John Boehner

Why Boehner's Debt Limit Plan Will Have To Fail Before Endgame Becomes Clear

Brian Beutler | July 26, 2011, 5:17PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

High level discussions continue between Democrats and Republicans to make sure Congress raises the debt limit before the Treasury runs out of borrowing authority and has to slash public spending on a massive scale. But for the moment, we're in a period of repose. In public, few are willing to budge too far off their own party's plan to raise the debt limit. And members and aides are now believe that a viable solution won't emerge until one of the existing, partisan plans fails publicly.

In other words, things haven't moved a whole lot since yesterday. For the moment, most participants expect that the House GOP plan, authored by Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) will move first, and will fail, either in his own chamber or in the Senate. But they're now pessimistic that a workable plan will emerge before then, something party leaders were hoping against hope for yesterday.

"I think so -- probably that's the case," Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

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Debt Ceiling

U.S. Hits Debt Ceiling

Brian Beutler | May 16, 2011, 9:52AM

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

As the Treasury department has been warning -- and as House Republican leaders have promised -- the United States hit its debt limit Monday morning. The government can no longer meet its obligations by borrowing more money. And since incoming revenues aren't sufficient to pay for the services Congress has ordered and for interest payments on existing debt, the Treasury department is taking a series of ever-more extraordinary measures to pay all of its bills.

It can get away with this, according to Secretary Timothy Geithner, until August 2. If Congress doesn't lift the debt ceiling by then, the country will default, triggering a number of severe economic consequences.

Already, Geithner has stopped issuing securities to states that help them keep their books in balance and maintain infrastructure. Today, the government will defer payments to and investments in federal pension funds -- pensions Republicans want federal workers to pay more money into than they currently do.

But despite these difficult measures, you won't get the impression that time is of the essence from congressional Republicans.

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John Boehner

Boehner: Government Shutdown Costs Money, Harms Businesses

Brian Beutler | April 1, 2011, 1:33PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

You know Republican leaders are sincere about wanting to avoid a government shutdown when they talk about the harm it will do to big business interests. At a Capitol press conference Friday, House Speaker John Boehner said he's not making contingency preparations for a government shutdown, and hopes to avoid one altogether, in part because of the inherent cost.

"And frankly, let's all be honest, if you shut the government down, it'll end up costing more than you save, because you interrupt contracts," Boehner admitted. "There's a lot of problems with the idea of shutting the government down."

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Abortion

GOP Backs Massive Tax Increase To Phase Out Abortion Coverage By Private Insurers

Brian Beutler | February 9, 2011, 8:35AM

Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Boehner (R-OH)

The House GOP continues to place its heaviest emphasis on fighting abortion rights, and they've taken a lot of heat for it. Progressives, Democrats, pro-choice groups, and others have spared little criticism, but they've focused most heavily on three distinct lines: the fact that Republicans are ignoring job-creation as a priority; the fact that one of their pieces of legislation would allow hospitals to refuse to perform an abortion on a dying woman; and the fact that, until recently at least, the GOP wanted to limit tax-payer support for abortion to exclude incidences of non-forcible rape.

Here's another one: The GOP's plan to ban tax-payer money from funding abortions includes giant tax hikes for businesses.

More specifically, it would eliminate tax incentives on employer-provided health care benefits if those benefits cover abortion as a medical procedure.

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Iran

Chamber Denies Communicating Opposition To Sanctions To Iranian Counterpart

Brian Beutler | February 7, 2011, 4:52PM

Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue

The Chamber of Commerce is denying a report by the Fars News Agency in Iran suggesting that they, along with several other business groups, sent a statement to the head the head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines underlining their oppositions to U.S. sanctions.

"We did not send a letter to Iran, we sent a letter to the White House," said J.P. Fielder, spokesman for the U.S. Chamber.

Fielder didn't deny that the Chamber has contact with its counterpart in Iran, but that the Chamber sent no communication matching this description to Mohammad Nahavandian, who heads that group. "Not whatsoever," Fielder said.

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Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Writes Iran To Express Its Opposition To Sanctions

Brian Beutler | February 7, 2011, 10:58AM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue

In honor of President Obama's ice-breaking speech at the Chamber of Commerce Monday, a source passed along this story from Iran's semi-official Fars News Service.

