DNC accuses Chamber of Commerce of ‘stealing election’

By John Byrne
Sunday, October 10, 2010 9:43 EST
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In a new sharp-tongued tactic from the Democrats, the Democratic National Committee has launched a salvo against the largely Republican US Chamber of Commerce, accusing the organization of taking foreign money to influence US politics.

Titled “Stealing Democracy,” the ad cites major Bush-era figures, including former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie.

“Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie: They’re Bush cronies. The US Chamber of Commerce: They’re shills for big business,” the ad’s announcer remarks. “And they’re stealing our democracy. Spending Millions from secret donors to elect Republicans to do their bidding in Congress. It appears they’re even taking secret foreign money to influence our elections. It’s incredible, Republicans benefiting from secret foreign money. Tell the Bush Crowd and the Chamber of Commerce – stop stealing our democracy.”

Huffington Post’s Sam Stein notes that the spot appears timed to attack Rove and Gillespie’s planned appearances on Sunday talk shows. He maintains, however, that the accusations are of questionable veracity.

The spot, timed to preempt Rove and Gillespie’s appearances on the Sunday talk show circuit, echoes what has quickly and clearly become the closing argument Democrats (from the White House on down) are making as the election nears. But it comes at a time of conflicting reports over the veracity of the charges. On Saturday the New York Times published a story questioning a basis of the report uncovering the Chamber’s foreign pools of cash. Specifically, the story quoted White House counsel Bob Bauer acknowledging that there was no specific evidence that the Chamber had crossed legal lines by using foreign money for its electioneering.

“The DNC ad is rubbish,” said Tom Collamore, senior vice president of Communications and Strategy for the U.S. Chamber. “The U.S. Chamber will continue to discuss ways to create jobs and grow the economy no matter how often others may try to change the conversation. We’ve been working for growth, jobs, and opportunity for 100 years and we won’t be deterred now.”

The spot appears below.

John Byrne
John Byrne
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  • Anonymous

    I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.
    -Thomas Jefferson

  • http://twitter.com/savagelight ThatBostonMan

    So what if it’s legal? It’s still not good for America.

  • http://topsy.com/www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/dnc-accuses-chamber-commerce-stealing-election/?utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2 Tweets that mention DNC accuses Chamber of Commerce of ‘stealing election’ | Raw Story — Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cynthia Yildirim, The Raw Story, Robert Greenwald, Bonnie Sonder, MIP on SIR146/XM167 and others. MIP on SIR146/XM167 said: RT @RawStory: DNC accuses Chamber of Commerce of ‘stealing election’: http://is.gd/fV0cQ #p2 #tcot [...]

  • http://www.facebook.com/jacquesg1 Jacques Graber

    Then, “Chamber” if you claim such “fostering of growth, jobs and the economy”, why not spend EQUALLY on both the Dem and Repub sides to gain that support, hmmm? Garnerr support from both sides to get that push for increeased American jobs. Instead, to quote Mr. Gillespi, don’t “refudiate” your role as “Chamber of Commerce” for ALL Americans, not just the Repulsican ones.

  • Anonymous

    Tempest in a teapot! Who’s kidding whom? The Republican corporate wing has been bribing the Democrats for decades and the Democrats have been accepting the bribes. Give the corporatists what they want – free rein to steal the country blind, in exchange for programs that hustle the underclass for their votes at the expense of the tax-paying middle class. They’re just elitist power mongers fighting over which one gets to turn the screw next.

  • Anonymous

    True ad. Good for them.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bimboino-Pan/100000432112163 Bimboino Pan

    The purpose, goal and function of the US Chamber of Commerce is to ELIMINATE jobs, not create them or preserve them.

    They are a pro-business group, and a goal of business is to have a few jobs as possible.

    This is obvious to everyone except the news media and the moron tea baggers/conservatives who believe businesses “create” jobs. Jobs are created and eliminated based on supply and demand and the US Chamber of Commerce works to reduce the supply to heighten the demand so that business can lower wages and increase profits.

    That’s it. That’s what their organization is all about.

    Any working person, anyone with a job, who supports or votes for a candidate, initiative or organization that is associated with the US Chamber of Commerce is an idiot working against his own economic interests.

  • Anonymous

    True. Real jobs growth comes from new companies, which in a normal business cycle will either grow larger and employ more, or fall by the wayside.

    By there can never be a normal business cycle ever again in America as they have dismantled the economy over the past 35 years.

    The American-based multinationals have been not only offshoring jobs dramatically with each decade, but this past decade they have invested sole in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), meaning all the new jobs they have created have been offshore.

    The US Chamber of Commerce, long a major promoter for the offshoring of all American jobs, is nothing but another American-based multinational, and has nothing to do with the interests of the American citizenry and workers.

