-coalition-announces-massive-offensive-against-environmental-protections</a></div>

Links:

[1] http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/obama-power-play-epa-agenda-climate-change-102894.html

[2] http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/196968-business-plans-major-pushback-on-energy-regulation

[3] http://desmogblog.com/2013/07/03/war-coal-doesn-t-exist-says-coal-lobby

[4] http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/197157-senators-urge-obama-to-reconsider-climate-regs

[5] http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=n00005195&type=I

[6] http://priceofoil.org/2013/09/26/profits-oil-gas-coal-companies-operating-u-s-canada/

[7] http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/pollution-environment/health-effects-costs-air-pollution-research-roundup

[8] http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/study-air-pollution-causes-200000-early-deaths-each-year-in-the-us-0829.html

[9] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/3676

[10] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/1308

[11] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/15220

[12] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/5666

[13] http://desmogblog.com/tags/epa

[14] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/7305

[15] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/6834

[16] http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/6039

[17] h<a href="http://ttp://desmogblog.com/2014/02/10/business-coalition-announces-massive-offensive-against-environmental-protections">ttp://desmogblog.com/2014/02/10/business-coalition-announces-massive-offensive-against-environmental-protections</a>

</div>

===

<h3 class="byline" style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">by MATT TAIBBI</h3>

<div class="date" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 25px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DECEMBER 30, 2013</div>

The holidays are a great time in politics. Every year it's the same: the minute the last bits of wrapping paper have been cleared away, and Grandpa has passed his last puff of holiday gas, you can always retreat to the inside pages of the news section and find some embarrassing/despicable PR fiasco that some politician somewhere has just tried to sneak past vacationing America.

This year was no different. In a fitting homage to past holiday-season embarrassments like the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1224.html" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Iran-Contra pardons</a> or Bill Clinton's signing of the <a href="https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/106/hr4541/text" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Commodity Futures Modernization Act</a>, the Republican Party last week quietly declared war on itself, in the process essentially confessing to a generation of failed governance and dumbed-down politics.

The news came in <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304753504579280084264850074" style="color: rgb(0, 66, 119); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">the Wall Street Journal</a>, where the Chamber of Commerce disclosed that it will be teaming up with Republican establishment leaders to spend $50 million in an effort to stem the tide of “fools” who have overwhelmed Republican ballots in recent seasons. Check out the language Chamber strategist Scott Reed used in announcing the new campaign:

Our No. 1 focus is to make sure, when it comes to the Senate, that we have no loser candidates… That will be our mantra: No fools on our ticket.

</blockquote>

The blunt choice of words is no accident. All year long, as they’ve crept closer and closer to having to face the reality of a Ted Cruz presidential candidacy in 2016 (with Cruz maybe picking<a href="http://www.bizpacreview.com/2013/12/28/ae-says-phil-robertson-can-return-to-duck-dynasty-gladd-responds-90722" style=" color: rgb(0, 66, 119); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">recently-redeemed Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson</a> as his more moderate running mate?), the Beltway’s Republican kingmakers have drifted into ever more alarmist language about the need to change course.

It’s been a transparent effort to reassure industry donors that the party's future isn't a bottomless pit of brainless Bachmanns and Cruzes and Santorums, all convinced our Harvard-educated president is a sleeper-cell Arab and that Satan is a literal being intent on conquering Nebraska with U.N. troops.

Earlier this month, for instance, former House Majority Leader and <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/04/dick-armey-leaves-as-head-tea-party-tied-freedomworks/" style=" color: rgb(0, 66, 119); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">cause-betraying</a> Tea Party progenitor Dick Armey complained that Republicans have been getting whipped at the polls because "<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dick-armey-tea-party-candidates-lost-because-they-did-dumb-things/" style=" color: rgb(0, 66, 119); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">we had a lot of candidates quite frankly that did dumb things out there</a>." And way back in March of last year, Karl Rove himself, speaking on behalf of his Crossroads SuperPAC, told Fox News Sunday that "<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/03/13/174148350/republicans-face-off-over-strategy-for-picking-candidates" style=" color: rgb(0, 66, 119); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">our goal is to avoid having stupid candidates."</a> Rove’s group is reportedly also involved in this new $50 million effort.

The Chamber's announcement was met with howls of outrage from Tea Party-friendly voices, who naturally took immediate offense to the prospect of boycotting "fools" from the political process.

"Misguided," said Chris Chocola, president of the Club for Growth. "Insane," sneered conservative activist Cleta Mitchell.

Tom Borelli, senior fellow for Armey’s old FreedomWorks group, quite correctly complained that the Chamber and their Republican allies were trying to defy the conservative base by hijacking the party and keeping it in the pocket of big-money interests. "The tea party is about lowering costs," Borelli <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/tea-party-business-economy-republicans/2013/12/27/id/544141#ixzz2oxvQ7NFD" style="color: rgb(0, 66, 119); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">explained to Newsmax</a>. "[The Chamber will] want regulations to favor big business."

</div>

==

<h1 class="title-news" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 20px 0px 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; overflow: visible; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); line-height: 36px;">U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Leader Warns EPA Fracking Study Could Jeopardize 'Millions Of Jobs'</h1>

</div>

<div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left;">Dec 3 (Reuters) - America's largest business lobby group warned the Obama administration on Tuesday against snuffing out the country's energy boom with regulations on new oil and natural gas drilling technologies.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue said an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study due next year could be used to justify clamping down on drilling techniques that have sparked a surge in U.S. oil and natural gas output.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">"This could short-circuit America's absolute explosion in energy opportunity that is creating millions of jobs," he told a meeting of business executives.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A major force in U.S. politics, the Chamber of Commerce is the biggest business lobbying group in the country and has been a steady critic of President Barack Obama.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In his comments, Donohue railed against the Obama administration's efforts to increase regulations on businesses and appealed to the media to get his message out that the rules were hurting the economy and "undermining freedom."</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">"They are costing jobs and growth in our country," he said.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The EPA's study, first requested by Congress in 2010, may prove pivotal in the government's regulation of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which involves forcing large volumes of water laced with chemicals and sand deep underground to crack rock and free oil and natural gas.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Currently, fracking is largely regulated by states, rather than the federal government. In its first major regulation on the energy boom, the EPA finalized a rule last year that targets smog-forming pollutants from fracking wells. It allows drillers to flare the gases until 2015.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Critics of fracking, including many environmentalists, worry that drilling operations near schools and homes could pollute water and air.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The United States overtook Russia as the top producer of natural gas last year and surged past Saudi Arabia this year as the world's biggest oil producer. Some companies, however, worry the EPA study could lead to added regulations that crimp America's energy bounty.</div>

<div style="text-align: left;">
</div><div style="text-align: left;">"Many believe it will be the rationalization of new federal fracking regulations before the end of this administration," Donohue said. (Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Paul Simao) huffpo</div>

</div>

===

Chamber Of Commerce Is Spending Millions Supporting Candidates It Pledged To Defeat

BY JOSH ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 25, 2012 AT 5:09 PM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce — which spent nearly $33 million in 2010 to elect a Republican Congress — strongly backed the 2011 Budget Control Act which averted a national debt default and instituted automatic cuts that will go into effect unless Congress reduces federal spending. But while the Chamber’s CEO Tom Donohue reportedly warned Congressional Republicans at the time “we’ll get rid of you,” if they did not agree to a debt ceiling increase, the group has spent millions supporting Republicans who voted against the bipartisan agreement:

1. Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO). The Chamber spent more than $692,000 on “independent expenditures” helping Akin in his challenge to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D), with ads attacking both McCaskill and his primary opponent former Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman (R). The group has not spent any money in support of Akin since his comments that victims of “legitimate rape” are unlikely to become pregnant. Akin explained his opposition to the deal, saying it “fails to address the problem at hand, and it threatens to severely degrade our national defense with a trillion dollars in cuts to our military.”

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY). The Chamber has spent at least $185,000 in “independent expenditures” attacking her opponent, former Rep. Dan Maffei (D), and praising Buerkle. The freshman Congresswoman explained her vote against the deal in a statement, saying “There were some good aspects to the bill, but this version also creates several new problems. At the end of the day, I was not satisfied that all my questions and concerns had been answered as to potential negative effects of this bill on the people in my district.”

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">3. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV). The Chamber spent more than $489,000 on “independent expenditures” helping Heller in his re-election bid against Rep. Shelley Berkley (D), with ads endorsing his re-election and attacking her record. Heller said he saw “no strategy” in the compromise and would have preferred a “big deal.”

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">4. Rep. Connie Mack IV (R-FL). The Chamber spent over $3.8 million on “independent expenditures” helping Mack in his challenge to Sen. Bill Nelson (D), with ads attacking Nelson and urging voters to defeat him. Mack said he didn’t think the American people wanted a deal or “gimmicks.”

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">5. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT). The Chamber has spent more than $1.3 million on “independent expenditures” helping Rehberg in his challenge to Sen. Jon Tester (D), with ads attacking Tester and encouraging voters to defeat him. Rehberg called the deal “little more than business as usual for Washington.”

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">The Chamber has also spent at least $3.3 million on “independent expenditures” helping Mitt Romney by attacking Barack Obama. While Obama signed the compromise, Romney said he “thought it was a mistake on the part of the White House to propose it” and “a mistake for Republicans to go along with it.”

==

LOST 8/26

===

<a href="http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_126/US-Chamber-of-Commerce-Faces-Changing-Times-214020-1.html?zkPrintable=true">http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_126/US-Chamber-of-Commerce-Faces-Changing-Times-214020-1.html?zkPrintable=true</a>

recover downstairs

redux; News corp gave 1m to RNC,(#1 corp donor, publically traded co's give to both sides) //  david koch

fox unapolegetic b/c rnc supports free mkts, and anyway really b/c of pal Kasich (fox pundit --> ohio gov)218

==

funded the Davis hit:  Though the ATA resisted Gray Davis' lawsuit to avoid disclosing its funders in 2001, the group revealed its major 2002 contributors' names (most likely mistakenly) in the 2002 tax form it provided Public Citizen. Its top contributor that year was the <a href="http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=43">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>, which gave $2.6 million. The ATA received about $2.3 million of that donation in the month before Election Day.<a href="http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=106#11" style="font-weight: normal;">11</a> The Chamber reportedly employed a strategy of funding outside groups to influence judicial elections in 2002, making its role more discrete than in 2000 when it broadcast ads under its own name.<a href="http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=106#12">12</a>

<table style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="95%"><tbody><tr><td class="small" valign="top">American Taxpayers Alliance 990 form, 2002.</td></tr><tr><td class="small" valign="top">Robert Lenzner and Matthew Miller, "Buying Justice; For Years Trial Lawyers Owned State Courts. Now Big Business Is Striking Back," Forbes, July 21, 2003.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h1 class="txttitle" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 30px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; width: 475.962493896484px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Bagful of Cash" Report Exposing the US Chamber of Commerce</h1>

<p class="txtauthor" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By Carl Gibson, Reader Supported News

20 July 13

<img src="/4a989bae-ad19-5230-980f-fcf32017ebd2.jpg"/>he following is an excerpt from <a href="http://shutthechamber.org/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Shut the Chamber</a>'s new 28-page report, "Bagful of Cash: How the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Orchestrated a Corporate Takeover of Government." My goal when writing the report was to publish a one-stop-shop for everything relating to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's domination of all institutions of merit, from Congress to the courts, to the election cycles. This report also shows how the U.S. Chamber has invested millions of corporate dollars into opposing all legislation relating to healthcare, financial reform, closing corporate tax loopholes, and climate change. The report also highlights the U.S. Chamber's support of austerity, fracking, the Keystone XL pipeline, and mostly Republican pro-corporate candidates running for Congress. You can read the full report at<a href="http://bit.ly/bagfulofcash" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">bit.ly/bagfulofcash</a>.