Head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines Mohammad Nahavandian underlined on Wednesday that the US and European companies and economic institutions are completely opposed to imposing sanctions against Iran.

"The economic atmosphere of the US and Europe is opposed to sanctions against Iran," Nahavandian told FNA.

Stressing that the American people are not interested in imposing sanctions against Tehran, he said that the US Chamber of Commerce along with seven other institutions recently sent a statement to Iran and underlined the US private sector's opposition to such embargoes.

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Barack Obama

Obama To Address Old Foe: Chamber Of Commerce

Jon Terbush | January 5, 2011, 4:20PM

Tom Donahue and Barack Obama

President Obama will give a speech on the economy and jobs next month to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a group he's often battled during his presidency

The speech is scheduled for February 7 and was reported by The Wall Street Journal. It appears to be an attempt by the White House to court the business community and broaden support for their efforts to boost the struggling economy. In December, Obama met with the CEOs of 20 U.S. companies to discuss ways for moving the country forward.

The decision to address the Chamber of Commerce is also likely intended to mend relations with the chamber itself.

The Chamber of Commerce has fought the president on a number of his signature initiatives, including the health care overhaul and financial regulator reform. Obama struck back at the organization this past fall, questioning whether the business lobby was using foreign donations to finance Republican candidates in the midterm elections. The chamber--which is not required by law to reveal its donors--spent at least $75 million in the elections, the bulk of it on Republicans, prompting many on the left to question where the money came from.

Chamber of Commerce

Chamber's Anti Health Care Advocacy Financed By Insurers, Big-Dollar Contributions

Brian Beutler | November 19, 2010, 2:25PM

A still from the ad "Afford" by Employers For A Healthy Economy

In 2009, a single $86.2 million contribution from the health insurance industry's largest trade association, AHIP, accounted for almost half of the Chamber of Commerce's total contributions. Much of that money was dedicated to the Chamber's then-escalating campaign against the health care reform bill -- a campaign the Chamber characterized as an advocacy effort on behalf of the broader business community.

In the below ad, for instance, the Chamber warned of "increasing health care costs for businesses and working families.

In his State of American Business Address earlier this year, Chamber CEO Tom Donohue bemoaned the plight of business owners.

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DISCLOSE Act

Trumka: DISCLOSE Act Would Be Better For Electoral System

Brian Beutler | October 12, 2010, 12:30PM

Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO

In the wake of a flood of independent expenditure ads attacking Democratic candidates around the country -- and a series of recent stories suggesting that the Chamber of Commerce may be financing its political activities with foreign money -- AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka now says the country would be better off if the DISCLOSE Act had become law.

A partial reversal from his previous position, Trumka today admitted that the DISCLOSE Act -- which the AFL opposed, and which failed in the Senate because of a GOP filibuster -- would be an improvement over the status quo.

"That'd be good for the system, I think," Trumka said at a breakfast meeting with reporters, in response to a question from TPM. "Because the system is awash -- there's more money in the system than there was oil in the Gulf, quite frankly. It's from people that you don't know. You eventually find out I guess, but it's this mysterious money coming in and targeting at three, four, five times what either of the candidates are doing."

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2010 elections

New DNC Ad Targets Karl Rove's Election Spending (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | October 10, 2010, 9:24AM

The Democratic National Committee will go up on television with a new ad targeting Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie for their political activity during the midterm elections through groups which don't need to disclose their donors.

TPM obtained a copy of the ad, which hits the GOP on a point the Democrats have been hammering of late -- corporations getting involved in elections thanks to the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.

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2010 elections

Chamber Of Commerce Unloads New Ads Against Dems (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | October 6, 2010, 11:27AM

Ad from Vote For Business, "FL 8 Grayson"

The Chamber of Commerce has a whole bunch of new ads in key Congressional races, targeting big-name Dems.

One ad goes after freshman Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), who is known for his vitriolic attacks against Republicans. "Tired of big-mouth politicians ignoring our big problems? Alan Grayson is the most extreme," the announcer says, followed by past video of Grayson famously declaring on the House floor that the Republican health care plan was for sick people to "die quickly," and also the occasion when he crashed a local Republican meeting.

"But when it comes to Nancy Pelosi, big barker Grayson turns into a lapdog."