    And while the majority of American-based multinationals and corporations pay no federal taxes (over 70% based upon a number of GAO studies — anyone doubting this simply begin reading them), Wall Street treats the US Treasury as their very own ATM machine — thus the principal cause of the Neverending Depression.

  • Anonymous

    GOP bottom line stop all MADE IN USA> only job left is retail and service jobs, low paying. They want a large gap between the rich and the poor. No rules for what company’s left, dump your sludge anywhere. Labor cost is a small cost to U.S. company’s it the safety rules they don’t like, and rather have the people of China pay all health cost, and work related injury.

  • Anonymous

    I would have went with pictures of Chinese businessmen with a Chairman Mao backdrop while the commercial was talking about foreign nations buying our elections.

  • Anonymous

    The Democrats continue with their tired old divisive wedge politics. The People will no longer stand for the creation of economic disasters and racial unrest. Vote for REAL change, sake up the establishment. Candidates like Angle, O’Donnell, Miller and Paul will put the “WE THE PEOPLE” back in Washington.

  • Anonymous

    Actually if candidates like Angle, O’Donnell, Miller and Paul get in they’ll wee wee all over WE THE PEOPLE. They are for ME THE PERSON.

    Reagan, worst President EVER.

  • Anonymous

    The US Chamber of Commerce, is an un American front group for the Multi National Corporations that are part of the New Wold Order and should be investigated for trying to buy the Election.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lon-Warneke/1409625620 Lon Warneke

    At this point in American politics…
    ONLY A FOOL would vote for a candidate that does not or will not provide full disclosure of their campaign donors.
    Are you one of those fools?…Undecided or not, try this to be sure…

    What I have done is send the text below to candidates to see if they are willing to tell me about where their money/influences are coming from….Please fell free to copy and paste the text and send to your candidates to see if they are willing to give you the information you need to decide if they are worthy of your vote:

    “I have decided to not cast my vote for any candidate this year that does not, or will not, publicly provide a full disclosure list of their campaign donors for my review and consideration prior to the November election. Please direct me to a timely list of (name of candidate’s) campaign donors for my review and consideration. If you can not, or will not do this for me, please exercise the courtesy of telling me why not.”

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lon-Warneke/1409625620 Lon Warneke

    Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.
    -Thomas Jefferson

    A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.
    -Thomas Jefferson

  • Anonymous

    The Chamber of Commerce should be put out of buisness and labeled Traitors if this is true!

  • Anonymous

    wow…go figure…the Chamber also seems to be closely connected to ‘The Heritage Foundation’ as well…
    this guy was ‘Associate Chief Economist of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’.
    http://www.heritage.org/about/staff/u/ronald-utt

    and sometimes, even one in the same!…
    http://www.westlibertyiowa.com/index.php?content=heritagefoundation

    http://www.aikenchamber.net/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=SRSHeritage&category=ChamberNews

  • Anonymous

    The chamber of Corruption is going to have a big surprise come election night. We the People have been lying to the polls. Two can play the same game.

  • yvonneo

    A vote for the repubs is a vote to maintain the status quo. And teabaggers are just repubs by another name.

    Also, who decided that you would be the voice of “the people?” You’re just one person and can only speak for yourself. And when you speak, your obvious purpose is to attempt to project the guilt of the repubs onto the dems–which as I recall, was a well-publicized repub election strategy designed to focus this election on what the dems haven’t done in order to keep the focus off the repubs whose policies created this economic mess in the first place.

    Divisive wedge issues such as gays (homophobia), illegal immigration (xenophobia), anti-abortion (religious anti-choice terrorism), and racial unrest–in general, all fearmongering superstitions and phobias–are repub wedge issues that you guys are only really concerned about during election years. And economic disasters tend to occur as a result of repub economic policies such as reagan’s failed “trickle down” theory (aka reaganomics and/or voodoo economics). And your assertions to the contrary is another classic example of projection.

  • http://twitter.com/ivanafter5 Ivan After 5

    GOP operatives stealing elections….brought to you by the ACTIVIST Roberts Supreme Court!

  • Anonymous

    It is true, all their offshore money goes into the same account that the Chamber is using for their ad buys, they are claiming that the money is somehow being separated but they have no way of showing that in fact it is being separated and they are not able to give any evidence ot support their claims, because all the money is mixed together. These people have been slime for nearly as long as the Farm Bureau another den of liars and thieves posing as an innocent group trying to make sure that farmers get a fair shake.

  • Anonymous

    Blood Stain Iraq.

  • Anonymous

    Tell that to Obama and his suspicious donors for his bogus election campaign.

  • http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

    Ouch…harsh language from the party that downplayed Chinese execs buying nights to sleep over at the White House during the Clinton years.