Part III: The Corporate Takeover

People seem to listen to you more when you've got a bagful of cash.

- U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/business/energy-environment/19CHAMBER.html?pagewanted=all&r=0" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The New York Times</a>

</blockquote>

According to Donohue, the Chamber raises <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/business/how-tom-donohue-transformed-the-us-chamber-of-commerce.html?pagewanted=all" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$5 million per week</a> to keep its operations running. Most of this money, however, comes from billion-dollar corporations, not small businesses. The U.S. Chamber has spent <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000019798" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$983 million</a> on lobbying since 1998, and has already spent $16 million in 2013 according to the most recent quarterly reports. The <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientbills.php?id=D000019798&year=2013" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">most recent bills</a> (see "Bills" tab) opposed by Chamber lobbyists included the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have secured financial parity between women and men in the workplace, and the Corporate Tax Fairness Act, which would have closed loopholes and exemptions often used by multinational corporations to avoid paying federal taxes on their U.S. profits. While ultimately unsuccessful, the Chamber did <a href="http://www.uschambersmallbusinessnation.com/article/porked-up-sandy-relief-bill-storms-into-senate" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">attempt to defeat a bill</a> providing federal disaster relief to cities hit by Superstorm Sandy.

Roughly half of the U.S. Chamber's $140 million spent in 2008 came from just <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/us/politics/22chamber.html?pagewanted=1&r=1" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">45 anonymous donors</a>. And in 2009, out of the whopping $150 million spent on lobbying, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-17/insurers-gave-u-s-chamber-86-million-used-to-oppose-obama-s-health-law.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">over half of that money</a> came from the American Health Insurance Providers (AHIP), a lobbying group consisting of the top 5 biggest health insurers. The Chamber subsequently flooded airwaves with ads full of misleading statements about the Affordable Care Act, and sent armies of lobbyists to Congress to oppose the bill. Even though health care reform still passed, the Chamber spent <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cycle=2010&cmte=US+Chamber+of+Commerce" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$33.8 million</a> attacking supporters of the legislation in those respective congressional districts, leading to a takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives by corporate-funded candidates. The momentum created by the Chamber's furious opposition to the Affordable Care Act essentially created a Chamber-endorsed House majority that has voted to repeal the act nearly 40 times.

The U.S. Chamber brags about consistently ranking #1 in lobbyist spending for several years in the last decade. In 2012, the Chamber spent $139,000,000 on influencing congressional outcomes, as seen in figure 3.3. To compare, the two largest labor unions - the <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000088" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">AFL-CIO</a> and the <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000077" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SEIU</a> - spent just under a combined $6 million last year.

The U.S. Chamber also spent considerable sums fighting the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill in 2009/2010, influencing Congress to vote down or neuter the bill, which was aimed at strengthening financial regulations to prevent a crisis similar to the 2008 housing collapse and subsequent bailouts of the nation's biggest banks. The Chamber specifically came out with a <a href="http://www.complianceweek.com/us-chamber-details-long-wish-list-of-dodd-frank-changes/article/288109/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">laundry list</a> of amendments aimed at removing all regulatory teeth from the bill, such as removing the derivatives regulations outlined in the Volcker Rule, leaving the leadership and budgeting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the mercy of a Congress which was largely installed with the help of the Chamber's financial support, and silencing Wall Street whistleblowers, among others. As recently as April 2013, Tom Donohue was on CNBC <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100630760" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">calling for the repeal of not-yet-written rules</a> imposed on the financial institutions that decimated the world economy.

Dodd-Frank was written in a hurry and it was written in anger. And here we are three years later ... We're already putting extraordinary stress on every kind of financial institution in this country.

- U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue</blockquote>

<p class="indent" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 30pt; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's most heavily lobbied bill was in 2010, when they threw their full weight behind the Stop Online Piracy Act, or <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57334409-281/sopas-most-aggressive-defender-u.s-chamber-of-commerce/" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SOPA</a>. The bill would have allowed for global entertainment companies to censor any online content at their discretion. Despite the opposition to the bill on the part of many powerful Silicon Valley tech companies who were members of the U.S. Chamber, the group's lobbyists pushed hard for its passage.

The Chamber's vast lobbying efforts have, at least indirectly, led to the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-29/texas-blast-recalls-chemical-safety-bill-sunk-by-business-lobby.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">early 2013 explosion at the fertilizer plant in West, Texas</a>, which killed dozens of first responders and leveled the surrounding community. A 2009 bill aimed at strengthening safety standards at chemical and fertilizer plants like the one in West was labeled a "key vote" by the Chamber that year, and the group mobilized on behalf of fertilizer companies to successfully defeat additional safety regulations. The bill was defeated in the House, and wasn't even brought up for a vote in the Senate. The Chamber has never publicly apologized for spending millions to defeat legislation that could have potentially saved the community of West from the explosion. Thanks to the continued support of decreased regulation, the West fertilizer plant has been inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/texas-fertilizer-plant-ha_n_3113117.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">just once since 1985</a>.

U.S. Chamber CEO Tom Donohue has been one of the most outspoken proponents of <a href="http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/karoli/us-chamber-ceo-donohue-fracking-our-future-" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">austerity</a>, and advocates regularly for the overhaul of Social Security and Medicare to become commoditized programs in which corporations can seize more profit. Tom Donohue's Chamber also backed President George W. Bush's plan to <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/issues/retirementpension/socialsecurity/strengthening-social-security-presidents-proposal" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">privatize Social Security</a> in 2005. Combining the Chamber's support for Social Security privatization and support for deregulating financial institutions, it isn't hard to imagine a much more dismal scenario in the 2008 financial crisis if Social Security funds had been plundered along with the housing market bubble burst.

The other side of the U.S. Chamber's pro-austerity coin is its vehement defense of corporate tax avoidance. Even though <a href="http://payupnow.org/20130708_4TaxAvoidExamps.xls" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">32 corporations</a> dodged enough federal income taxes to pay for the entire education budget (approximately $72 billion), the Chamber of Commerce successfully lobbied to defeat the Corporate Tax Fairness Act, which would have closed enough tax loopholes to generate approximately <a href="http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=97624115-46f1-4652-acd6-79492a08a1a8" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$70 billion</a> in additional tax revenue every year. The contribution to federal tax revenues between payroll taxes paid by employees and income tax paid by corporations has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/chart-shows-corp-taxes-grossly-unfair_n_3321737.html" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">flipped</a>. From 1950-1960, corporations paid roughly $1.00 in income taxes to every $0.33 in payroll taxes paid by employees. Today, corporations are only paying approximately $0.07 cents in income tax to every $0.33 in payroll tax paid by employees. Essentially, the Chamber is using the budget gap to demand the gutting of earned benefits like Social Security and Medicare while lobbying to absolve its corporate members of its federal income tax obligations.

Tom Donohue has <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/blog/insider/2012/09/us-chamber-donohue-business-council.html?page=all" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">gone on record</a> supporting the practice of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, as have many of the Chamber's state affiliates. Despite <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/06/19/1221635110.full.pdf+html" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">well-documented risks</a> to community drinking water supplies, the Chamber alleges that fracking provides jobs. While that may be true, the Chamber has lobbied to defeat bills aimed at investing in alternative, renewable energy sources proven to generate <a href="http://www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/other_publication_types/peri_report.pdf" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">far more jobs</a>.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also used the jobs and domestic energy arguments in its support of the <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2013/april/us-chamber%E2%80%99s-energy-institute-submits-formal-comments-state-department-sup" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Keystone XL pipeline</a> which would mine tar sands oil in Alberta, Canada, and pipe it 1,700 miles to Port Arthur, Texas. The pipeline's most optimistic predictions only credit it with creating <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/13/news/economy/keystone_pipeline_jobs/index.htm" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6,000 jobs</a>over a two-year period, meaning 3,000 temporary jobs each year. And even though oil companies would get rich from the pipeline, none of the oil would actually be used in the U.S. as it has already been <a href="http://priceofoil.org/content/uploads/2011/09/OCIkeystoneXL_2011R.pdf" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">marked for export</a> mostly to South American and European markets.

Current Chamber president Tom Donohue is on the board of directors for <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/are_chamber_of_commerce_presid.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Union Pacific Railroad</a>, which would be partially responsible for transporting tar sands oil by train to be refined in Texas should the Keystone XL pipeline never be built. Union Pacific has <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/09/us-chamber-commerce-president-tom-donohues-climate-conflict-interest-0" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">paid Donohue</a> more than $1.1 million since 1998 in retainers, and it has donated over $700,000 to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce since 2004.

Despite repeated warnings from climate scientists like NASA's James Hansen, who said that tar sands oil would mean "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/19/tar-sands-exploitation-climate-scientist" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">game over for the climate</a>," the Chamber has actually gone on record saying that climate change can be mitigated by humans adapting their anatomies to a warmer climate.

Humans have become less susceptible to the effects of heat due to a combination of adaptations, particularly air conditioning. The availability of air conditioning is expected to continue to increase ... Populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of behavioral, physiological and technological adaptations.

- <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/more-chamber-commerces-climate-denial" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">U.S. Chamber of Commerce comment to the EPA</a>

</blockquote>

In the John Roberts Supreme Court, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has an <a href="http://www.nationalmemo.com/elizabeth-warren-warns-that-the-supreme-court-is-becoming-a-subsidiary-of-the-chamber-of-commerce/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">overwhelming win rate of 70%</a>, particularly in cases where it has first filed an amicus brief. During the duration of President Obama's first term, the Chamber was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/supreme-court-us-chamber-of-commerce_n_1617392.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">undefeated</a> in Supreme Court rulings in which it was invested. The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/business/pro-business-decisions-are-defining-this-supreme-court.html?smid=fb-share&r=1&" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">reported</a> that the nation's highest court hasn't been this accommodating to major corporations since World War II, quietly stacking up small victories for them in a stream of 5-4 decisions.

The Chamber's lawyers successfully got the Supreme Court to make it harder for victims of corporate negligence to <a href="http://record-eagle.com/business/x2113334878/Court-makes-it-harder-to-sue-businesses" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">sue for damages</a>, whether they are claimants in the BP oil spill or employees of corporations filing class-action lawsuits in cases of abuse. They recently ruled in favor of agribusiness giant<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/13/monsanto-patent-grain-biotechnology-soybeans-supreme-court/2116333/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Monsanto</a> in a seed patent case against a farmer trying to save his seeds, ruling that Monsanto had the right to claim domain over the farmer's crops, since their genetically-modified seeds had cross-pollinated into the neighboring organic crops on the farmer's plot. <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/02/monsanto.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Justice Clarence Thomas</a> once worked as a corporate attorney for Monsanto. He did not recuse himself from the decision. He also didn't recuse himself when ruling against the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, despite his wife's having <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/14/nation/la-na-thomas14-2010mar14" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">launched a lobbying group</a> opposed to the Affordable Care Act's implementation.

