Civil Rights Group Calls on Congressional Black Caucus PAC to Cut Ties with Industries that Harm Black People

Today, civil rights group ColorOfChange.org launched a national campaign calling on the Congressional Black Caucus PAC to address the massive influence of corporate lobbyists and Political Action Committees on its decision-making. With an email to its 1.3 million members, ColorOfChange.org shared a petition asking members of the Congressional Back Caucus to act to steer the PAC claiming to represent them back on track.

The Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee drew attention this month with two very big announcements that could impact important upcoming elections. The CBC PAC announced its Presidential endorsement earlier this month and, the following day, sources close to the pack leaked that it would not be endorsing Rep. Donna Edwards, a progressive hero, CBC member, and one of two Black women candidates in a competitive primary vying to become only the second Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate. According to reports, the decision was largely driven by CBC PAC board member, Al Wynn, the Congressman-turned-lobbyist who lost his seat to Edwards in 2008. Although ColorOfChange has no plans to support any of the candidates in either primary election, the organization and its members are concerned with the process and structure of the CBC PAC.

Although it bares the name of the Congressional Black Caucus, the CBC PAC only includes 8 of the 46 Black Caucus members and the majority of the board is made up of lobbyists representing various corporate interests.The lobbyists funding and sitting on the CBCPAC's board represent companies that are notorious for the mistreatment and exploitation of Black people, including private prisons, big tobacco, producers of highly addictive prescription drugs, student debt holders, and anti-worker companies like Walmart -which is also the country's biggest gun dealer.

The following statement was issued by ColorOfChange Executive Director, Rashad Robinson:
"We are concerned that the CBC PAC has been trading on the CBC's reputation for moral leadership while actually functioning as a front for corporate power. With its board dominated by corporate lobbyists and a large portion of its funding coming from some of the worst companies and industries for Black people, how can the CBC PAC justify operating under the banner of the Congressional Black Caucus?"

For interviews with Rashad Robinson, please contact CJ Frogozo at christine.frogozo@gmail.com or Michele Setteducato at michele.setteducato@gmail.com.