The US Chamber in the news - October 3

Local chambers of commerce ask Romney and Obama for clean energy support
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is not a clean-energy-friendly organization. Ninety-four percent of its 2010 political contributions went to climate change deniers; it has fought for years to undercut the clean economy….From The Hill: A coalition of Chamber of Commerce chapters want President Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney to take a pledge emphasizing federal support for the clean energy industry. The 240-chapter Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy sent a letter to the candidates Tuesday urging them to “take a stand and prioritize clean energy as an economic development solution.”  [Grist]

Super PAC Barrage Coming To House Races Across The Country
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported an investment of $4 million to help 10 Republican congressional candidates in California and Illinois. The advertisements all begin with a 10-second clip of Darlene Miller, the winner of the Chamber's Small Business of the Year in 2008, explaining that uncertainty over taxes and health care is preventing her from hiring more workers. Then they shift to nearly identical attacks on their intended Democratic targets, criticizing higher taxes, cuts to Medicare, health care reform and high energy costs. The Chamber ad blitz heralds the beginning of the coming crush of third-party advertising directed at House races.
[Huffington Post]

Sierra Club targets lawmaker who wants to restore Hetch Hetchy
The Sierra Club is spending $625,000 to defeat a Republican lawmaker who has championed one of the environmental organization’s most cherished goals – draining the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite National Park…Campaigns to defeat Bera are being run by the National Republican Congressional Committee (nearly $638,000) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ($490,0000).  [CaliforniaWatch]

Super PAC money floods into Illinois GOP congressional races
In the past two or three weeks, more than $1 million each in "independent" expenditures has been reported on behalf of U.S. Reps. Judy Biggert of Hinsdale, Bob Dold of Winnetka and Joe Walsh of North Barrington….The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported spending $124,000 to produce and place ads designed to help Ms. Biggert. In the north suburban 10th, the chamber reported $550,000 to hit Mr. Dold's Democratic foe, Brad Schneider.   [Crain’s Chicago Business]

Out-of-state donors pour cash into Fla’s Mack Senate race
The Nelson campaign listed seven organizations it says have spent or are spending $21.9 million attacking Nelson, based largely on news reports. They include two groups founded by Bush-era GOP political operative Karl Rove, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS; Freedom PAC, a super PAC supporting Mack fueled by a $1 million contribution from Las Vegas gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson; and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  [Tampa Bay Online]

Crossroads groups swamp airwaves
Here’s the rundown on the Top 10 outside political groups, from Sept. 15 to Sept. 30, sponsoring ads and messages known as independent expenditures that overtly support or oppose federal political candidates: 1) U.S. Chamber of Commerce, $11.3 million, primarily in opposition to Democratic congressional candidates.  [Politico]

Employee Rights To Fight Workplace Abuse Raised In 2 Supreme Court Cases
In Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk, Philadelphia nurse Laura Symczyk alleges that the company violated overtime laws for years by deducting from her pay a full 30 minutes for lunch even when she didn't take 30 minutes to eat and get back to work. Before Symczyk could formally ask the court to certify her case as a collective action, the company offered her a full settlement of her individual claims -- $7,500 plus costs. Instead of settling, she began the proceedings to create a collective action. At the Supreme Court, Genesis Healthcare argues that its offer of a full settlement for Symczyk resolves the case. Business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce agree. The Chamber's litigation arm asserts in its amicus brief that companies settle cases like this precisely to avoid them turning into class action suits, which can produce onerous jury awards of millions of dollars on behalf of thousands of employees. [Huffington Post]

U.S. groups fear Mexican trade war over Obama tomato move
U.S. business groups said on Tuesday they were worried about a damaging trade war with Mexico if President Barack Obama's administration follows through on a preliminary decision to end a 16-year-old tomato trade agreement. "We think the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship is tremendously important," Patrick Kilbride of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told reporters on a conference call. "We don't want to see another trade war ignited," he added, referring to a previous dispute over cross-border trucking.  [Chicago Tribune]