Perhaps the most notable case of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce winning a Supreme Court ruling where an amicus brief was filed was in their support of the <a href="http://www.cuvfec.com/documents/case-08-205/Supplemental_Amicus_Brief_US_Chamber_of_Commerce.pdf" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Citizens United v. FEC ruling</a> in 2010. The Supreme Court's decision effectively reversed a century's worth of campaign laws, now allowing corporations to spend an unlimited amount of money from their vast treasuries on electioneering purposes. In the 2010 congressional midterm elections, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/sites/default/files/a_u.s.chamber_watch_report-november_2010_0.pdf" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">93% of the Chamber's contributions</a> went to Republican candidates. Of the remaining money spent on 11 Democrat candidates, they were on non-candidate specific ads. The Chamber exclusively funded Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Though they endorsed West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, they didn't spend any money on his behalf. In the 2012 elections, the Chamber pledged to spend $50 million (but reported <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-04/chamber-of-commerce-33-million-lost-most-races-bgov-barometer.html" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$33 million</a>), ranking 8th in total outside money spent. Of the 50 House and Senate races in which the Chamber had spent money to support or oppose candidates, they lost 36 races. Among groups that don't identify their donors, the Chamber ranked second behind the Koch Industries-backed Americans for Prosperity.

Attempts to roll back the effects of Citizens United v. FEC are met with fierce opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. While successfully lobbying to kill the <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.3369" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">DISCLOSE Act</a>, which would have required groups spending money on elections to reveal their donors, the Chamber called the attempts to regulate corporate dominance of the election cycle an attack on <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/freespeech" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">free speech and democracy</a>.

What's most in need of disclosure is the real purpose behind this bill. It's nothing more than a brazen attempt to tilt the playing field in favor of the incumbent party in this fall's elections, silence constitutionally protected speech, and abridge First Amendment rights.

- U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue

</blockquote>

<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is also a member of the <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/What_is_ALEC%3F" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">American Legislative Exchange Council</a>(ALEC), an organization that brings together corporate lobbyists with largely Republican state legislators. At annual ALEC retreats, lobbyists and legislators break off into task forces which collaboratively write "model bills" to maximize corporate profit. Model legislation aims to privatize public assets, lower corporate taxes, and repeal environmental regulations and workers' rights. The Chamber is a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Civil_Justice_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Civil Justice Task Force</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Education </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Task Force</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/International_Relations_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">International Relations Task Force</a>, and the<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force</a>. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </div>

<p class="indent" style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 30pt; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Carl Gibson, 26, is co-founder of US Uncut, a nationwide creative direct-action movement that mobilized tens of thousands of activists against corporate tax avoidance and budget cuts in the months leading up to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Carl and other US Uncut activists are featured in the documentary "We're Not Broke," which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. He currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin. You can contact him at <a href="mailto:carl@rsnorg.org" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">carl@rsnorg.org</a>, and follow him on twitter at @uncutCG.

mojo strange case

The data dump from the HBGary hack was so vast that no one person could sort through it alone. So Brown decided to crowdsource the effort. He created a wiki page, called it <a href="http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Main_Page" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ProjectPM</a> [5], and invited other investigative journalists to join in. Under Brown’s leadership, the initiative began to slowly untangle a web of connections between the US government, corporations, lobbyists and a shadowy group of private military and information security consultants.

One connection was between Bank of America and the Chamber of Commerce. WikiLeaks had claimed to possess a large cache of documents belonging to Bank of America. Concerned about this, Bank of America approached the United States Department of Justice. The DOJ directed it to the law and lobbying firm <a href="http://www.hunton.com/" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hunton and Williams</a> [6], which does legal work for Wells Fargo and General Dynamics and also lobbies for Koch Industries, Americans for Affordable Climate Policy, Gas Processors Association, Entergy among many other firms. The DoJ recommended that Bank of America hire Hunton and Williams, explicitly suggesting <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/19/chamber-of-commerce-still_n_768076.html" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Richard Wyatt</a>[7] as the person to work with. Wyatt, famously, was the lead attorney in the Chamber of Commerce’s lawsuit against the Yes Men.

In November 2010, Hunton and Williams organized a number of private intelligence, technology development and security contractors—HBGary, plus Palantir Technologies, Berico Technologies and, according to Brown, a secretive corporation with the ominous name Endgame Systems—to form “Team Themis”—‘themis’ being a Greek word meaning “divine law.” Its main objective was to discredit critics of the Chamber of Commerce, <a href="http://images2.americanprogress.org/ThinkProgress/ProposalForTheChamber.pdf" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">like Chamber Watch</a> [8], using such tactics as creating a “false document, perhaps highlighting periodical financial information,” giving it to a progressive group opposing the Chamber, and then subsequently exposing the document as a fake to “prove that US Chamber Watch cannot be trusted with information and/or tell the truth.” In addition, the group proposed creating a “fake insider persona” to infiltrate Chamber Watch. They would “create two fake insider personas, using one as leverage to discredit the other while confirming the legitimacy of the second.” The leaked e-mails showed that similar disinformation campaigns were being planned against WikiLeaks and Glenn Greenwald.

It was clear to Brown that these were actions of questionable legality, but beyond that, government contractors were attempting to undermine Americans’ free speech—with the apparent blessing of the DOJ. A group of Democratic congressmen <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR2011022805810.html" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">asked for an investigation</a> [9] into this arrangement, to no avail.

<div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" size="4" face="Times New Roman">Read more: <a href="http://www.thenation.com/print/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown#ixzz2Y7fLyn6F" style="widows: auto; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">The Strange Case of Barrett Brown</a> <a href="http://www.thenation.com/print/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown#ixzz2Y7fLyn6F" style="widows: auto; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">http://www.thenation.com/print/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown#ixzz2Y7fLyn6F</a> </div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=caN4nSSpSr4RB7acwqm_6l&u=thenation" target="blank" style="widows: auto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">@thenation on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=caN4nSSpSr4RB7acwqm_6l&u=TheNationMagazine" target="blank" style="widows: auto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">TheNationMagazine on Facebook</a></div>

<p style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">===

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/us/politics/11chamber.html?r=0&pagewanted=print">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/us/politics/11chamber.html?r=0&pagewanted=print</a>

<div class="timestamp" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-top: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">September 10, 2010</div>

<h1 style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.083em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; margin: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chamber of Commerce Accused of Tax Fraud</h1>

<h6 class="byline" style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.2em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; margin: 2px 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/eric_lichtblau/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Eric Lichtblau" class="meta-per" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">ERIC LICHTBLAU</a></h6>

<p style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; margin: 0px 0px 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">WASHINGTON — With a war chest rivaling that of the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/republican_party/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Republican Party" class="meta-org" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">Republican Party</a> itself, the <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a> has emerged in the last year as perhaps the Obama administration’s most-well-financed rival on signature policy debates like health care and financial regulation.

Critics on the left have long complained about the chamber’s outsize influence. But now they are taking on the business association directly, charging in a complaint filed Friday with the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/i/internal_revenue_service/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about the Internal Revenue Service." class="meta-org" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">Internal Revenue Service</a> that it violated tax codes by laundering millions of dollars meant for charitable work from a group with ties to the insurance giant A.I.G.

The complaint was brought by a group called <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/about-chamber-watch-0" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">U.S. Chamber Watch</a>, which was created four months ago — with the strong financial backing of labor unions — to scrutinize the Chamber of Commerce’s growing influence and provide a counterbalance.

But chamber officials said they had complied with all tax laws and dismissed the complaint as a political ploy.

A chamber spokeswoman, Tita Freeman, said its opponents “are desperately looking for opportunities to undermine the chamber’s efforts to promote free markets and economic growth.”

The I.R.S. refused to comment on the complaint, citing the confidentiality of taxpayer records.

I.R.S. regulators have often been wary of wading into political grievances, particularly after evidence emerged during the Watergate scandal that the Nixon White House had sought to use the agency for political purposes.

But in recent years the agency has occasionally gotten involved in politically tinged controversies. In one high-profile case in 2004, Republican complaints led it to open an investigation into the N.A.A.C.P.’s tax-exempt status after the group’s leader criticized President George W. Bush in a speech. The I.R.S. concluded two years later that the remarks did not violate the group’s nonprofit restrictions on political activity.

At issue in the complaint against the Chamber of Commerce is whether the group mixed funds for charitable and noncharitable political purposes in violation of tax codes.

The chamber, often using expensive mass-market radio and TV spots, has weighed in on many major public policy debates in recent months, including the Obama administration’s health care policy, business regulations, campaign finance laws and Internet rules, as well as job creation and the threat of tax hikes. On many issues, it has pushed for less government regulation in favor of free-market incentives.

Now the chamber’s political arm is turning to the November elections, and it expects to spend $50 million or more to push pro-business candidates, usually Republicans. As part of a wave of new commercials broadcast this week, the chamber’s California affiliate attacked Senator Barbara Boxer — a Democrat running for re-election against Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard — and accused Ms. Boxer of “destroying jobs” by voting against business.

Cyrus Mehri, a Washington lawyer who brought the I.R.S. complaint on behalf of U.S. Chamber Watch, said in an interview that the chamber’s current political activities were, in effect, being underwritten with money intended for charitable work.

The complaint focuses on loans and grants totaling about $18 million that were made beginning in 2003 to a nonprofit affiliate, the <a href="http://ncf.uschamber.com/" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">National Chamber Foundation</a>, by the <a href="http://www.starrfoundation.org/" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">Starr Foundation</a>, a charity started by the founder of A.I.G. and now led by Maurice R. Greenberg, the insurer’s former chairman.

Lawyers for Chamber Watch said their research, based largely on public tax filings, found that none of the principal on some $12 million in loans had been paid back and that the money appeared to have been given to the chamber’s foundation for unrestricted use.

The lawyers said that the money, in violation of nonprofit restrictions, was ultimately funneled to the chamber itself and used to finance broader political causes, including support for legal tort reform to shield companies like A.I.G. from liability. Mr. Greenberg himself had worked to promote restrictions on lawsuits, the complaint notes.

“You have millions of dollars improperly going to the chamber,” said Mr. Mehri, who drafted the complaint with Gail M. Harmon, a Washington lawyer specializing in tax law. “This is not a technical violation.”

But Stan Harrell, chief financial officer for the Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview Friday that the chamber’s lawyers and its accountants at Ernst & Young had reviewed the Starr Foundation funding and found that it complied with all relevant tax law.

“We’ve never had an issue, period,” Mr. Harrell said. He said that Chamber Watch, which was created by a federation of five unions called <a href="http://www.changetowin.org/" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">Change to Win</a>, was simply trying to create trouble for the chamber because of its opposing political views.