    I’m not saying the DNC is wrong either…its entirely true…the Chamber of Commerce is an inherently biased entity with a distinctly GOP political interest that funnels millions into races for conservatives…its what they do. It should be completely illegal…but its mostly not.

    What I am saying is that its a dirty game…and no one on The Hill is clean when it comes to foreign loot. Think tanks are swimming in it, lobbyists are soaked in it…and even if it LOOKS clean…if you go further back down the chain theres some dirt to be found elsewhere nearby.

    Until we learn the hard lessons and BAN corporate bundled loot and foreign donors completely…with jail sentence and gigantic fines that scare them so bad their testes shrivel just thinking of it, this shit will continue to steer American politics now and forever.

  • Anonymous

    Listen DogblessedAmerica, these teabaggars are on the payroll of corporate america.
    The Koch brothers are sending you a check for your hard work.
    Nice picture of Ronnie Raygun.(start wars missle defense sysrem still dosen’t work)

  • Anonymous

    “Re-post

    From the Republican Chamber of Commerce own website. . . .

    List of upcoming events:

    • 10/08/2010 – 10/08/2010 2010 Economic Conference – “Brazil: A Global Player”

    • 10/08/2010 – 10/08/2010 Bahrain Banks Association Reception

    • 10/12/2010 – 10/12/2010 Lunch with Egypt Minister of Finance, Boutros Ghali

    • 10/18/2010 – 10/20/2010 USIBC Food & Agriculture Mission to India

    • 10/18/2010 – 10/20/2010 USIBC Food & Agriculture Mission to India

    • 10/18/2010 – 10/19/2010 The United States and Israel: Building Business Through Innovation

    • 10/27/2010 – 10/29/2010 USIBC to lead Clean Energy Executive Mission to India

    • 11/07/2010 – 11/11/2010 Iraq Business Initiative – Iraq Trade Mission

    • 11/15/2010 – 11/15/2010 Moroccan Minister of Agriculture

    • 11/17/2010 – 11/17/2010 Iraq Business Initiative Trade Mission

    http://www.uschamber.com/events

    And they say they are committed to creating American jobs. Uh huh, sure, okie dokie, whatever they say. *sigh*”

  • Anonymous

    To Make You, Keep You, and Deny You

    The John Roberts Run Supreme Court helped make possible for the Republican Chamber of Congress to hide their Campaign’s Foreign Funding!

    • Make you Unemployed http://ibnlive.in.com/news/antioutsourcing-bill-blocked-in-us-senate/131940-7.html

    • Keep You Unemployed http://politicalcorrection.org/blog/201010080001

    • Deny You Unemployment Benefits when you can’t find a JOB they continue to BLOCK!!! http://leftonlanier.com/2010/07/03/republicans-blocking-unemployment-benefits-timeline/

    The Republican Chamber of Commerce’s has enlisted the use of Foreign Funds to finance attacks against those Democrats who are fighting to stop the Outsourcing of American Jobs Overseas.

    http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-23/republicans-block-campaign-spending-disclosure-bill.html”

    “The Party of No Means NO JOBS for Americans

  • ladygeek

    Back a couple of decades ago, the local COC’s were a wealth of information if you wanted to start a business or find a job in your field, they would help you for free. SCORE was affiliated with COC’s as well so it was like a 1 stop shop if you needed help.

    I don’t know what’s happened here but it’s certainly got corrupted.

  • NadePaulKuciGravMcKi

    Both parties are criminal.

  • ladygeek

    That’s only because they chose to use the 501c(6) clause so they could get away with not publishing who their donors are – that clause should be eliminated from the 501c tax law. I’ve belonged to 501c organizations where they provided some type of community support and were not in the business of politics. This tax law perverts the general meaning of a nonprofit organization. This tax law should not apply to the USCOC because they obviously are conducting business that is more like free enterprise than nonprofit.

    There is still a big difference between your local COC and the US COC.

  • http://twitter.com/jerseyblueboy Karim Walker

    a commercial with stones. about damn time…

  • Anonymous

    If Hitler were alive he could have ruled the United States by donating to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because the U.S Chamber of Commerce don’t care, it’s all business as usual to them and to the Republicans too. They replaced the starts and strips with bar codes.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lon-Warneke/1409625620 Lon Warneke

    It applies across the board.

  • Anonymous

    Yes they will. They will save us by creating a smaller government with governmental supervising of all sex acts. Outlawing gays and gay sex. Finally outlawing touching one’s private area and masturbating! Outlawing science. Bring back religion in public schools. Out law abortion even in cases of incest and rape. God must have wanted those women and children to bear their rapist babies for a reason. Bring back good old fashion witch craft! They will put the “WE” back into “We the people”! They will do away with social security and medicare and they will help us take our country back! The teabaggers will lead us through these terrible sinful years and deliver us into the arms of the Lord! Can I get an AMEN!

