VideoP.B. Gray, CFO Magazine
June 1, 2006
- US Chamber membership deceit
As financial stewards, we should be appauled that the US Chamber has been claiming a membership that is a factor of 10 larger than the truth.
The US chamber, who's true membership has now been revealed to be somewhere between 200-300,000, has touted the "3-million dues paying members" lie that you quote here for some time now.
This was revealed today as a fraudulent number.
Clearly for an organization to misrepresent itself on this scale truly brings into question it's legitimacy, not to mention it's ethics.
The sad truth is that what was once an organization of businesses collaborating together, has become an a helpless tool of a small cadre - it's top managers, who use it to relentlessly persue a personal political agenda.
These men have shown themselves up as pure political operatives motivated by blind ideology, with no reference to public policy or what is best for it's members, unless it fits the ideological framework they are boxed into.
If it was concerned about its members and what they think then they would also have an honest accounting of who and how many those members are.
Boasting support of 2.7 million imaginary businesses can only have had one purpose - to puff the organization up into something it is not.
The fact that even large companies have been entirely unable to influence the Chambers' position is further proof that this is no longer a coalition of businesses working for their common good.
It is time for the US Chamber to give up it's fact-blind divisive ideology. This will clearly not happen with the current self appointed conservative 'high priests' who run this once useful organization, at great personal profit.
Thomas Donohugh is on record for 2007 as having a salary of $3,157,188 (plus benefits). Is that why the 3 million member number was so important? to justify his inflated salary?
Now that the truth is out, CFO needs to correct the facts on US Chamber membership wherever they are cited, and open a debate on what this organization is actually about. Promoting political divisions within our country? Fighting a democratically elected government? or supporting businesses and communities for our common good?Posted by Jane Mansfield | Oct 30, 2009 5:28 PM ET
