Press Releases

Why is the GOP Forcing a Tax Plan that Hurts the Middle Class? It’s About Doing the Bidding for Their Big Money Donors

Nov 02, 2017

Washington, DC — Republicans today unveiled their secretive tax bill that would require middle class families to pay more to give tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Why would Republicans try to force through this partisan bill? Because they are in the pockets of their Big Money special interest donors.

The people who would benefit from this legislation – the special interests and mega donors – spent over $151 million lobbying this year. That money resulted in legislation that would lower the tax rate for corporations by 20 percent, the largest reduction in corporate tax rate in our nation’s history. The bill could mean 1 in 5 families earning between $50,000 – $150,000 would see an immediate increase in taxes.

“Make no mistake: This tax plan is designed to help the special interests while hurting the middle class,” said Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United. “It’s the latest example of a rigged system in Washington that’s fueled by unlimited money. ECU will hold these Republicans accountable next November and elect reformers who will ensure our government is responsive to the people’s interests, not the special interests.”

Republicans are beholden to the corporate special interests that spent hundreds of millions of dollars buying elections last year. Now the special interests are doubling down to push the bill through Congress.

Politicians bought and paid for:

  • Last cycle alone, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Action Network, the Koch network and One Nation spent over $280 million to elect their chosen candidates.

More Spending; More Pressure:

  • This year, corporations gunning for tax reform have already spent more than $151 million lobbying.

  • The Chamber of Commerce alone spent over $58 million lobbying while making tax reform a top priority and spent over $29 million in outside spending last cycle to elect their handpicked politicians.

  • American Action Network, the dark money group, has spent at least $14 million of an expected $25 million on a pro-tax reform campaign that included TV, digital, and radio advertisements; robocalls; and mobile ads in targeted Congressional districts.

  • One of the biggest pro-Trump dark money groups, “45Committee,” which is backed by the Adelson and Ricketts families, recently announced that they plan on spending at least $10 million aimed at both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to support the GOP tax plan.

….and explicit threats:

  • Earlier this year, the Chamber threatened lawmakers that “who helped versus who stood in the way of getting tax reform done” would determine if they received Chamber support or opposition. The group even suggested it would support primary challengers to the sitting Republicans who refused to vote their way.

  • American Action Network held a meeting in the Capitol building where it showed members of Congress ads it would run in their districts to pressure them to support the bill.

  • GOP megadonors threatened to withhold contributions until their party passed tax reform.

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