Foreign Money 8-15-2016

 

15, August 2016                        Foreign Money

There is mounting evidence that foreign corporations are attempting to influence our political system with large donations to super PACS permitted under the landmark, Supreme Court, ‘Citizens United’ decision.

An investigation conducted by the Intercept has revealed how a Chinese corporation, ‘American Pacific International Capital Company’ surreptitiously donated $1.3 million to Jeb Bush’s super PAC. George W. Bush’s brother, Neil Bush, now sits on the board of APIC and is paid upwards of $700,000 for serving on the board of a sister company, SingHaiyi.

Gordon Tang, one of the owners of APIC, has worked assiduously to gain U.S. political friends, inviting U.S. politicians to his ribbon cuttings, and also soliciting the help from Gary Locke, the former governor of Washington, former secretary of commerce and former U.S. ambassador to China.

In another troubling twist to the incestuous relationship, Locke sold his home in Bethesda to the Tang family for $1.6 million. The Intercept has an audio recording of a bribe of $200,000 being offered to one their reporter’s to quash the investigation.

Tang is also concerned about allegations a company he controlled is under investigation for smuggling and tax evasion in Shantou.

The pervasive influence of foreign money prompted the Federal Election Commission to propose an outright ban from domestic subsidiaries of foreign corporations. Politicians and the media would love to enrich themselves by opening the floodgates of foreign money, but the ultimate losers will be our democracy.