Telecom Giants Paid Millions To 'Honor' Minority Lawmakers Before The Merger
Source: Huffington Post
WASHINGTON -- Comcast and Time Warner Cable are heading into the lobbying stage of their proposed merger with a strong hand. They boast large teams of lobbyists, a history of massive campaign contributions to members of both political parties and close ties to the White House.
Over the last several years, the two telecom giants have also contributed millions of dollars to "honor" members of Congress and congressional caucuses. The biggest recipients of this money have been nonprofits linked to minority lawmakers, traditionally some of the most progressive members of Congress.
Disclosure of so-called honorary contributions -- ostensibly philanthropic gifts that go to organizations tied to congressional lawmakers or events designed to honor politicians -- became mandatory starting in 2008. In the years since, Comcast and Time Warner Cable have directed more than $3.7 million to celebrate lawmakers. Nonprofits affiliated with the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus have benefited the most.
Now Congress is jumping into the debate over the planned Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger. The Senate Commerce Committee and both Antitrust Subcommittees have said they'll hold hearings. Public interest watchdogs worry that lawmakers' oversight could be influenced by all the past largesse.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/22/comcast-time-warner-cable-congress_n_4826665.html
Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)L0oniX
(31,493 posts)Seems that they have more than enough money already.
There is a little gnat bug in my monitor.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)you view my posts ...because they are also tracking and recording me and what I type. Hope you feel safer now.
jsr
(7,712 posts)PSPS
(13,600 posts)And when will the corporate/state media stop using the term "lobbyist" for influence peddler and "campaign contribution" for bribe? I suppose that will only happen when "enhanced interrogation" is dropped for torture.
dembotoz
(16,808 posts)there was this article that said one of the very big things in favor of comcast was that comcast
had a much bigger lobby arm.
that should not matter but i guess it is more important than better service
daybranch
(1,309 posts)It looks to me like one of the worst effects of monopoly is already visible. Lets fight this merger.
okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)expenses, dollars to super PACs, donations to candidates or money to organizations like ALEC to help them make even more money but the fact that Comcast gives money to Congressional Black Caucus and Hispanic Caucus' non-profit foundations is at issue?
The article doesn't separate how much is given to the various congressional Caucus non-profits Foundations, but it combines all the caucus foundations and other non-profits for a total of $3.7 million over six years. Why don't they mention how much of that went to Republican foundations and non-profits?
During the same time frame Comcast alone spent about $91,000,000 lobbying Congress and $15 million in disclosed political donations;. Of those donations approx 60% went to Democrats and 40% went to Republicans. Source: OpenSecrets.org
But Huffington Post ignores all of that because these lawmakers are going to be swayed by $3 million to all their Caucus foundations, scholarship funds and non-profits over six years?
Give me a friggin' break!!!
Total friggin' hit piece. There is a lot wrong with Comcast, there's a lot wrong with a merger, and there's a lot wrong with money in politics but I'm pretty sure what this moron is reporting on isn't what is going to push the legislators over the edge.