Chamber: ThinkProgress's Latest Story Is False, Too

After ThinkProgress sought to push its Chamber of Commerce/foreign donations story further today, enumerating some foreign companies that have given money to the Chamber, the group is pushing back once again: it doesn't use those funds for election purposes, the Chamber says.

From a post at the Chamber's website by Tom Collamore:

This allegation is equally false and baseless, not to mention tiresome and desperate.



The U.S. Chamber hosts several business councils, whose purpose is to promote bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. They are run as independent organizations and most members of business councils are not also members of the U.S. Chamber.



For those business councils affiliated with us, their monies are considered "restricted funds" and are held for use by those business councils. These councils have been around for decades. They have never engaged in political activity--and they never will.

The Chamber points out that FactCheck.org, the AP, and the New York Times have all questioned ThinkProgress's claim--echoed by Democrats including President Obama--that the Chamber has used foreign money to influence U.S. elections.