• FACT: U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing 3 million companies, associations, state and local chambers, and American Chambers of Commerce abroad has become a lobbying and political force with expanded influence across the globe.
• FACT: Within the Chamber, a well financed unit exists, The Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). They have a single mission – “challenge [the trial lawyers] in the courts, in the voting booth, in the court of public opinion and in the state legislatures and Congress”.
• FACT: ILR has won significant legal reforms in the courts, at the state and federal levels, and in elections for state attorneys general and Supreme Court judges.
• FACT: The money is rolling in from drug companies, heavy manufacturers, large retailers, insurance companies, even banks.

The ILR strategies are simple and devastatingly effective:

• Attack Ads (Issue Ads / Voter Education)
• Whisper campaigns
• Mainstream media influence
• Creating their own media under the guise of legitimate news publications
• Allegations of election law violations

And with a budget of TENS of MILLIONS of dollars each year, they are getting results!

• For the 2004 elections, the chamber dispersed 215 political operatives to 31 states, mailed 3.7 million letters to targeted voters, made 5.6 million phone calls and sent 30 million e-mails to persuade pro-business voters to go to the polls.
• The outcome has been impressive. The Institute for Legal Reform won 15 of the 16 state Supreme Court and attorney general races it targeted. The chamber's candidates also prevailed in 21 of the 28 House seats and in seven of the nine Senate races it engaged significantly.

AND NOW: The Beta Project is compiling information on asbestos claimants as a first step toward building a massive database of tort claims that will track not only plaintiffs but their screeners, doctors, and law firms.

What can YOU do?

1) Be aware – sign up NOW for regular updates.

2) Stay Informed – this summer Brent Coon and Associates will be launching an IRL Watch Dog Website, including local updates of Chamber activity in YOUR area

3) Stay in touch – Together we are more powerful!