CEOs To Capitol Hill: Stop Asking Us For Campaign Contributions

Thinkprogress:


Without a fight, the SCOTUS' ruling on corporate campaign spending this week could spell the end of citizen involvement in national politics -- so it comes as somewhat of a surprise that one of the first voices in the fight against big corporate money flooding into Washington D.C. would be a group of CEOs?

WASHINGTON – Dozens of current and former corporate executives have a message for Congress: Quit hitting us up for campaign cash.

Roughly 40 executives from companies including Playboy Enterprises, ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's, the Seagram's liquor company, toymaker Hasbro, Delta Airlines and Men's Wearhouse sent a letter to congressional leaders Friday urging them to approve public financing for House and Senate campaigns. They say they are tired of getting fundraising calls from lawmakers — and fear it will only get worse after Thursday's Supreme Court ruling.

"Members of Congress already spend too much time raising money from large contributors," the business executives' letter says. "And often, many of us individually are on the receiving end of solicitation phone calls from members of Congress. With additional money flowing into the system due to the court's decision, the fundraising pressure on members of Congress will only increase." Read on...