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CA-SEN

Chamber Slams Boxer As Anti-Business In New California Ad Blitz (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | September 28, 2010, 11:49AM

Anti-Barbara Boxer ad from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "28 Years"

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is running a new television ad in California targeting Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) as doing little in her nearly three decades of service. Boxer faces a competitive race against former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, one of several Republican candidates the chamber is spending big bucks to boost this fall.

The ad focuses on a theme Fiorina hit in her first television ad and during their first debate, that Boxer has few accomplishments to show for her 28 years in Washington.

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2010 elections

Release The Chamber: Biz Group Goes On The Air In Key Senate Races (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | September 21, 2010, 1:29PM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue

The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce is dropping a flurry of TV ads in key Senate races across the country as we step into the final weeks of 2010 election season. The group has pledged $75 million in spending this cycle -- and if the first $2 million is any judge, most of that money is going to help Republicans.

Via the AP:

[The Chamber] has the biggest footprint, spending $1 million in Florida against Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running for the Senate as an independent. The chamber has endorsed the Republican candidate, Marco Rubio. The chamber is spending $500,000 in Kentucky against Democrat Jack Conway. The chamber this week endorsed Republican Rand Paul, and it is spending about $300,000 in New Hampshire against Senate Democratic candidate Paul Hodes and $250,000 in Colorado against Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.

Not all of the Chamber's support is going to the GOP however. Just today, the Chamber announced it's backing Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in the special election to fill the late Robert Byrd's Senate seat. No word yet on whether the group will buy pro-Manchin ads, but some recent polling shows the governor may need the help.

Here now are a sample of the Chamber's all-negative, all pro-GOP TV ads up across the country at the moment:

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Bush Tax Cuts

Lieberman Organizing Against Obama On Bush Tax Cuts

Brian Beutler | September 20, 2010, 4:33PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

President Obama has been absolutely clear that he wants to see the Bush tax cuts for the top two income brackets expire. So who better to lead the charge in the Senate to see all the Bush tax cuts extended than Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

"I know that many people, including the President, have argued that the tax cuts should not be continued for people making more than $200,000 a year," Lieberman told the Stamford Chamber of Commerce today. "But to me these are the people we need to be using their income to spend and invest to spur growth and job creation."

Thus, he adds, "I have had promising discussions over the past several days with colleagues from both sides of the aisle who see a bipartisan path forward on a permanent extension of the middle-class tax cuts and a temporary extension of the tax cuts for the highest income brackets to make sure that nobody's taxes go up while the economy is still struggling to recover."

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Bush Tax Cuts

Vitter: 'Virtually Everybody' Would Get Hit If Tax Cuts For The Rich Expire (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | September 9, 2010, 2:00PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA)

At a public forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in Crowley, Louisiana yesterday, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) attacked his Democratic opponent Charlie Melancon for saying people in the top income bracket should pay higher taxes. But in doing so he implied that "virtually everybody" in attendance would see their taxes raised.

"I hate to tell you, by Washington's definitions that [Melancon]'s using, virtually everybody in this audience is the wealthy."

Though the event was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, it was open to all residents. According to the U.S. Census bureau, the average household income in Louisiana was $43,635 in 2008.

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Lobbying

Republicans, K Street Plot Tax Cuts And Deregulation For 2011 (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | July 16, 2010, 12:30PM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

As promised, House Minority Leader John Boehner, along with Reps. Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Peter Roskam (R-IL), huddled this morning with representatives of the most powerful conservative business and trade groups in the country to field policy ideas and build a legislative agenda ahead of the November elections, when Republicans could retake the House. If what they discussed in any way resembles the coming GOP platform (and, of course, it does), then get ready for more tax cuts and deregulation.

Dan Danner of the National Federation of Independent Businesses spoke up, outraged about "a whole host of new proposed regulations that are going to add costs to...business."

All the invitees, which also included the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and several others, were in broad agreement over steps they hope the government takes if Republicans regain power. Many of them once supported President Obama's stimulus plan, but now want to go back to the way things were.