“That’s democracy. From time to time, people make allegations,” he said. “If their real interest was proper accounting, they’d be talking to us. This is political.”

Mr. Harrell said that the funding from the Starr Foundation was listed in tax documents as a loan only in the most technical sense and that it was never intended to be paid back. Instead, he said, the money was restricted for long-term use on educational and research projects as part of the chamber’s capital plan and was invested by the chamber to ensure the Starr Foundation a set rate of return.

“We wanted to make sure we guaranteed the investment return,” he said. “Legally, that has to be represented as a loan. This was all done very scrupulously. If anything, we overdisclosed the transaction” in the group’s federal tax returns, he said.

===

Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health 2008 oxford

David Michaels

p 162 june 1993 Sup Ct updated 1923 st'd for expert w/ Daubert test, leaving it up to judge to say who is.

To esclude the expert is often to exclude the evidence; if judge allows plaintiff expert, it gets expensive to do jury trial so often leads to settlement.  RJR and USCOC lobbied to get Daub into other OSHA law 174

==

The U. S. Chamber of Commerce had another successful year. The court cut back on class actions, favored arbitration and made it harder to sue the makers of dangerous drugs and employers accused of workplace discrimination.

“Anyone doubting that the most important story of the Roberts court is its business rulings has not been paying enough attention,” said <a href="http://theusconstitution.org/about/people">Doug Kendall</a>, president of the <a href="http://theusconstitution.org/">Constitutional Accountability Center</a>, a liberal group. “This term’s 5-4 rulings, all favoring the chamber, move the law sharply to the right and to the great detriment of consumers, employees, and other Americans trying to get their day in court.”

<a href="http://www.chamberlitigation.com/kate-comerford-todd-vice-president-chief-counsel-appellate-litigation">Kate Comerford Todd</a>, a lawyer with <a href="http://www.chamberlitigation.com/">the chamber’s litigation unit</a>, said the group’s victories were routine and warranted.

“In the business cases in which the chamber filed this term,” she said, “we did not see the court make new law. Instead, the court largely reaffirmed its prior decisions and rejected new attempts by the plaintiffs’ bar to contort federal law and procedures to suit their purposes.”7/13

---

Kate Comerford Todd is vice president chief counsel for appellate litigation for the National Chamber Litigation Center (NCLC), the litigation arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Todd has a broad range of government and private sector experience, with particular expertise in federal appellate practice and constitutional law.

Before joining the Chamber, Todd served in the White House as associate counsel to the president, advising the president and his staff on a wide range of legal and constitutional issues. She also liaised with other officials in the executive branch and consulted with members of Congress and their staff.

Prior to her service in the White House, Todd was a partner in the appellate, litigation, and communications practices of the firm Wiley, Rein & Fielding, in Washington, D.C. She represented corporations in federal and state litigation and regulatory matters and helped them develop and execute national, multiforum legal strategies. Todd teaches the law of federal courts at The George Washington University Law School, and she taught constitutional law at Cornell University’s Washington program.

During the 2000 Term of the Supreme Court of the United States, Todd served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Clarence Thomas and clerked for Judge J. Michael Luttig of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Todd graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was executive editor of the Harvard Law Review. She received her undergraduate degree in government, history, and international relations from Cornell University, graduating cum laude in history and with distinction in all subjects.

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">outsourcing jobs:

<h1 style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2010/10/14/124161/u-s-chamber-of-commerce-funded-by-top-offshoring-companies/">‘U.S.’ Chamber Of Commerce Funded By Top Offshoring Companies</a></h1>

<p style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">While it tells the American public it cares about American jobs, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce actually works to send jobs overseas on behalf of its corporate members, which include some of Asia’s top offshoring companies. Its secretly-funded $75 million political ad campaign attacks the “anti-jobs record” of Sen. <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2010/september/us-chamber-launches-tv-ad-blitz-california">Barbara Boxer</a> (D-CA), <a href="http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95415">Jerry Brown</a> (D-CA), <a href="http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2010/10/us-chamber-of-commerce-launche.html">Richard Blumenthal</a> (D-CT), <a href="http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2010/08/us_chamber_targets_giannoulias.html">Alexi Giannoulias</a> (D-IL), Rep. <a href="http://www.dinatitus.com/press-releases/112-us-chamber-of-commerce-ad-distorts-the-facts">Dina Titus</a> (D-NV), and others.

s ThinkProgress previously <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/05/foreign-chamber-commerce/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">noted</a>, the Chamber has repeatedly sent out issue alerts attacking Democratic efforts to encourage businesses to hire locally rather than <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/120667-us-chamber-comes-out-against-senate-outsourcing-bill" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">outsource</a> to foreign counties. The Chamber has also bitterly fought Democrats for opposing <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/05/foreign-chamber-commerce/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">unfettered</a> free trade deals. The Chamber’s anti-American jobs agenda serves not only the profit-seeking of right-wing corporate executives in the United States, but also works to send jobs overseas to the following outsourcing companies, who are some of the dozens of <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/10/13/123868/chamber-foreign-funded-media/">foreign corporations</a> that pay member dues to the Chamber of Commerce’s 501c(6) account, which is used to fund its political ads:

– InfoSys, Bangalore, India (at least $15,000 in annual member dues): “Infosys is the ‘<a href="http://www.infosys.com/offerings/industries/banking-capital-markets/Pages/waters-awards-09.aspx">Best Outsourcing Partner</a>’ according to the Waters Rankings for the third consecutive year.”

– KPIT Cummins, Pune, India ($7,500): “Strategic global networking, together with industry-proven practices & processes, give KPIT Cummins a <a href="http://www.kpitcummins.com/gbs/kpitcumminsgbsedge.htm">cutting edge in the realm of outsourcing</a>.”

– Patni Americas, Mumbai, India ($15,000): “Patni, the <a href="http://www.patni.com/">world leader in IT outsourcing and business process outsourcing</a> provides offshore software development, global sourcing, custom software development, and a vast array of product engineering and IT services to companies worldwide.”

– NIIT Technologies, Delhi, India ($15,000): “<a href="http://www.niit-tech.com/aboutus.aspx?path=3/9&cnt=5">[L]eadership in the area of outsourcing</a>.”

– QuEST Global, Singapore ($7,500): “QuEST is a <a href="http://www.quest-global.com/engineering-services-outsourcing.html">leader in the engineering services outsourcing</a> (ESO) space.”

– Rolta, Mumbai, India ($7,500): “Rolta’s global footprint and track record along with its <a href="http://www.rolta.com/about-us/opportunities.html">capable off-shoring model</a> gives it a unique positioning in this large market.”

– SKP Crossborder Consulting, Mumbai, India ($7,500): “<a href="http://www.skpgroup.com/htms/india_outsourcing_accounting.asp">SKP’s core outsourcing practice</a> is managed out of a fully equipped, spacious premises based in Pune with access to facilities in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore.”

– Tata Group, Mumbai, India ($15,000): “<a href="http://www.tcs.com/offerings/outsourcing-solutions/Pages/default.aspx">[W]orld-class solutions in outsourcing</a> – business process outsourcing, application outsourcing, infrastructure outsourcing.”

– Wipro, Bangalore, India ($15,000): “<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jul2007/gb2007076_187814.htm" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">India’s biggest destination for U.S. offshoring</a>.”

</blockquote>

===

yes men prevail in court:

<a href="http://grist.org/news/yes-men-prank-the-chamber-of-commerce-and-get-away-with-it/">http://grist.org/news/yes-men-prank-the-chamber-of-commerce-and-get-away-with-it/</a>

===

2009 spent more on lobbbying than next 5 (corps?)more than RNC or DNC

===

google gets own airport

===

gives info to feds, claims no back door?

==

Chamber's Institute for Energy (not to be confused with similarly named Koch front)

In March 2007, O'Dwyer's PR Daily reported that General James L. Jones, formerly the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe, had joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as a lobbyist.[40]

"Jones will head the Institute for Energy, which is to present itself as a grassroots organization. The Chamber went a similar path with the creation of the Institute for Legal Reform." Jones will focus on global warming and seek "to 'unify energy stakeholders behind a common strategy' to produce affordable and secure supplies while protecting the environment," reported O'Dwyer's, quoting Chamber president Tom Donohue.[40]

===

<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading" style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">James L. Jones</h1>

<div id="jump-to-nav" class="mw-jump" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jump to: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L.Jones#mw-head">navigation</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L.Jones#p-search">search</a></div>

General James L. Jones is U.S. President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a>'s National Security Adviser. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L.Jones#cite_note-0">[1]</a> He headed the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organization" title="North Atlantic Treaty Organization" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">North Atlantic Treaty Organization</a> (NATO) from 2003 and 2006, and remains "a fierce advocate of NATO expansion. As commander of the alliance from 2003 to 2006, he pushed for it to take greater responsibility for securing oil supplies in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East." <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L.Jones#cite_note-1">[2]</a>

Previous to joining the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Obama_administration" title="Obama administration" class="mw-redirect">Obama administration</a>, Jones was <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbyist" title="Lobbyist">lobbyist</a> for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce" title="U.S. Chamber of Commerce">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>. He also served on the board of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Invacare&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Invacare (page does not exist)" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Invacare</a> Corporation, which "sells home and long-term medical products." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0305jones_uscoc.htm" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[1]</a> Jones previously served as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NATO" title="NATO" class="mw-redirect" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">NATO</a> Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.European_Command" title="U.S. European Command" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. European Command</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/2d8a3578c1c9460b85256808004afbb6?OpenDocument" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[2]</a>

James L. Jones has been a member of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Boeing" title="Boeing">Boeing</a>'s board of directors since 2007.