  • Anonymous

    If I walk into a business with a Chamber of Commerce sign – I tell the proprietor that I can’t do business there because of the sign and leave. .

  • Anonymous

    By accepting secret foreign money, this makes all the Republicans at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce FOREIGN AGENTS.

    And who knows how many other secretive Republican front groups have been receiving secret foreign money? Karl Rove’s, maybe? Dick Armey’s, too?

    All Republicans, until this is all cleared up, should register at their nearest FBI office as a potential foreign agent!!! Or concerned, patriotic American should call their nearest FBI office and report these Republicans.

    We wouldn’t want these foreign-agent Republicans to run afoul of FISA or any other patriotic American laws, would we?

    And next month I will definitely not be voting for any of these foreign agent Republicans. I’m a U.S. military veteran. I swore an oath. I’m voting straight Democratic Party ticket, simply because I haven’t heard or seen of any true Democrats trying to hide secret foreign donations, nor trying to block the DISCLOSE act, like foreign agent Republicans did.

  • Anonymous

    it’s about time to start impeachment on roberts and alito.

    http://thenewyorkcrank.blogspot.com/2010/06/justices-roberts-and-alito-can-be.html

    http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/06/alito-chambers-high-court-ringer

    “Alito: The Chamber of Commerce’s Supreme Court Ringer?”

  • http://evilqueen.demesnes.net/2010/10/11/links-for-2010-10-10-15/ links for 2010-10-10 « Silent Lucidity

    [...] DNC accuses Chamber of Commerce of ‘stealing election’ | Raw Story RT @RawStory: DNC accuses Chamber of Commerce of ‘stealing election’: http://is.gd/fV0cQ #p2 #tcot (tags: p2 tcot) [...]

  • Anonymous

    Nice blanket statement! So glad you could add something worthwhile to the discourse. Now would kindly cite the name or names of the shadow groups that the DNC are using to funnel cash from anonymous Foriegn and Domestic donors that is being used to fund attack adds against Republicans!?!? Thanks!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_U4CB4JMBKUBO6NL2RNREZDZUEA Freeky_Fried_Chicken

    The U.S. was sold down the road to foreign interests long ago by American traitors.

  • Anonymous

    When China other start foreclosure on the United State then what will the tea party,palin, beck, u.s. commerce and the repub?????? WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    I thank we need a revolution and stop all this bull—-.. None of these people speak for me why should we be sold again……it’s time for it to stop.

  • http://adorababyshop.com perlengkapan bayi

    It would devalue any cars we own that have been made by them. Where would we ge the parts needed for repairs? But…I’m with you. They’ve dug their own graves as far as I’m concerned. Private jets……BS!

  • http://biggovernment.com/sright/2010/10/15/unrepentant-domestic-terrorist-behind-anti-chamber-of-commerce-internet-campaign/ » Unrepentant Domestic Terrorist Behind Anti-Chamber of Commerce Internet Campaign – Big Government

    [...] by David Axelrod, MoveOn.org and all the usual Astro-Turfers who receive marching orders from the DNC.  It’s become part of the standard talking points for cable-news pundits and their [...]

  • http://www.conservativesforamerica.com/big-government/unrepentant-domestic-terrorist-behind-anti-chamber-of-commerce-internet-campaign Unrepentant Domestic Terrorist Behind Anti-Chamber of Commerce Internet Campaign | Conservatives for America

    [...] by David Axelrod, MoveOn.org and all the usual Astro-Turfers who receive marching orders from the DNC.  It’s become part of the standard talking points for cable-news pundits and their [...]

  • http://southcapitolstreet.com/2010/10/15/unrepentant-domestic-terrorist-behind-anti-chamber-of-commerce-internet-campaign/ Unrepentant Domestic Terrorist Behind Anti-Chamber of Commerce Internet Campaign « South Capitol Street

    [...] by David Axelrod, MoveOn.org and all the usual Astro-Turfers who receive marching orders from the DNC.  It’s become part of the standard talking points for cable-news pundits and their [...]

  • http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/137645-unrepenntant-domestic-terrorist-behind-anti-coc-internet-campaign.html#post2857883 Unrepenntant Domestic Terrorist Behind Anti-COC Internet Campaign – US Message Board – Political Discussion Forum

    [...] [...]

  • http://stagerightshow.com/2010/10/15/unrepentant-domestic-terrorist-behind-anti-chamber-of-commerce-internet-campaign/ The Stage Right Show | » Unrepentant Domestic Terrorist Behind Anti-Chamber of Commerce Internet Campaign

    [...] byDavid Axelrod, MoveOn.org and all the usual Astro-Turfers who receive marching orders from the DNC.  It’s become part of the standard talking points for cable-news pundits and [...]