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Nikki Haley

Haley Rips SC Chamber After It Backs Dem In GOV Race

Eric Lach | July 9, 2010, 3:59PM

Nikki Haley

There's no love lost between Nikki Haley and the South Carolina chapter of the Chamber of Commerce. The state Chamber had never made an endorsement in the governor's race before this year, but it picked Haley's primary challenger Gresham Barrett (Haley walloped him). The chamber also endorsed Vincent Sheheen on the Democratic side during the primary. So with the primaries over and Haley facing Sheheen in the general, a pro-business group goes with the Republican, right? Wrong.

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K Street

Zombie K Street Project: The GOP Turns To Lobbyists To Draft Policy Agenda

Brian Beutler | July 8, 2010, 5:07PM

Zombies walking down K Street, Washington DC.

John Boehner twisted himself into a pretzel this week when he told the Washington Post he had "no idea" whether Republicans would once again attempt to privatize Social Security if they retake the House in November. He couldn't just say "no" -- he followed up with the explanation that he couldn't say because he didn't want to prejudge the outcome of the GOP's voter survey.

"We're not going to prejudge what's going to come out of this listening project," he said.

Turns out that the project also includes soliciting recommendations from representatives of the most powerful business and trade groups in the country -- in other words, it's a "House Republican efforts to produce a new policy agenda with a small group of trade association leaders." Call it the Zombie K Street Project.

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Chamber of Commerce

Chamber: No Taxpayer Money For Oil Spill Recovery (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | June 11, 2010, 2:42PM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue

Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue has issued a statement clarifying his position on who should pay for damages resulting from the Gulf oil spill. Congress, he seems to say, shouldn't legally require BP to cover all costs, but BP will ultimately have to pay for everything.

The spill, Donohue says, "will require significant long-term attention from BP, the federal government, state and local authorities, volunteers, and the entire business community. While the depth and breadth of the consequences are unknown, clearly BP will have to assume its responsibilities over the long-term."

"Let me be clear: the recovery costs should not be on the backs of American taxpayers or the businesses that have been adversely affected by this tragedy," Donohue adds.

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BP

Holt: Boehner And Chamber Are Wrong On Oil Spill Costs

Brian Beutler | June 10, 2010, 3:02PM

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ)

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), lead sponsor of the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act, says Minority Leader John Boehner and the Chamber of Commerce are wrong, wrong, wrong if they believe the government should pitch in to help BP cover the costs of the spill.

"The Minority Leader and the Chamber are wrong," Holt says. "BP is responsible for this disaster and BP - not the American taxpayer - should be responsible for every last cent of the cleanup costs and economic damages caused by the spill. My sympathies aren't with BP and Big Oil - my sympathies are with the small business owner, the restaurateur, the vacation home renter, the fishermen, and  the American taxpayer."

Holt's bill would raise the liability cap on oil companies and apply it retroactively to BP, whose exposure is limited to $75 million under current law.

BP

Boehner Spox Walks Back BP Spill Comments

Brian Beutler | June 10, 2010, 2:17PM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), and Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)

John Boehner spokesman Michael Steel emails to say Boehner does not believe that the government should be on the hook for the cost of the oil spill.

"Boehner made a general statement about who is responsible for the spill, and the federal government oversight was clearly lacking, but he has said repeatedly that BP is responsible for the cost of the cleanup," Steel writes, pointing me to a Boehner statement from May 3, several days after the spill began.

"The White House must ensure that BP bears the entire financial burden to clean up this disaster. Not a dime of taxpayer money should be used to clean up their mess."

But there's "clean up" and then there's clean up.

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John Boehner

Boehner: Government--i.e. Taxpayers--Should Help Pay For Oil Spill

Brian Beutler | June 10, 2010, 11:19AM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

Congressional Democrats and the White House are toying with different ways to force BP to cover the costs of damages from the Gulf oil spill. But they face stiff opposition from industry...and it seems leading Republicans. In response to a question from TPMDC, House Minority Leader John Boehner said he believes taxpayers should help pick up the tab for the clean up.

"I think the people responsible in the oil spill--BP and the federal government--should take full responsibility for what's happening there," Boehner said at his weekly press conference this morning.

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KY-SEN

Chamber of Commerce Endorses Grayson In KY-Sen GOP Primary

Ben Frumin | May 11, 2010, 1:35PM

KY Sen. candidate Trey Grayson (R)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced today that it's endorsing Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson in the state's May 18 Senate primary.

The TPM Poll Average shows Rand Paul leading Grayson in the Republican Senate primary 42.3% to 25.3%.