"Retired Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command. General Jones has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Institute_for_21st_Century_Energy" title="Institute for 21st Century Energy">Institute for 21st Century Energy</a>, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, since March 2007. He served as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Commander of the United States European Command from January 2003 to February 2007. Previously, General Jones served as the 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps from July 1999 to January 2003. He is a director of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Invacare&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Invacare (page does not exist)">Invacare</a> Corporation. General Jones is a member of the Audit Committee and the Finance Committee." <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_note-2">[3]</a>

<li style="text-align: left;">International Advisory Board, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Kulczyk_Investments" title="Kulczyk Investments">Kulczyk Investments</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_note-3">[4]</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>] </div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#Military_power_to_the_private_sector">1 Military power to the private sector</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#Skeptical_about_Iraq_War">2 Skeptical about Iraq War</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#Official_military_bio">3 Official military bio</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#Articles_and_resources">4 Articles and resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#Related_SourceWatch_articles">4.1 Related SourceWatch articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#References">4.2 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#External_resources">4.3 External resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#External_articles">4.4 External articles</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Military power to the private sector</h2>

In March 2007, O'Dwyer's PR Daily reported that Jones had joined the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce" title="U.S. Chamber of Commerce" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a> as a "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbyist" title="Lobbyist" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">lobbyist</a>". (O'Dwyer's used the term "lobbyist" in a broad advocacy sense as Jones is not a registered U.S. lobbyist which is a requirement for those making direct representations to members of Congress and other public officials.) "Jones will head the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Institute_for_Energy&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Institute for Energy (page does not exist)">Institute for Energy</a>, which is to present itself as a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Astroturf" title="Astroturf" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">grassroots</a> organization. The Chamber went a similar path with the creation of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Institute_for_Legal_Reform&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Institute for Legal Reform (page does not exist)" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Institute for Legal Reform</a>." Jones will focus on <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Global_warming" title="Global warming">global warming</a> and seek "to 'unify energy stakeholders behind a common strategy' to produce affordable and secure supplies while protecting the environment," reported O'Dwyer's, quoting Chamber president <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Thomas_J.Donohue" title="Thomas J. Donohue" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thomas J. Donohue</a>.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_note-4">[5]</a>

<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Skeptical about Iraq War</h2>

"One of America's most senior generals has condemned as 'foolish' plans backed by leading Washington hawks to topple <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Saddam_Hussein" title="Saddam Hussein">Saddam Hussein</a> by using special forces in a repetition of the tactics that succeeded in <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Afghanistan" title="Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a>," reported the Telegraph in August 2002. "Gen James L Jones, the four-star commander of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Marine_Corps" title="U.S. Marine Corps">U.S. Marine Corps</a> who will be taking over as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NATO" title="NATO" class="mw-redirect">NATO</a>'s supreme allied commander, was clearly addressing high-ranking conservatives in and around the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pentagon" title="Pentagon">Pentagon</a>." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/23/wirq23.xml/">[3]</a>

Of an Iraq invasion, Jones warned: "You better have Plan B in your hip pocket, because when you attack someone who has any kind of well-trained army on their homeland they are going to fight differently than if they engage you, say, in Kuwait." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/23/wirq23.xml/">[4]</a>

<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Official military bio</h2>

"General Jones is the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) and the Commander of the United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM). From the Supreme Headquarters Allied Power Europe, Mons, Belgium, General Jones leads Allied Command Europe (ACE), comprising NATO's military forces in Europe," reads his official military biography. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/2d8a3578c1c9460b85256808004afbb6?OpenDocument">[5]</a>

Jones served in the Vietnam War, from 1967 to 1968, "as a Platoon and Company Commander with Company G, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines." He served in Okinawa, Japan, from 1974 to 1975. And in the 1980s "was selected to attend the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_War_College" title="National War College">National War College</a> in Washington, DC." In the early 1990s, Jones "participated in <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Operation_Provide_Comfort&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Operation Provide Comfort (page does not exist)">Operation Provide Comfort</a> in Northern Iraq and Turkey." During a tour with the U.S. European Command, "he was reassigned as Chief ot Staff, Joint Task Force Provide Promise, for operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/2d8a3578c1c9460b85256808004afbb6?OpenDocument">[6]</a>

In the mid-1990s, Jones was assigned "as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. ... General Jones assumed duties as the Commander of U.S. European Command on 16 January 2003, and Supreme Alled Commander Europe on 17 January 2003." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/2d8a3578c1c9460b85256808004afbb6?OpenDocument" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[7]</a> He retired from NATO in February 2007. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0305jones_uscoc.htm" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[8]</a>

<h2 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Articles and resources</h2>

<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Related SourceWatch articles</h3>

<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Operation_Iraqi_Freedom:_Military_and_Political_Dissent" title="Operation Iraqi Freedom: Military and Political Dissent" class="mw-redirect">Operation Iraqi Freedom: Military and Political Dissent</a></li>

<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Chamber_of_Commerce" title="U.S. Chamber of Commerce">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a></li>

</ul>

<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-0" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_ref-0">↑</a> "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/j/james_l_jones/index.html">James L. Jones</a>," New York Times profile, accessed April 2009.</li>

<li id="cite_note-1" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_ref-1">↑</a> Robert Dreyfuss, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090105/dreyfuss">Obama's Hawk</a>," The Nation, December 17, 2008.</li>

<li id="cite_note-2" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_ref-2">↑</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.boeing.com/corp_gov/board_directors.html">Linda Z. Cook</a>, Boeing, accessed December 12, 2007.</li>

<li id="cite_note-3" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_ref-3">↑</a> Kulczyk Investments <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://kulczykinvestments.com/page/66">International Advisory Board</a>, organizational web page, accessed September 20, 2012.</li>

<li id="cite_note-4" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_L._Jones#cite_ref-4">↑</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/archived_stories_2007/march/0305jones_uscoc.htm">"Jones Works Energy Front"</a>, O'Dwyers PR Daily, March 5, 2007.</li>

</ol>

<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">External resources</h3>

<li style="text-align: left;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/2d8a3578c1c9460b85256808004afbb6?OpenDocument">Official military biography</a></li>

</ul>

<h3 style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">External articles</h3>

<li style="text-align: left;">David Rennie and Anton La Guardia, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/08/23/wirq23.xml/">Top US general attacks hawks' strategy on Iraq</a>," Telegraph (UK), August 23, 2002.</li>

<li style="text-align: left;">"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0305jones_uscoc.htm">Jones Works Energy Front</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), March 5, 2007.</li>

<li style="text-align: left;">Joanna Klonsky, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cfr.org/publication/17897/james_l_jones_national_security_adviser_nominee.html">Backgrounder: James L. Jones, National Security Adviser Nominee</a>," <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Council_on_Foreign_Relations" title="Council on Foreign Relations">Council on Foreign Relations</a>, December 3, 2008.</li>

</ul>

</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories" style="line-height: 1.4em;">Categories</a>:</div><ul>

<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Lobbyists" title="Category:Lobbyists">Lobbyists</a></li>

<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Military" title="Category:Military">Military</a></li>

<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:United_States" title="Category:United States">United States</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

---

<h1 style="text-align: left;">Eric Wohlschlegel rev dr</h1>

</div>

Director, Media Relations at American Petroleum Institute

</div>

<dl>

<dd style="text-align: left;"><a id="location" href="http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&facet_G=us%3A97&trk=prof-0-ovw-location" name="location" title="Find other members in Washington D.C. Metro Area">Washington D.C. Metro Area</a></dd>

<dd class="industry" style="text-align: left;"><a id="industry" href="http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&industry=103&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&trk=prof-0-ovw-industry" name="industry" title="Find other members in this industry">Writing and Editing</a></dd>

</dl>

</div>

<table summary="Overview for Eric Wohlschlegel" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><tbody><tr id="overview-summary-past"><th scope="row"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/eric-wohlschlegel/2/553/1b8#background-experience" data-trk="prof-0-ovw-prev_pos-label">Previous</a></th><td>

<ol>

<li><a id="company" href="http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&company=U%2ES%2E+Chamber+of+Commerce&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&trk=prof-0-ovw-prev_pos" name="company" title="Find others who have worked at this company">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>,</li>

<li><a id="company" href="http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&company=Chlopak%2C+Leonard%2C+Schechter+%26+Associates&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&trk=prof-0-ovw-prev_pos" name="company" title="Find others who have worked at this company">Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates</a>,</li>

<li><a id="company" href="http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&company=U%2ES%2E+House+of+Representatives&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&trk=prof-0-ovw-prev_pos" name="company" title="Find others who have worked at this company">U.S. House of Representatives</a></li>

</ol>

</td></tr><tr id="overview-summary-education"><th scope="row"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/eric-wohlschlegel/2/553/1b8#background-education" data-trk="prof-0-ovw-edu-label">Education</a></th><td>

<ol>

<li><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/college/?eduSchool=13378&trk=prof-0-ovw-edu" title="Find other members who attended Trinity College, Dublin">Trinity College, Dublin</a></li>

</ol>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

===

http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=75313

<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But Google’s membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce pits this supposed public-interest champion squarely against the public, as the U.S. Chamber pushes brutal austerity measures, the deregulation of polluting industries, limitless corporate influence in politics and cuts to consumer protections.</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div>

<b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Tell Google to end its allegiance with the U.S. Chamber and to be a public-interest champion.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>

t used similar tactics against health care reform, launching a campaign that was even larger and more elaborate. The Chamber recruited local political operatives and had them set up front groups to oppose the House and Senate bills, and it also coordinated a national ad onslaught. In Arkansas’s second district, for instance, the Chamber aired ads directly attacking Democratic Representative Vic Snyder for his support of the House bill. (Vic Snyder has since announced that he won’t seek reelection, such an uphill battle is he now facing.) It also established a branch of a front group, the Campaign for Responsible Health Reform, and hired a Little Rock Republican strategist to run it. The strategist, Bill Vickery, told me that his activities were “backed solely” by the Chamber.

In other words, a large part of what the Chamber sells is political cover. For multibillion-dollar insurers, drug makers, and medical device manufacturers who are too smart and image conscious to make public attacks of their own, the Chamber of Commerce is a friend who will do the dirty work. “I want to give them all the deniability they need,” says Donohue. That deniability is evidently worth a lot. According to a January article in the National Journal, six insurers alone—Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Kaiser Foundation Health Plans, UnitedHealth Group, and Wellpoint—pumped up to $20 million into the Chamber last year.

As the <a href="http://www.uschamberofsecrets.org/">USChamberofSecrets.org</a> site reveals, the Chamber has also been busy fighting for tax breaks for big oil, opposing health care for more Americans, and plenty of other mischief. So much, in fact, you might think they are using <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Time-Turner">time-turners</a> to get it all done. Apparently, the US Chamber is like the <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Room_of_Requirement">Room of Requirement</a>, transforming its agenda to suit whatever big company is writing the next check.

Like Voldemort (you don’t really need a link for him, do you?) <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2010/1007.verini.html">Chamber of Secrets Chairman CEO Tom Donohue</a> has been pursuing his agenda for a long time, and doesn’t tolerate dissension. Hmm…I wonder if he uses <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Horcrux">Horcruxes</a> too?

Grab this <a href="http://www.uschamberofsecrets.org">portkey </a>to check out the new site.

<p style="text-align: left; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">A 2000 <a href="http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-507684.html" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Washington Post survey</a> of cases involving First USA Bank, then the nation's second largest credit card company, revealed that <a href="http://centerjd.org/content/fact-sheet-mandatory-binding-arbitration-corporate-end-run-around-civil-justice-system#ednref2" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">arbitrators ruled for the bank 99.6 percent of the time</a>. In 2007, a <a href="http://www.citizen.org/publications/publicationredirect.cfm?ID=7545" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Public Citizen report</a> revealed that one giant firm, the National Arbitration Forum, hired out its private adjudicators to hear some 34,000 consumer-versus-bank cases in California during the previous four years, and they ruled for the financial giants 95 percent of the time. Even more incredible, the City of San Francisco discovered in a <a href="http://www.sfcityattorney.org/index.aspx?page=178" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2008 lawsuit</a> that of 18,045 cases brought by the financial powers against overwhelmed California consumers, NAF's private judges sided with the corporations 100 percent of the time.

