Why Won’t Pat Toomey Denounce Attack Ads Paid for by Foreign Corporations?

Report: Toomey Ally Uses Money From Foreign Corporations to Attack Sestak

Harrisburg, PA – A recent report revealed that an ally of Pat Toomey is using contributions from foreign corporations to attack Joe Sestak in violation with election law. The report found that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce collected contributions from foreign corporations, which they used on political ads attacking candidates, including Joe Sestak. Earlier this year, the Chamber of Commerce was forced to remove false ads attacking Joe Sestak from Pennsylvania TV stations.

“It’s not surprising that Pat Toomey has remained silent as one of his largest backers has been revealed to accept contributions from foreign corporations to fund its political efforts – after all they both suport an agenda that helps foreign corporations more than Pennsylvania workers,” said Mark Nicastre a spokesman with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. “But Pennsylvanians deserve to know: Why won’t Pat Toomey denounce the Chamber of Commerce for funding its attack ads with contributions from foreign corporations?”

The Chamber of Commerce uses tax loopholes to avoid disclosing contributions from foreign corporations. Because the United States Chamber is organized as a 501(c)(6) business league under the federal tax code, it does not have to disclose its donors, so the full extent of foreign influence on its political agenda is unknown. But Tuesday’s report sheds light on how it raises money abroad. Its affiliate in Abu Dhabi, for example, the American Chamber of Commerce, says it has more than 450 corporate and individual members in the United Arab Emirates who pay as much as $8,500 a year to join. [New York Times, 10/5/10]

The Chamber of Commerce was forced to remove false ads attacking Joe Sestak. Responding to charges of inaccuracy from Rep. Joe Sestak’s Senate campaign, two Pittsburgh-area television stations have agreed to stop airing a commercial, sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which sharply attacks the Democrat’s voting record [Post Gazette, 7/15/10]

Chamber of Commerce under fire for foreign cash [Politico, 10/5/10]

Big Business Lobby Thrust Into Political Firestorm [Huffington Post, 10/5/10]

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