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14/03/10 - 15/03/10
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Company dispenses with lobbyists and launches bid for Congressional seat David Morgan (Front Row Washington)
including President Barack Obama by treating corporations as human beings when it comes Submitted at 3/15/2010 3:53:43 AM to the constitutional guarantee Murray Hill is running for of free speech. Critics claim the Congress to rid Washington decision will unleash a new of lobbyists and weak-kneed flood of corporate money into politicians once and for all. And U . S . e l e c t i o n c a m p a i g n s , t h e r e m a y b e n o b e t t e r including money from foreign candidate, for Murray Hill is not companies. a frail human being but a But Murray Hill Inc., whose company. clients include labor unions and “Until now, corporate interests environmental groups, praises h a d t o r e l y o n c a m p a i g n the Supreme Court for creating a contributions and influence n e w “ g r o w t h m a r k e t ” i n peddling to achieve their goals American politics and vows to in Washington. But thanks to an make a top-dollar investment enlightened Supreme Court, toward becoming the first now we can eliminate the “corporate person” in Congress. middle-man and run for office It’s launched a campaign Web o u r s e l v e s , ” t h e p u b l i c site, a YouTube ad that relations firm from Silver has drawn over 172,000 hits and Spring, Maryland, says in a a Facebook page with more than statement. 2,600 fans. It even has a It’s referring to the Supreme “designated human” to warm its Court ruling in Citizens United seat in Congress and mind its v. Federal Election Commission, legislative interests between which has drawn a torrent of board meetings. c r i t i c i s m f r o m o f f i c i a l s “Corporations now have all the
rights the Founding Fathers meant for us,” the YouTube ad says. “It’s our democracy. We bought it, we paid for it and we’re going to keep it.” Murray Hill Inc. is seeking to enter the Republican primary in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, currently represented by Democrat Chris Van Hollen. Van Hollen is this year’s chairman of the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee and a leading critic of the Supreme Court ruling. But for all it’s determination to use the latest tools of political ascendancy — automated robocalls, “Astroturf” lobbying and computer-generated avatars to get out the vote — Murray Hill Inc.’s candidacy may prove to be little more than a clever publicity stunt to satirize
the court’s decision and promote its own business. Election officials in Maryland have rejected the company’s voter registration application, saying it fails to meet minimum standards that require the applicant to be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen. The company was founded in 2005. Murray Hill Inc.’s president and designated human, Eric Hensal, suggests the age requirement should not apply to companies, telling The Washington Post: “It’s not as if, when a corporation turns 21, it can buy beer.” Photo Credits: Reuters/Jim Young (U.S. supreme Court justices); Reuters/ Larry Downing (U.S. Capitol Dome) Click here for more political coverage from Reuters