<h2 style="text-align: left;">Brand name riggers of the justice system</h2>

Practically every national brand name you��ve ever heard of now slips predatory arbitration provisions into their customer terms-of-service agreements and/or employment agreements. Not only do these sneaky inserts strip away your constitutional right to take them to court (peremptorily immunizing them from any wrongs they do to you), but many of the boilerplate provisions also arbitrarily ban you from joining with other small claimants in class actions to hold them accountable. ... [<a href="http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/3266">read more</a>]

</div>

<h2 style="text-align: left; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Supremely shafted</h2>

For example, in real courtrooms, it's common for many wronged employees or consumers who have the same complaint against a corporate rip-off to roll their small cases into one big one. This "class action" process saves money and time, because instead of 100 cases needing 100 law firms, judges, and juries, only one of each is needed. Makes sense. But common sense is a feared foreigner in ArbitrationLand, and--surprise!--nearly all BMA agreements ban class actions.

In 2010,<a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-893.pdf" target="_blank"> the supremes took this ban to extremes</a>, declaring that even if an agreement is silent on the use of class-action arbitration, class actions are still disallowed, forcing each individual to battle the goliaths alone. In a 2011 consumer case against AT&T, the Court majority ruled that even when a class-action ban in a BMA clause is so "unconscionable" that it violates state law, the corporate miscreant can nonetheless ban the class from arbitration and compel each claimant to go it alone.

This June, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-27/amex-policy-reopens-high-court-debate-on-arbitration.html" target="_blank">the Court's corporate supremists are expected to stretch the primacy of private arbitration even farther</a>--so far that corporations could openly and willfully violate our antitrust, civil rights, and other landmark laws enacted to protect the less powerful. The case pits American Express against a group of its own small business customers that accept AmEx credit cards. The restaurateurs, retailers, and others say the powerhouse financial firm flagrantly runs roughshod over them by using its monopoly position to make them pay excess "swipe fees" on charge card transactions. Each merchant is gouged by a few thousand dollars a year, but proving their claims in court could cost about $1 million each, making solo suits cost-prohibitive. Thus, to see justice done, they filed their lawsuit as a class.

"No you don't," barked AmEx lawyers, pointing to fine print in the corporation's contract with merchants that (1) requires disputes to go to arbitration, and (2) prohibits "any claims from being arbitrated on a class action basis." The upshot? If the Court agrees with AmEx, the one-sided bit of corporate boilerplate it slipped into its standard-form contract would allow it and every other corporation to use their private judicial system to nullify an Act of Congress. In other words, by corporate fiat, America's antitrust laws (and, by extension, other basic laws) would be superseded by a piece of mumbo-jumbo that private businesses put in BMA agreements.

[An "aha!" tidbit: The US Chamber of Commerce, which claims to be the unrelenting defender of small business, has put its own legal muscle firmly behind AmEx in this case, strenuously pushing the Court to let the credit card colossus hammer the little guys.]  hightower

=

Josten <a href="http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1122/focus-chamber-commerce-obama-lobbyist-bruce-josten.html">http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1122/focus-chamber-commerce-obama-lobbyist-bruce-josten.html</a>

<div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Power Lobbyist Bruce Josten</div><div style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Brian Wingfield, 11.22.10, 12:00 AM ET</div>

Brian Wingfield: What does the Chamber most want accomplished in the next two years?

Bruce Josten: One is extension of the soon-to-expire [Bush-era] tax cuts. I think we're well-positioned to get that because many Democrats are now calling for it. The business community knows full well that when President Clinton raised the individual rate it didn't result in a huge surge of new tax revenues. They also know that when he signed on to the Republican budget and reduced the capital gains rate, it freed up a lot of capital that ultimately led to the tech boom and a huge surge in tax revenues.

BW: Republicans are calling for a repeal of the health care reform law.

BJ: Practically speaking, you're never going to repeal it. Republicans may look at what are the provisions that they want to repeal, which may be the mandate that nearly all Americans purchase health insurance. That's not going to get a lot of support from the business community because the business community wants a fully insured marketplace. The Chamber will try to repeal parts of it, like the provision that requires businesses to file paperwork with the IRS for purchases worth at least $600 [intended to reduce tax cheating].

BW: Given the influence of the Tea Party, do we face two years of gridlock?

BJ: No. We'll have gridlock on some issues. But look, 435 House members need to run on something in two years, and saying we did nothing for two years is not going to be an acceptable answer to the American people.

BW: Is the Chamber going to push for an overhaul of the tax system?

BJ: We'd be supportive of it. It probably is, minimally, a two-to-three-year deal.

<p class="01 Article Text no indent" style="text-align: left; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">BW: What's your outlook for an energy bill?

BJ: I would say a sweeping, comprehensive cap-and-trade bill is dead for the next two years. The business community actually wants a comprehensive climate change approach--though it should be an all-of-the-above approach that includes coal, oil and nuclear.

BW: Do you consider President Obama to be antibusiness?

BJ: No. I will say he has a tendency to demonize and vilify business.

BW: Why do you think that is?

BJ: He's had a continuous history here of framing an enemy [health insurers, auto companies, bankers] in a campaign mode, demonizing them, vilifying them, making it sound as though it's us/everybody else against them because of their practices.

BW: The Administration has criticized the Chamber for not disclosing donors. As a tax-exempt you don't have to, but isn't it in the public interest?

BJ: Forcing disclosure is not informing. You are actually squelching free speech.

===

R. Bruce Josten, executive vice president for Government Affairs, is the second ranking officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the organization's senior government and political affairs executive.

Josten is the senior manager of six major divisions within the U.S. Chamber: Congressional and Public Affairs; Economic Policy; Environment, Technology and Regulatory Affairs; Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits; National Security & Emergency Preparedness; and Political Affairs and Federation Relations.

Josten is considered one of American business' most effective strategists in the ongoing battle with the trial lawyer lobby, from product liability issues to class action and tort reform. He served as co-chair of the Coalition to Save Medicare and founded the Employers for a Healthy Economy coalition and is sought after as one of the most knowledgeable and articulate pro-business advocates in the health care debate.

Josten is the key architect of the U.S. Chamber's resurgent position as leader of the business community's policy and grassroots activities in the 104th through the 111th Congresses. In the 104th Congress, when House and Senate leaders sought a prominent figure in the business community to head their balanced budget coalition—the key agenda item in the battle against big government—they turned to Josten and the U.S. Chamber, calling him "uniquely qualified to lead this major campaign." His persistent efforts resulted in the passage of the first balanced budget in 29 years and the first tax cut in 16 years.

In the 107th Congress, Josten co-founded the Tax Relief Coalition and helped enact the $1.35 trillion tax relief package, the first major tax cut in a generation. As the nation confronted its first energy crisis in a quarter century, Josten helped form the Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth (Alliance), a coalition that worked to enact a comprehensive national energy strategy, including the Energy Policy Act  2005 ] and the Energy Independence Security Act. Josten serves as the chief spokesperson for the Alliance.

Josten continues to develop new leadership opportunities for the U.S. Chamber while fighting to protect the interests of its diverse membership from the costly excesses of big government. At the national level, he succeeded in organizing The Coalition: Americans Working for Real Change, uniting many disparate, single-issue business and citizens groups under a broad-based umbrella to combat the legislative and political activities of the AFL-CIO and its efforts to unseat pro-business members of Congress.

At the U.S. Chamber, he has invested heavily in new technologies to enhance the Grassroots and Advocacy Programs (VoteForBusiness.com), resulting in a state-of-the-art legislative mobilization machine for American business.

Josten is a frequent commentator on national legislative, political, and economic issues affecting the business community, its employees, and the economy. He is quoted regularly by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, BusinessWeek, FORTUNE, and National Journal, among others, and he is often interviewed by the major television networks, including Meet the Press and talk radio.

Josten was recognized by Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill, as one of “The Politics Fabulous Fifty”—one of the 50 most influential Washingtonians in electing congressional candidates. In addition, he was named one of POLITICO’S “50 to Watch” as a D.C. standout “who will be a force to reckon with in the 2012 cycle.”

He also serves on the Dean's Advisory Committee of Public Affairs for The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management and is a board member of the United States Capitol Historical Society.

</div>

<h1 style="text-align: left; color: rgb(35, 31, 32); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 27px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. Chamber of Commerce Faces Changing Times</h1>

<h2 style="text-align: left; color: rgb(35, 31, 32); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">At Centennial, Group Faces Reshaped Landscape</h2>

<li style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">By <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/reporters/65.html" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(37, 112, 149); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Eliza Newlin Carney</a></li>

<li style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">Roll Call Staff</li>

<li style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">April 24, 2012, Midnight</li>

</ul>

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Donohue had much to celebrate when the business lobby marked its centennial last weekend. He also had cause for alarm.

The chamber has unleashed its costliest, most ambitious political mobilization effort ever, targeting about a dozen Senate and more than 50 House races in a campaign that, by some estimates, will top $50 million. It’s also spent more than $86 million on lobbying since the beginning of last year, outpacing all other advocacy groups.

But the chamber, which has been trumpeting its milestone in videos on YouTube and elsewhere, could be facing the political fight of its life. The Republican Party’s shift to the right has put the group at odds with lawmakers and advocacy groups allied with the tea party, fueling intraparty rifts on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail. In addition, a new generation of super PACs that can raise and spend unlimited money is crowding the airwaves in key races across the country, threatening to drown out the chamber’s message.

The organization’s increasingly aggressive lobbying and advocacy stance has also riled erstwhile allies, including local chambers of commerce, small-business advocates and corporations such as Yahoo and PG&E Corp. And the group faces pressure from consumer and shareholder advocates that oppose undisclosed political spending. As a 501(c)(6) trade group, the chamber operates outside campaign disclosure rules.

The recent progressive campaign to pressure more than a dozen corporations — including Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods and Mars Inc. — to withdraw from the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council could serve as “a model that can be replicated” to encourage “similar defections from the chamber,” Christy Setzer, a spokeswoman for U.S. Chamber Watch, a labor-backed watchdog group, said in an email.

“There are always people who are going to oppose the business community,” responded chamber Senior Vice President Rob Engstrom, the group’s national political director. “We welcome the debate every single time.”

Engstrom said friction with some House Republicans elected with the chamber’s help in 2010 has been overblown. Several recent chamber-backed measures — including legislation to raise the debt limit, reauthorize highway programs and renew the charter of the U.S. Export-Import Bank — have run aground amid conservative opposition.

Chamber-backed lawmakers have consistently scored 70 percent or higher in the group’s Congressional vote rankings, Engstrom said.

“At the end of the day, if someone’s voting with you 70 percent of the time, they’re your friend,” Engstrom said, acknowledging he’d like to see scores in the 90th percentile.

Engstrom said the chamber’s political program “is growing in an exponential way” and will surpass the almost $33 million in political expenditures that the group made in 2010, itself a record for the organization. In addition to campaign ads, which already top $3 million, the chamber is building on a grass-roots program launched in 2007 dubbed Friends of the Chamber that’s built an email network of 7.5 million likely voters.

The chamber is capable of doing anything it wants without the need to form a super PAC and can draw on its century-old brand, Engstrom said.

Still, leading super PACs could well outspend the chamber this year, including the GOP-friendly American Crossroads, which, with its affiliated nonprofit, has pledged to spend $240 million in the current cycle. And the anti-government Club for Growth, which operates a new super PAC that’s raised more than $5 million, is running ads attacking Rep. <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/members/245.html" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">Fred Upton</a> (R-Mich.) and Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), both of whom won backing from the chamber.

