Corporate Lobby Tells Businesses To Shift Cases To GOP-Friendly Courts
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is capitalizing on the radical federal appeals court decision that held unconstitutional several of President Obama’s recess appointments to help businesses skirt workers’ rights in as many cases as possible. In a memo to its members, the nation’s top corporate lobbying shop urged businesses seeking to challenge rulings against them by the National Labor Relations Board to “act fast” to file their appeal in the same court that ruled in their favor – the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit – so that they could invalidate adverse NLRB actions before another court steps in. [ThinkProgress]
U.S. groups flex their muscles in Brussels
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce - the nation's top business group - now has an office in Brussels and nine registered lobbyists in the EU. For U.S.-based groups, it’s a new version of an old advocacy trick: looking for a friendly state legislature or compliant city council as a first step toward national or international standards. Emissions standards first passed by California or a trans-fat ban introduced in New York City have been examples of this kind of venue-shopping, especially if the groups are facing a hostile or deadlocked Congress. [Politico]
