A proposal to begin writing new regulations to staunch the flow of money from foreign-owned corporations into U.S. elections is the latest victim of the Federal Election Commission’s chronic deadlock when it comes to anything remotely like a reform measure.
The FEC has six members, and by law no more than three may be from the same political party. The three Republican commissioners have often voted as a block to prevent any additional restrictions on money in politics.
At Thursday’s meeting, the GOP commissioners’ opposition was so categorical they declined even to support beginning the process of writing new FEC regulations to prevent corporations that are wholly-owned by foreign governments from putting unlimited money into the U.S. political process. (They did allow that they might consider such a proposal in the future.)
The main proposal on foreign money discussed at the meeting came from one of the FEC’s Democratic members, Ellen Weintraub, and was intended to address a peculiar loophole created by the 2010 Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.
U.S. law strictly prohibits “foreign nationals” — a term which includes foreign individuals, corporations and governments — from putting money into the U.S. political process. However, the law also states that any company incorporated in the U.S. is a U.S. national, regardless of its ultimate ownership.
President Obama predicted in his 2010 State of the Union address that — because Citizens United lifted previous bans against corporate involvement in federal elections — it would therefore make it possible for “foreign corporations” to “spend without limit in our elections.”
As evidence that this loophole is in fact being utilized, Weintraub’s proposal cited recent reporting by The Intercept about a California corporation called American Pacific International Capital, or APIC. APIC is owned and controlled by Chinese citizens, and donated $1.3 million to Right to Rise USA, the main Super PAC supporting Jeb Bush’s recent presidential run.
During yesterday’s meeting, Lee Goodman, one of the Republican commissioners, claimed that “both before Citizens United and after Citizens United this commission and the Department of Justice have been fully capable of preventing foreign national involvement.”
The FEC and Justice Department did not investigate APIC’s donations before The Intercept’s reporting.
The three Republican FEC commissioners offered their own proposal, that the FEC issue a statement clarifying that the ban on foreign money in U.S. elections applies to independent expenditures direct from corporate treasuries. The proposal would prevent political committees from facing legal consequences regarding foreign money as long as they obtain a statement from corporate donors that no foreign nationals were involved in the decision to make the contribution.
As evidence that this would be sufficient, FEC commissioner Caroline Hunter noted that her husband manages a political action committee and a friend of her runs the domestic subsidiary of a large foreign corporation, and stated that both of them “follow the rules.”
The Republican proposal was also stymied by a 3-3 deadlock.
Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for the public interest organization Public Citizen, argues that the FEC’s current frequent stalemates are due to a 2008 realization by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R.-Ky., that “he could bring the enforcement of campaign finance laws largely to a halt by selecting Republican FEC commissioners hostile to campaign finance laws.” Since that year the number of 3-3 votes has increased enormously.
Thursday’s proceedings, say Holman, suggests that “the Republican commissioners continue to fulfill McConnell’s design: to immobilize the Federal Election Commission.”
Top photo: FEC Commissioners Ann Ravel, Ellen Weintraub, and Lee Goodman.
Funny, because Republicans oppose the UN, because they say they don’t want foreign influence on our policy. So, which is it? Or do we just not care anymore about these guys politicking out of both sides of their mouths?
“…to fulfill McConnell’s design: to immobilize the Federal Election Commission.”
And by that immobilization sycophants of the elite like McConnel serve the dark masters of oppression, greed and slaughter by not allowing the diagnosis and subsequent application of treatment for the cancer that is causing massive suffering to our citizenry, and people all over the planet.
McConnell and the like have truly earned a place in the harshest realm of hell. May they rest in agony Amen!
The meek really do not have to wait until after they die to inherit the earth if they would unite with a purpose to ensure that these deplorable servants of the most amoral were removed from a place of power, and placed in the state of shame in order to prepare them for their eternity in hell.
I do hope , when the revolution inevitably comes…they hunt these treasonous motherfuckers down and respectively and systematically wipe out their entire gene pool. In my humble opinion of course.
In order to have a legitimate Federal Elections Commission you’d need to prohibit Democrats and Republicans from being members. Both of these factions of our duopoly have been bought out by moneyed interests.
AIPAC owns every aspect of the US government. They don’t even pretend anymore.
Oops? The company is APIC, which is Chinese. It’s the top story of the several that are linked above.
Misreading or lack of clarity may cause the conversation to veer.
“Misreading or lack of clarity may cause the conversation to veer.”
that is the goal of the hasbarat …
It’s the right decision ALL corporations regardless of nationality, should be able to buy elections.
Foreign money counts for one penny on the dollar when you figure American ‘donations’ with foreign interests in mind.
It’s fucking American Israelis bribing Congress to give Israel tens of billions of taxpayer money.
chasing one penny on the dollar is foolish …
Personally I blame the Christian right, along with Republican nutjobs–there are so many more of them. Also, I don’t think an ethnic group called American Israelis exists (not that facts mean much to you).
“I don’t think an ethnic group called American Israelis exists”
You’re stupid enough to let Israel steal $6 million for every Israeli.
Every fucking Israeli gets $6 million dollars from the American tax-payer.
No matter how many Palestinians they slaughter.
No matter how hungry American seniors or children are.
The Jewish state is getting its pound of flesh.
This is why the world has despised the Jew; Greed is codified in Jewish Law.
Regardless of any instance of this occurring, this hole should be plugged.
It is just plain wrong to have foreign money by any means influencing our politicians. It is giving them a voice; diluting the effect of influence from U.S. voters!
This FEC deadlock nonsense is a glaring example of how we’ve given the constitutional requirement for congress to make laws, over to the executive branch.
Unelected executive branch agency commissioners should NOT be making these decisions that are critical to the health of our democratic republic.
It’s time to invoke our Article V right and duty to amend the constitution and put a stop to the undermining of our government by monied interests.
“As evidence that this loophole is in fact being utilized…”
Other than that one instance, what other evidence exhibits this to be a problem that merits FEC action?
This seems like an issue very similar to voter ID fraud. If voter ID law does not need to be more strict because there is little evidence to show it to be a problem than how is your argument over foreign money consistent?
HRC calls for change in North Carolina because she doesn’t challenge Israel and GG says that is not consistent!
How is your position on this matter consistent?
You have almost successfully conflated a couple of issues here. Tell me if I am wrong.
I think GG questioned the consistency issue, but wasn’t this about HRC’s opposition to BDS and opposition to NC ban against using the bathroom of your chosen gender vs the bathroom assigned to your gender at birth?