“The super PAC development has given, I think, more voices the opportunity to engage in the political debate, and I think that’s a good thing,” Club for Growth President Chris Chocola said. He said the club is “a pro-free-market” organization, while the chamber is a “pro-business organization,” adding that he couldn’t recall working closely with the chamber on anything.

The chamber’s latest ad campaign, aimed at 20 House Members and Senators, has led some local chambers and business leaders in Montana and Virginia to distance themselves from the messaging. Two rounds of ads targeting Sen. <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/members/25811.html" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">Jon Tester</a> (D-Mont.), which the campaign said totaled $600,000 and included one ad that misspelled his name, prompted Steve Malicott, president and CEO of the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce in Montana, to pen an op-ed assuring business leaders that his group didn’t support the ads or help underwrite them.

“As more and more businesses understand what’s going on [at the chamber], the more they’re saying ‘That’s not us,’” said Frank Knapp, president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and vice chairman of an alternate business group dubbed the American Sustainable Business Council that purports to represent 100,000 businesses. “They do not represent the interests of the majority of small businesses in this country.”

The tension isn’t limited to small or progressive businesses. Corporations such as Apple Inc. and Exelon Corp. dropped their membership in the chamber after its leaders opposed Environmental Protection Agency climate regulations. More recently, Yahoo left the chamber after its campaign to back anti-piracy legislation.

Liberal activists are pressing for more defections. MoveOn.org and a group called Sum of Us have mounted campaigns, so far unsuccessful, to get Toyota Motor Corp. and Google to leave the chamber. A growing shareholder movement aimed at improving disclosure of political expenditures, including the money companies spend through trade associations, could bring more unwanted exposure.

“In many cases, the large companies provide the most significant amount of funding” to the chamber, said Bruce Freed, president and founder of the Center for Political Accountability, which has played a lead role in the push for corporate disclosure. “Will they continue to give the chamber the leeway that it has, or will the companies become more assertive?”

===

redux; News corp gave 1m to RNC,(#1 corp donor, publically traded co's give to both sides) //  david koch 

fox unapolegetic b/c rnc supports free mkts, and nayway really b/c of pal Kasich (fox pundit --> ohio gov)218

aslo 1m to Coc, in middle of 72 m attack ads , incl distorting of gabby g recd

in face of CoC charge for $m GBeck donated and urged listeners to, 300K best day ever

funded the Davis hit:  Though the ATA resisted Gray Davis' lawsuit to avoid disclosing its funders in 2001, the group revealed its major 2002 contributors' names (most likely mistakenly) in the 2002 tax form it provided Public Citizen. Its top contributor that year was the <a href="http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=43">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>, which gave $2.6 million. The ATA received about $2.3 million of that donation in the month before Election Day.<a href="http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=106#11">11</a> The Chamber reportedly employed a strategy of funding outside groups to influence judicial elections in 2002, making its role more discrete than in 2000 when it broadcast ads under its own name.<a href="http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=106#12">12</a>

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="95%"><tbody><tr><td class="small" valign="top">American Taxpayers Alliance 990 form, 2002.</td></tr><tr><td class="small" valign="top">Robert Lenzner and Matthew Miller, "Buying Justice; For Years Trial Lawyers Owned State Courts. Now Big Business Is Striking Back," Forbes, July 21, 2003.</td></tr></tbody></table>

==

<h1 class="txttitle" style="margin: 30px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; font-size: 22px; width: 475.962px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Bagful of Cash" Report Exposing the US Chamber of Commerce</h1>

By Carl Gibson, Reader Supported News

20 July 13

<img src="/4a989bae-ad19-5230-980f-fcf32017ebd2.jpg"/>he following is an excerpt from <a href="http://shutthechamber.org/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Shut the Chamber</a>'s new 28-page report, "Bagful of Cash: How the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Orchestrated a Corporate Takeover of Government." My goal when writing the report was to publish a one-stop-shop for everything relating to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's domination of all institutions of merit, from Congress to the courts, to the election cycles. This report also shows how the U.S. Chamber has invested millions of corporate dollars into opposing all legislation relating to healthcare, financial reform, closing corporate tax loopholes, and climate change. The report also highlights the U.S. Chamber's support of austerity, fracking, the Keystone XL pipeline, and mostly Republican pro-corporate candidates running for Congress. You can read the full report at<a href="http://bit.ly/bagfulofcash" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">bit.ly/bagfulofcash</a>.

Part III: The Corporate Takeover

People seem to listen to you more when you've got a bagful of cash.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/business/energy-environment/19CHAMBER.html?pagewanted=all&r=0" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The New York Times</a>

</blockquote>

According to Donohue, the Chamber raises <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/business/how-tom-donohue-transformed-the-us-chamber-of-commerce.html?pagewanted=all" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$5 million per week</a> to keep its operations running. Most of this money, however, comes from billion-dollar corporations, not small businesses. The U.S. Chamber has spent <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000019798" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$983 million</a> on lobbying since 1998, and has already spent $16 million in 2013 according to the most recent quarterly reports. The <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientbills.php?id=D000019798&year=2013" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">most recent bills</a> (see "Bills" tab) opposed by Chamber lobbyists included the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have secured financial parity between women and men in the workplace, and the Corporate Tax Fairness Act, which would have closed loopholes and exemptions often used by multinational corporations to avoid paying federal taxes on their U.S. profits. While ultimately unsuccessful, the Chamber did <a href="http://www.uschambersmallbusinessnation.com/article/porked-up-sandy-relief-bill-storms-into-senate" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">attempt to defeat a bill</a> providing federal disaster relief to cities hit by Superstorm Sandy.

Roughly half of the U.S. Chamber's $140 million spent in 2008 came from just <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/us/politics/22chamber.html?pagewanted=1&r=1" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">45 anonymous donors</a>. And in 2009, out of the whopping $150 million spent on lobbying, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-17/insurers-gave-u-s-chamber-86-million-used-to-oppose-obama-s-health-law.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">over half of that money</a> came from the American Health Insurance Providers (AHIP), a lobbying group consisting of the top 5 biggest health insurers. The Chamber subsequently flooded airwaves with ads full of misleading statements about the Affordable Care Act, and sent armies of lobbyists to Congress to oppose the bill. Even though health care reform still passed, the Chamber spent <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cycle=2010&cmte=US+Chamber+of+Commerce" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$33.8 million</a> attacking supporters of the legislation in those respective congressional districts, leading to a takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives by corporate-funded candidates. The momentum created by the Chamber's furious opposition to the Affordable Care Act essentially created a Chamber-endorsed House majority that has voted to repeal the act nearly 40 times.

The U.S. Chamber brags about consistently ranking #1 in lobbyist spending for several years in the last decade. In 2012, the Chamber spent $139,000,000 on influencing congressional outcomes, as seen in figure 3.3. To compare, the two largest labor unions - the <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000088" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">AFL-CIO</a> and the <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000077" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SEIU</a> - spent just under a combined $6 million last year.

The U.S. Chamber also spent considerable sums fighting the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill in 2009/2010, influencing Congress to vote down or neuter the bill, which was aimed at strengthening financial regulations to prevent a crisis similar to the 2008 housing collapse and subsequent bailouts of the nation's biggest banks. The Chamber specifically came out with a <a href="http://www.complianceweek.com/us-chamber-details-long-wish-list-of-dodd-frank-changes/article/288109/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">laundry list</a> of amendments aimed at removing all regulatory teeth from the bill, such as removing the derivatives regulations outlined in the Volcker Rule, leaving the leadership and budgeting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the mercy of a Congress which was largely installed with the help of the Chamber's financial support, and silencing Wall Street whistleblowers, among others. As recently as April 2013, Tom Donohue was on CNBC <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100630760" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">calling for the repeal of not-yet-written rules</a> imposed on the financial institutions that decimated the world economy.

Dodd-Frank was written in a hurry and it was written in anger. And here we are three years later ... We're already putting extraordinary stress on every kind of financial institution in this country.

U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue

</blockquote>

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's most heavily lobbied bill was in 2010, when they threw their full weight behind the Stop Online Piracy Act, or <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57334409-281/sopas-most-aggressive-defender-u.s-chamber-of-commerce/" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SOPA</a>. The bill would have allowed for global entertainment companies to censor any online content at their discretion. Despite the opposition to the bill on the part of many powerful Silicon Valley tech companies who were members of the U.S. Chamber, the group's lobbyists pushed hard for its passage.

The Chamber's vast lobbying efforts have, at least indirectly, led to the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-29/texas-blast-recalls-chemical-safety-bill-sunk-by-business-lobby.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">early 2013 explosion at the fertilizer plant in West, Texas</a>, which killed dozens of first responders and leveled the surrounding community. A 2009 bill aimed at strengthening safety standards at chemical and fertilizer plants like the one in West was labeled a "key vote" by the Chamber that year, and the group mobilized on behalf of fertilizer companies to successfully defeat additional safety regulations. The bill was defeated in the House, and wasn't even brought up for a vote in the Senate. The Chamber has never publicly apologized for spending millions to defeat legislation that could have potentially saved the community of West from the explosion. Thanks to the continued support of decreased regulation, the West fertilizer plant has been inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/texas-fertilizer-plant-ha_n_3113117.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">just once since 1985</a>.

U.S. Chamber CEO Tom Donohue has been one of the most outspoken proponents of <a href="http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/karoli/us-chamber-ceo-donohue-fracking-our-future-" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">austerity</a>, and advocates regularly for the overhaul of Social Security and Medicare to become commoditized programs in which corporations can seize more profit. Tom Donohue's Chamber also backed President George W. Bush's plan to <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/issues/retirementpension/socialsecurity/strengthening-social-security-presidents-proposal" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">privatize Social Security</a> in 2005. Combining the Chamber's support for Social Security privatization and support for deregulating financial institutions, it isn't hard to imagine a much more dismal scenario in the 2008 financial crisis if Social Security funds had been plundered along with the housing market bubble burst.

The other side of the U.S. Chamber's pro-austerity coin is its vehement defense of corporate tax avoidance. Even though <a href="http://payupnow.org/20130708_4TaxAvoidExamps.xls" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">32 corporations</a> dodged enough federal income taxes to pay for the entire education budget (approximately $72 billion), the Chamber of Commerce successfully lobbied to defeat the Corporate Tax Fairness Act, which would have closed enough tax loopholes to generate approximately <a href="http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=97624115-46f1-4652-acd6-79492a08a1a8" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$70 billion</a> in additional tax revenue every year. The contribution to federal tax revenues between payroll taxes paid by employees and income tax paid by corporations has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/chart-shows-corp-taxes-grossly-unfair_n_3321737.html" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">flipped</a>. From 1950-1960, corporations paid roughly $1.00 in income taxes to every $0.33 in payroll taxes paid by employees. Today, corporations are only paying approximately $0.07 cents in income tax to every $0.33 in payroll tax paid by employees. Essentially, the Chamber is using the budget gap to demand the gutting of earned benefits like Social Security and Medicare while lobbying to absolve its corporate members of its federal income tax obligations.

