2016 Postmortem

octoberlib

(14,971 posts) Mon Oct 15, 2012, 04:12 AM Oct 2012

Loophole Allows Saudi Arabian Businesses To Spend Freely In Our Election

http://www.thenation.com/blog/170496/loophole-allows-saudi-arabian-businesses-spend-freely-our-election .....SNIP............. Foreign corporations can in fact influence American democracy in pernicious ways. For instance, how can Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich countries keep us dependent on fossil fuels? Well, thanks in part to the Citizens United decision, a new loophole allows foreign corporations to spend unlimited, undisclosed amounts on American elections.

Saudi-funded groups have run ads against Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat in Missouri, as well as in support of Tommy Thompson, a Republican in Wisconsin. But in both cases, they’ve been able to conceal the spending behind a wall of secrecy, and under the banner of groups with “American” in the name..........SNIP.......

7 replies

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Highlight:

Loophole Allows Saudi Arabian Businesses To Spend Freely In Our Election (Original Post) octoberlib Oct 2012 OP

Guess what? Saudi Arabia owns part of Fox news. Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel Oct 2012 #1

That way, there is no bad Press formercia Oct 2012 #3

This should be the fatal flaw in the Citizens United ruling. tclambert Oct 2012 #2

So Obama Was Correct On the Road Oct 2012 #4

Is anyone surprised the Saudis are shadow players? Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2012 #5

Thank you for posting this Quantess Oct 2012 #6

Thank you! octoberlib Oct 2012 #7

Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel

(3,273 posts)

1. Guess what? Saudi Arabia owns part of Fox news.

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Mon Oct 15, 2012, 06:21 AM

Oct 2012

FOX is in bed with Saudi Arabia and is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp

2010/02/18
http://txlady706.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/fox-is-in-bed-with-saudi-arabia-and-is-owned-by-rupert-murdoch%E2%80%99s-news-corp/

A reasonable question when a leading member of the ruling family of the sharia-totalitarian “kingdom” of Saudi Arabia, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, has made himself the second-largest shareholder of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Fox News’ parent company.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Corporation
Shareholders

In August 2005, the Murdoch family owned only about 29% of the company. However, nearly all of these shares were voting shares, and Rupert Murdoch retained effective control of the company. Nonetheless, John Malone of Liberty Media had built up a large stake, with about half of the shares being voting shares. Therefore, in November 2006, News Corporation announced its intention to transfer its 38.5 per cent managing interest in DirecTV Group to John Malone's Liberty Media; in return it bought back Liberty's 16.3% shares in News Corp., giving Murdoch tighter control of the latter firm.[38] Murdoch sold 17.5 million class A shares in December 2007.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, through his Kingdom Holding Company, owns 10% of News Corp.'s shares, making Kingdom Holdings the second largest shareholder.[40][41][42]

formercia

(18,479 posts)

3. That way, there is no bad Press

Reply to Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 15, 2012, 06:56 AM

Oct 2012

The Monarchy uses their vast reserves as a very effective club.

tclambert

(11,086 posts)

2. This should be the fatal flaw in the Citizens United ruling.

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Mon Oct 15, 2012, 06:55 AM

Oct 2012

I have argued since that decision came down that it opened our elections to foreign influence and that this should be the grounds for overturning it. In fact, if laws still exist that say foreign entities can't contribute to our political campaigns, the FEC should outlaw all donations from corporations who operate in foreign countries. That conflict of interest cannot be denied.

On the Road

(20,783 posts)

4. So Obama Was Correct

Reply to octoberlib (Original post)

Mon Oct 15, 2012, 07:26 AM

Oct 2012

when he said that Citizens United would allow foreign corporations to influence US elections.

And Alito was full of it when he mouthed "you lie." Apparently he didn't grasp how easy it is to find loopholes for rules like this.