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Lobbying

A Matter Of Influence: Lobbyists And Financial Execs Swarm To DC To Push Against Wall Street Reform

Ben Frumin | April 20, 2010, 10:48AM

An army of lobbyists and financial professionals is swarming into Washington D.C. this week to push against financial reform.

As The New Republic reports, "some two dozen executives from large corporations will be descending on Capitol Hill today to make the case against over-regulating derivatives." That push is being organized in part by the Chamber of Commerce. And The New York Times reports today that "more than 1,500 lobbyists, executives, bankers and others have made their way to the Senate committee that on Wednesday will take up legislation to rein in derivatives, the complex securities at the heart of the financial crisis, the billion-dollar bank bailouts and the fraud case filed last week against Goldman Sachs."

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Health Care

Chamber To Spend $50M On Anti-Health Care Reform Campaign

Christina Bellantoni | March 31, 2010, 12:59PM

President Barack Obama and Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will spend $50 million on an election campaign around bashing health care reform that the Wall Street Journal called "an aggressive strategy to blunt the impact of the new law." The new push for the 2010 midterm elections adds to a more than $144 million ad campaign the chamber mounted on behalf of its business membership in the last year against passage of the measure.

The Wall Street Journal detailed a letter that Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue sent board members outlining the strategy. "The Chamber is going to carry a message across the country that says the health care debate is not over," Mr. Donohue wrote, according to the Journal. He wrote members that the chamber will put together a team of staffers to evaluate the federal regulations included in the law.

The chamber was a major player in ad spending and campaigns to challenge health care reform during the long debate in Congress, and the news is a signal that won't let up any time soon. As we've been reporting, health care and charges to repeal the law or declare reform unconstitutional in court have emerged as a key 2010 campaign theme.

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Repealing health care

Anti-Reform Chamber Won't Be Helping GOP With Calls To Repeal Health Care

Christina Bellantoni | March 22, 2010, 6:02PM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue

Republicans in Congress say they'll campaign on repealing the health care legislation passed last night, and several already have introduced bills to roll back the new measure. Conservative groups are passing around "repeal the bill" petitions on the Internet and boasting big numbers. But it seems like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce isn't on board, despite spending more than $144 million on an ad campaign against passage of the measure.

President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue issued a statement Sunday night saying the bill "ignores the will of the American people" and isn't real health care reform.

"Should the legislation passed by the House today become law, the Chamber will work through all available avenues--regulatory, legislative, legal, and political--to fix its flaws and minimize its potentially harmful impacts," Donohue said. "Through the largest issue advocacy and voter education program in our history, we will encourage citizens to hold their elected officials accountable when they choose a new Congress this November." But in an interview published today with Wall Street Journal reporters and editors, Donohue said the Chamber won't be pushing for repeal.

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NH-SEN

In New Hampshire, Hodes Squares Off With Chamber Over Health Care Reform

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 12, 2010, 11:20AM

Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH)

Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH), who's trying to replace the retiring Sen. Judd Gregg (R) in the Senate next year, is squaring off against the business groups pushing back on Democratic efforts to finish up health care reform in the next few weeks.

Through the Chamber of Commerce, business groups are attacking the Democratic reform package in a nationwide ad campaign the Chamber says will costs between $4-$10 million dollars. In addition to the national spots, the Chamber is also targeting its ads at key members of Congress in key states where business leaders think they can influence Democratic lawmakers about to face voters at the ballot box.

Hodes is one of those members, and he's fighting back. "They can use all the fear tactics, false information and corporate money they want," he told TPM in a statement this morning. "I won't stop fighting for the middle-class families and small businesses in this state that need real reform now."

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Health Care

Health Care Ad Wars: TV Spots Amp Up As Final Vote Nears (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | March 10, 2010, 9:56AM

A still from an AHIP ad.

After a cooling off period when health care reform legislation seemed nearly dead, television ad spending is now spiking. Interest groups attempting to swap public opinion and votes in Washington on both sides of the debate are funneling cash into health care ads that experts predict won't let up until after the midterm elections.

"We're going to see a fairly intense couple of weeks as health care reaches the endgame, but advertising related to this issue will only continue," Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis group which tracks ad spending, told me in an interview this morning.

