Mark Levin said Monday on his syndicated radio program Monday that the United States Chamber of Commerce is "not about capitalism, they're about cronyism," continuing with the theme of the divide between "establishment Republicans" and "conservatives."
Levin discussed an Opensecrets.org report showing that, in the 2012 election cycle, the Chamber gave $6,275,199 in campaign contributions to candidates, Leadership Political Action Committees (PACs), parties, and 527 committees.
The top individual recipients were Mitt Romney, Senate Candidate Laura Lingle (R-Hawaii), Senate Candidate George Allen (R-Va.), Senate Candidate Heather Wilson (R-NM), and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). The Republican Governors Association (RGA) received $1.25 million, while the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) received a combined $130,000 from the Chamber.
Levin said:
"We need to shake up that place like it's never been shaken before. And the problem with groups like the United States Chamber of Commerce is they're not conservative, they're about business. They're not about capitalism, they're about cronyism. The reason there is a United States Chamber of Commerce is so they can get Congress to cut deals for them, or the White House to cut deals for them, or the bureaucracy to cut deals for them. That's what they're there for."
"They're part of the problem. The idea that big companies are necessarily conservative is absurd. Who do you think funds the left? Who do you think funds the Democrat Party? Or, all their little organizations? Big businesses do. Corporatists do. They're trying to buy favors. That's what they do. So, you have to be discerning. There are some good businesses and there's some bad businesses. Just like there's some good people and some bad people. Some good politicians and some bad politicians."