Underneath a thick layer of creationist pro-life batshit in the Texas GOP, beats the heart of a criminal syndicate. Long before the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United, the Law Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA) was a pioneer in dark money. The group, which was founded with funding from the National Rifle Association, has spent millions of dollars in recent years to elect judges and attorneys general across America. The LEAA, which has repeatedly refused to reveal its donors, asked the Texas Supreme Court in 2011 to overturn a lower court’s order which required it to produce records and communications about its activities during the 2002 attorney general election. In 2004, one Texas newspaper noted that the LEAA had received $4.5 million from unknown sources and that some local “prosecutors hypothesize that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with ties to the Texas Association of Business, is the alliance’s mystery benefactor.” Justice Diaz has noted similar allegations that the LEAA was a front group for the Chamber in Mississippi. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has spent millions to elect judges who will rule in favor of corporate defendants and against plaintiffs in tort cases. This effort is bearing fruit, as the courts which have seen the most campaign cash are more likely to rule for corporate defendants.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:22:04 +0000
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