America's Health Insurance Plans and Health Care for America Now sparred yesterday on the air over high costs of insurance and the massive rate hikes we've been tracking at TPMDC.

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Health Care

American Business Prepares To Go Full Force Against Final Health Reform Push (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 9, 2010, 3:26PM

A still from the ad "Afford" by Employers For A Healthy Economy

Several large American trade associations and the National Chamber of Commerce are preparing to blanket the country with a new multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at putting the brakes on Democratic health care reform efforts that now seem to have reached the home stretch.

The campaign will cost "between $4 million and $10 million," Chamber vice president Bruce Josten told reporters on a conference call today. Some ads will run nationwide, but other components of the campaign will be targeted at lawmakers "in 17 states" where American industry believes the final votes in support of comprehensive health care reform will be found -- or lost.

"We're going to underscore why their reluctance is exactly the kind of thing they should have in their gut before they risk it [on a yes vote]," Josten said of the lawmakers the group is targeting.

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Chamber of Commerce

In Final Stretch Chamber, Manufacturers Blast Health Care Bill (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | January 7, 2010, 12:57PM

It may seem as if health care reform has become a matter of sensitive negotiations between Democrats on the Hill than a vast battle among stakeholder groups. But those groups continue to push for changes to--or, in some cases, to kill--the reform bill.

A new ad by Employers for a Healthy Economy--a coalition backed by the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers--calls on Congress to scrap the current reform effort and start from scratch.

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Chamber of Commerce

Campaign Against Frivolous Lawsuits Coming To A Theater Near You

Christina Bellantoni | December 30, 2009, 8:46AM

If you saw Avatar, Sherlock Holmes or Up in the Air this weekend, you also may have heard a little bit about Richard Singer, a small business owner in Bay City, Michigan who says he fell victim to a bogus lawsuit.

It seems like a friendly, well-produced public service announcement detailing the "Faces of Lawsuit Abuse" with a focus on small business. But it's a bit strange to see a commercial with a political message in between traditional pre-movie programming of Coca-Cola ads and spots pushing new television shows.

"America needs more jobs, not more lawsuits," is the tag line after Singer tells his story.

The four-minute video is airing in the pre-trailer commercial reel in movie theaters in Washington, D.C., Albany, Denver, Orlando and Tampa Bay, Florida and in Baton Rouge. It's part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform, which spent $4.2 million from June through September.

The Chamber is a major player, spending nearly $39 million lobbying Congress and government agencies in the third quarter of this year alone. Representing corporations both large and small, the Chamber has a goal of making it harder for people to sue their clients.

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Health Care

GOP Leaders & Chamber Of Commerce: 'This Bill Is A Job Killer'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2009, 2:50PM

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Senate GOP leaders and the leadership of the U.S. Chamber Of Commerce joined forces today to paint the Senate health care reform bill as a "job killer."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and John Cornyn (R-TX) addressed reporters with dozens of Chamber members lined up behind them, led by Chamber president Bruce Josten.

"This bill is a job killer," Grassley said, summarizing the group's complaints, mainly that the mandates and revenue streams found in the bill would prevent small buisness owners from hiring new workers for fear they'll be forced into a maze of government bureaucracy.

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Barack Obama

UPDATED: Some War! Chamber CEO Visited White House Ten Times

Zachary Roth | November 25, 2009, 2:54PM

Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue

Last month, the White House was accused of launching "a frontal assault against free enterprise and the Chamber of Commerce," by an executive of the business lobby.

It's true that the White house signaled its intention to play hardball with the Chamber. But it's not like the group has been shut out from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since Obama took office.

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AMA

MoveOn Pulls The Lever, Calls On AMA To Ditch The Chamber

Brian Beutler | November 13, 2009, 2:18PM

Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue

The liberal group MoveOn is exploiting an interesting opening to both support health care reform and weaken the Chamber of Commerce.

Citing the American Medical Association's endorsement of House health care legislation, and the Chamber of Commerce's unapologetic opposition to it, MoveOn is calling for the AMA and the Chamber to part ways.

MoveOn is calling on their doctors to sign a petition demanding that the AMA pull out.

"The American Medical Association has been running ads for months supporting President Obama's health care plan," reads a letter from MoveOn to supportive doctors.

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