Facebook Gave Money to 85% of House Committee Which Will Be "Questioning" Zuckerberg Next Week

Recent MSM narratives have consistently sung the tune of congressional corruption at the hands of certain corporations. These reports regularly encouraged tunnel vision and narrow-minded focus on only one organization with one supposed purpose. As it turns out, the majority of these MSM reports seemed to deliberately ignore the fact that most American corporations buy out political figures for the sake of their own financial gain.

 
We find ourselves in times of change—time in which the people are no longer interested in lip service, but in true justice and accountability for the past crimes of government and the corporate world. Years ago, many independent researchers found there was little difference between the corrupt government officials and the corporations that line their pockets with millions of dollars in the name of making "charitable donations."

Sadly, bribery is accepted as a regular tool of the political trade. Yet in recent times, the MSM has only been interested in focusing on one organization (the NRA)—toting this organization as the central, solitary hub of corruption in America. We see in these recent cases, one political agenda thrown about in corporate news without any acknowledgement that real and observable issues of corruption exist within many organizations and corporations both within and outside American borders.

Related links - Why Are We Only Now Talking about Facebook and Elections? - Article and Commentary

In fact, the problem of financial compromise has been so long-running that at present, the division between government and the corporate world is virtually nonexistent. Likewise, the division between corporate media companies, the corporations that fund them, and the government that shares the same bed are mathematically the same entity—financially speaking. For those details, click here.

Only when we the people choose to realize and observe the overwhelming issue of corruption in the world can we begin to undo the insurmountable damage it has caused. Until then, the MSM will only have us chasing our own tails and inducing the same polarizing tunnel vision that has stagnated the U.S. for over a half century.

As we may have guessed, Facebook has been revealed to be one of the corporations which has helped render functional government questionable at best. As Zero Hedge describes, Mark Zuckerberg will be questioned extensively for the recent issue of the ethical failures of  the overgrown Facebook platform.

 
It has been the hope of many that this hearing will be the beginning of real justice for the sake of the people. However, some doubt that the level of financial handshaking that preceded the hearing will allow for true justice to be done.

Related links - Who Controls the World? - The True Story behind Money and Media Manipulation with TED X - Video, Links and Extended Commentary

As researchers have found, Facebook has, for years now, gifted millions to various members of Congress and other political figures. According to sources, this tactic of financial compromise is maintained specifically for occasions such as these hearings.

* * * * *


Source: Zero Hedge

Published: April 7, 2018

By: Tyler Durden

Facebook and affiliated political groups have donated heavily to members of two committees set to interview CEO Mark Zuckerberg next week, according to analysis from the Center for Responsive Politics via USA Today.

Since 2007, the social media giant has contributed a cumulative $381,000 to 46 of the 55 members on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which will hear from Zuckerberg on Wednesday.

While the average committee member received between $6,750 and $6,800, Committee Chair Greg Walden (R-OR) received $27,000, and top ranking Democrat Frank Pallone of New Jersey received $7,000 from Facebook.

Rep. Anna Eschoo (D-CA), whose district is adjacent to Facebook headquarters and home to many Facebook employees, received the most from Facebook at $55,150 since 2007. Eschoo narrowly lost a battle with Pallone for ranking Democrat position on the committee in the 2014 election.

Related links - Facebook Loses $70 Billion in Market Value over Last 10 Days

Walden and Pallone announced Zuckerberg's appearance on Wednesday to testify on "critical consumer data privacy issues."

“This hearing will be an important opportunity to shed light on critical consumer data privacy issues and help all Americans better understand what happens to their personal information online,” Messrs. Walden and Pallone said in a Wednesday statement. “We appreciate Mr. Zuckerberg’s willingness to testify before the committee, and we look forward to him answering our questions on April 11th.” (also, thanks for all that money Zuck! We'll be sure to put the softballs on a plastic "T" for you)

Meanwhile, a Roll Call report reveals that two Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have nearly $100,000 invested in shares of Facebook - with Democratic Reps. Joe Kennedy of MA and Kurt Schrader of OR owning approximately $80,000 and $15,000 respectively.

Twenty-eight members listed stock in the social media giant, according to Roll Call’s Wealth of Congress project. Among them, Democratic Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Joseph P. Kennedy III of Massachusetts sit on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, while Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island sits on Senate Judiciary.

Both panels, along with Senate Commerce, invited Zuckerberg to appear before them after reports that Cambridge Analytica, a British big data firm, obtained access to private information of millions of Facebook users under questionable circumstances. Cambridge Analytica reportedly incorporated the data in ad-targeting tools used by political campaigns including President Donald Trump’s winning 2016 bid.
...

“Congressman Kennedy’s stock holdings do not influence his work in Congress,” his office said in response to questions from Roll Call about his Facebook shares. -Roll Call

Ten Democratic members of the Committee, including Kennedy, sent a letter last Thursday to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to commend the agency on its investigation into Facebook.

Related links - Facebook Scandal Unfolds - Zuckerberg Faces Backlash Amid Forthcoming Data-Mining Disclosures

Meanwhile House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi owns at least $500,000 shares of Facebook through her husband, while Texas Republican Rep. Michael McCaul reported at least $1 million in Facebook stock and around $30,000 in 2016 capital gains through his wife and child.

 
Pelosi's office noted "These investments are Mr. Pelosi’s not Leader Pelosi’s. Leader Pelosi plays no role in this investment and has no stock investments of her own," an aide said.

That's not all...

Illinois Rep. Brad Schneider has at least $200,000 in the company through his wife’s IRA, while Rhode Island Rep. Jim Langevin, a fellow Democrat, holds stock worth at least $115,000 and had capital gains of more than $5,000, according to his 2016 financial disclosure. Ohio Republican Rep. James B. Renacci also owns at least $150,000 worth of Facebook stock.

Several lawmakers with holdings in the company say they recognize that new policies on social media oversight are needed after the latest developments. -Roll Call

Several other members of Congress own Facebook as well - however one Senator, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) wants nothing to do with Facebook, and has announced that he will be selling his shares.

According to Roll Call, here are all the members of Congress who listed Facebook holdings in their 2016 financial disclosures, along with the minimum worth of their stocks and of any capital gains or dividends.