On January 21st, the two year anniversary of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, the entire House Republican caucus traveled to a hotel along the Baltimore waterfront for a retreat to plan their legislative agenda this year. The timing was coincidental, but interesting given the event’s hosts. The Congressional Institute, the ostensibly “educational” organization that sponsored the event, is made up of a group of corporate lobbyists.
Republic Report attempted to attend the event. Law enforcement on orders from the retreat hosts restricted our access. But as we left, we ran into Congressman Tim Walberg (R-WI). Walberg refused to answer why his caucus was huddling with corporate lobbyists, or if the lobbyists have any influence over the agenda. Asked about the symbolism of convening such a retreat on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that allows unlimited corporate influence in American elections, Walberg just grinned and walked away:
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