Tom Donohue has <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/blog/insider/2012/09/us-chamber-donohue-business-council.html?page=all" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">gone on record</a> supporting the practice of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, as have many of the Chamber's state affiliates. Despite <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/06/19/1221635110.full.pdf+html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">well-documented risks</a> to community drinking water supplies, the Chamber alleges that fracking provides jobs. While that may be true, the Chamber has lobbied to defeat bills aimed at investing in alternative, renewable energy sources proven to generate <a href="http://www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/other_publication_types/peri_report.pdf" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">far more jobs</a>.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also used the jobs and domestic energy arguments in its support of the <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2013/april/us-chamber%E2%80%99s-energy-institute-submits-formal-comments-state-department-sup" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Keystone XL pipeline</a> which would mine tar sands oil in Alberta, Canada, and pipe it 1,700 miles to Port Arthur, Texas. The pipeline's most optimistic predictions only credit it with creating <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/13/news/economy/keystone_pipeline_jobs/index.htm" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6,000 jobs</a>over a two-year period, meaning 3,000 temporary jobs each year. And even though oil companies would get rich from the pipeline, none of the oil would actually be used in the U.S. as it has already been <a href="http://priceofoil.org/content/uploads/2011/09/OCIkeystoneXL_2011R.pdf" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">marked for export</a> mostly to South American and European markets.

Current Chamber president Tom Donohue is on the board of directors for <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/are_chamber_of_commerce_presid.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Union Pacific Railroad</a>, which would be partially responsible for transporting tar sands oil by train to be refined in Texas should the Keystone XL pipeline never be built. Union Pacific has <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/09/us-chamber-commerce-president-tom-donohues-climate-conflict-interest-0" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">paid Donohue</a> more than $1.1 million since 1998 in retainers, and it has donated over $700,000 to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce since 2004.

Despite repeated warnings from climate scientists like NASA's James Hansen, who said that tar sands oil would mean "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/19/tar-sands-exploitation-climate-scientist" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">game over for the climate</a>," the Chamber has actually gone on record saying that climate change can be mitigated by humans adapting their anatomies to a warmer climate.

Humans have become less susceptible to the effects of heat due to a combination of adaptations, particularly air conditioning. The availability of air conditioning is expected to continue to increase ... Populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of behavioral, physiological and technological adaptations.

- <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/more-chamber-commerces-climate-denial" target="_blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">U.S. Chamber of Commerce comment to the EPA</a>

</blockquote>

In the John Roberts Supreme Court, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has an <a href="http://www.nationalmemo.com/elizabeth-warren-warns-that-the-supreme-court-is-becoming-a-subsidiary-of-the-chamber-of-commerce/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">overwhelming win rate of 70%</a>, particularly in cases where it has first filed an amicus brief. During the duration of President Obama's first term, the Chamber was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/supreme-court-us-chamber-of-commerce_n_1617392.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">undefeated</a> in Supreme Court rulings in which it was invested. The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/business/pro-business-decisions-are-defining-this-supreme-court.html?smid=fb-share&r=1&" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">reported</a> that the nation's highest court hasn't been this accommodating to major corporations since World War II, quietly stacking up small victories for them in a stream of 5-4 decisions.

The Chamber's lawyers successfully got the Supreme Court to make it harder for victims of corporate negligence to <a href="http://record-eagle.com/business/x2113334878/Court-makes-it-harder-to-sue-businesses" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">sue for damages</a>, whether they are claimants in the BP oil spill or employees of corporations filing class-action lawsuits in cases of abuse. They recently ruled in favor of agribusiness giant<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/13/monsanto-patent-grain-biotechnology-soybeans-supreme-court/2116333/" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Monsanto</a> in a seed patent case against a farmer trying to save his seeds, ruling that Monsanto had the right to claim domain over the farmer's crops, since their genetically-modified seeds had cross-pollinated into the neighboring organic crops on the farmer's plot. <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/02/monsanto.html" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Justice Clarence Thomas</a> once worked as a corporate attorney for Monsanto. He did not recuse himself from the decision. He also didn't recuse himself when ruling against the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, despite his wife's having <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/14/nation/la-na-thomas14-2010mar14" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">launched a lobbying group</a> opposed to the Affordable Care Act's implementation.

Perhaps the most notable case of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce winning a Supreme Court ruling where an amicus brief was filed was in their support of the <a href="http://www.cuvfec.com/documents/case-08-205/Supplemental_Amicus_Brief_US_Chamber_of_Commerce.pdf" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Citizens United v. FEC ruling</a> in 2010. The Supreme Court's decision effectively reversed a century's worth of campaign laws, now allowing corporations to spend an unlimited amount of money from their vast treasuries on electioneering purposes. In the 2010 congressional midterm elections, <a href="http://www.fixtheuschamber.org/sites/default/files/a_u.s.chamber_watch_report-november_2010_0.pdf" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">93% of the Chamber's contributions</a> went to Republican candidates. Of the remaining money spent on 11 Democrat candidates, they were on non-candidate specific ads. The Chamber exclusively funded Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Though they endorsed West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, they didn't spend any money on his behalf. In the 2012 elections, the Chamber pledged to spend $50 million (but reported <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-04/chamber-of-commerce-33-million-lost-most-races-bgov-barometer.html" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">$33 million</a>), ranking 8th in total outside money spent. Of the 50 House and Senate races in which the Chamber had spent money to support or oppose candidates, they lost 36 races. Among groups that don't identify their donors, the Chamber ranked second behind the Koch Industries-backed Americans for Prosperity.

Attempts to roll back the effects of Citizens United v. FEC are met with fierce opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. While successfully lobbying to kill the <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.3369" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">DISCLOSE Act</a>, which would have required groups spending money on elections to reveal their donors, the Chamber called the attempts to regulate corporate dominance of the election cycle an attack on <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/freespeech" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">free speech and democracy</a>.

What's most in need of disclosure is the real purpose behind this bill. It's nothing more than a brazen attempt to tilt the playing field in favor of the incumbent party in this fall's elections, silence constitutionally protected speech, and abridge First Amendment rights.

U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue

</blockquote>

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is also a member of the <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/What_is_ALEC%3F" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">American Legislative Exchange Council</a>(ALEC), an organization that brings together corporate lobbyists with largely Republican state legislators. At annual ALEC retreats, lobbyists and legislators break off into task forces which collaboratively write "model bills" to maximize corporate profit. Model legislation aims to privatize public assets, lower corporate taxes, and repeal environmental regulations and workers' rights. The Chamber is a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Civil_Justice_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Civil Justice Task Force</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Education </a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Task Force</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/International_Relations_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">International Relations Task Force</a>, and the<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force" target="blank" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force</a>.

Carl Gibson, 26, is co-founder of US Uncut, a nationwide creative direct-action movement that mobilized tens of thousands of activists against corporate tax avoidance and budget cuts in the months leading up to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Carl and other US Uncut activists are featured in the documentary "We're Not Broke," which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. He currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin. You can contact him at <a href="mailto:carl@rsnorg.org" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">carl@rsnorg.org</a>, and follow him on twitter at @uncutCG.

===

mojo strange case

The data dump from the HBGary hack was so vast that no one person could sort through it alone. So Brown decided to crowdsource the effort. He created a wiki page, called it <a href="http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Main_Page" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ProjectPM</a> [5], and invited other investigative journalists to join in. Under Brown’s leadership, the initiative began to slowly untangle a web of connections between the US government, corporations, lobbyists and a shadowy group of private military and information security consultants.

One connection was between Bank of America and the Chamber of Commerce. WikiLeaks had claimed to possess a large cache of documents belonging to Bank of America. Concerned about this, Bank of America approached the United States Department of Justice. The DOJ directed it to the law and lobbying firm <a href="http://www.hunton.com/" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hunton and Williams</a> [6], which does legal work for Wells Fargo and General Dynamics and also lobbies for Koch Industries, Americans for Affordable Climate Policy, Gas Processors Association, Entergy among many other firms. The DoJ recommended that Bank of America hire Hunton and Williams, explicitly suggesting <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/19/chamber-of-commerce-still_n_768076.html" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Richard Wyatt</a>[7] as the person to work with. Wyatt, famously, was the lead attorney in the Chamber of Commerce’s lawsuit against the Yes Men.

In November 2010, Hunton and Williams organized a number of private intelligence, technology development and security contractors—HBGary, plus Palantir Technologies, Berico Technologies and, according to Brown, a secretive corporation with the ominous name Endgame Systems—to form “Team Themis”—‘themis’ being a Greek word meaning “divine law.” Its main objective was to discredit critics of the Chamber of Commerce, <a href="http://images2.americanprogress.org/ThinkProgress/ProposalForTheChamber.pdf" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">like Chamber Watch</a> [8], using such tactics as creating a “false document, perhaps highlighting periodical financial information,” giving it to a progressive group opposing the Chamber, and then subsequently exposing the document as a fake to “prove that US Chamber Watch cannot be trusted with information and/or tell the truth.” In addition, the group proposed creating a “fake insider persona” to infiltrate Chamber Watch. They would “create two fake insider personas, using one as leverage to discredit the other while confirming the legitimacy of the second.” The leaked e-mails showed that similar disinformation campaigns were being planned against WikiLeaks and Glenn Greenwald.

It was clear to Brown that these were actions of questionable legality, but beyond that, government contractors were attempting to undermine Americans’ free speech—with the apparent blessing of the DOJ. A group of Democratic congressmen <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR2011022805810.html" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">asked for an investigation</a> [9] into this arrangement, to no avail.

Read more: <a href="http://www.thenation.com/print/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown#ixzz2Y7fLyn6F" style=" color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">The Strange Case of Barrett Brown</a> <a href="http://www.thenation.com/print/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown#ixzz2Y7fLyn6F" style=" color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">http://www.thenation.com/print/article/174851/strange-case-barrett-brown#ixzz2Y7fLyn6F</a>

Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=caN4nSSpSr4RB7acwqm_6l&u=thenation" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">@thenation on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=caN4nSSpSr4RB7acwqm_6l&u=TheNationMagazine" target="blank" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">TheNationMagazine on Facebook</a>

===

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/us/politics/11chamber.html?r=0&pagewanted=print">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/us/politics/11chamber.html?r=0&pagewanted=print</a>

<div class="timestamp" style="margin-top: 15px; font-size: 10px; white-space: nowrap; color: rgb(168, 24, 23);">September 10, 2010</div>

<h1 style="font-size: 2.4em; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.083em;"><nyt_headline version="1.0" type=" ">Chamber of Commerce Accused of Tax Fraud</nyt_headline></h1>

<h6 class="byline" style="margin: 2px 0px; color: rgb(128, 128, 128); font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.2em;">By <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/eric_lichtblau/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Eric Lichtblau" class="meta-per" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">ERIC LICHTBLAU</a></h6>

<nyt_byline style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13.6px;"><nyt_text style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13.6px;" /></nyt_byline>

WASHINGTON — With a war chest rivaling that of the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/republican_party/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Republican Party" class="meta-org" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">Republican Party</a> itself, the <a href="http://www.uschamber.com/" style=" color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a> has emerged in the last year as perhaps the Obama administration’s most-well-financed rival on signature policy debates like health care and financial regulation.