NGOs Call for the Firing of Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donahue: Time for a Criminal Investigation

October 20, 2009

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The www.StopTheChamber.com coalition, a network of NGOs representing over a million members, is calling for the firing of Chamber of Commerce ("COC") CEO Tom Donahue because his failure in leadership has led to a historical tarnishing of COC reputation and involvement in illegal conduct. The coalition also calls for a federal criminal investigation into the unethical and illegal activities of COC, including its filing of false tax returns, false statements about its membership, use of fake astroturf groups to create a fraudulent impression of support, violation of state campaign finance laws by funneling millions of anonymous dollars into elections, and pay-to-play conspiracy to undermine federal laws that protect Americans. As former New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer put it, ''Tom Donohue has never once found a crime that he couldn't justify, as long as it was committed by one of his dues-paying members."

"The Chamber of Commerce, led by Tom Donahue, has been masquerading as a legitimate trade organization while engaging in a massive scheme of fraud and disinformation designed to provide cover for it and some of its members to engage in unethical and even criminal activity," said coalition spokesperson and attorney Kevin Zeese. "It is time for Eric Holder to order a federal investigation of the Chamber under RICO in order to hold it and its leadership accountable for its pattern of illegal conduct. We have seen our economy, elections, health care and environment ravaged over the past ten years and, in virtually every instance, the Chamber was involved. Americans have had enough and we call on the Department of Justice to use its full weight to stop the Chamber's reprehensible criminal conduct."

    --  COC has been exaggerating its membership by saying that it had three
        million members when it has less than 300,000. This fraud conveyed a
        false impression of strength in order to raise money.
    --  COC was found by the Ohio Elections Commission to have violated campaign
        finance laws by creating a fake front group called Citizens for a Strong
        Ohio and funneling millions into it to defeat a judge who could not be
        bought.
    --  COC has solicited hundreds of millions from Big Polluters, Big Tobacco,
        and Big Energy to undermine laws designed to protect Americans.
    --  COC has solicited tens of millions from Big Business to conduct an
        unprecedented attack on judges and lawyers who fulfill their oath to
        uphold the law, amounting to criminal obstruction of justice.
    --  COC has filed fraudulent tax reports with the IRS by not listing
        political expenditures used to manipulate state elections of judges and
        attorneys general.
    --  COC has made false statements that it is representing all of American
        businesses when its trademark policies only represent its largest
        contributors.

    --  COC Tom Donahue and his hand picked team have made policy, statements
        and decisions without Chamber Board approval, which are at odds with and
        to the detriment of many COC members.

The StopTheChamber coalition is also calling for a Congressional investigation into COC, for companies to quit COC, for a complete reorganization of COC, and for more exposure of COC's criminal and unethical conduct.

SOURCE www.StopTheChamber.com