Color of Change, the grassroots nonprofit founded by former Obama Green Jobs Czar Van Jones in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, appears to be mounting a challenge to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). The New York Times recently reported the group has used funds from “corporate backers such as Wal-Mart, AT&T, General Motors, Coca-Cola and Altria, the nation’s largest tobacco company” to pay for glitzy CBC events and pay off CBC debts.
A poll on the Color of Change’s Web site titled, “Survey: The Congressional Black Caucus,” asks members of Color of Change to check boxes labeled “strongly agree,” “agree,” “disagree,” “strongly disagree” or “not sure” on the following questions:
- “The Congressional Black Caucus can’t have it both ways, and we should call on members of the CBC to either vastly scale back their relationship to corporate donors or stop claiming that they’re upholding the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.”
- “It’s Washington politics as usual, and there’s no reason black legislators should be held to a higher standard.”
- “We should hold the Congressional Black Caucus accountable on specific legislation, and continue to serve as a watchdog to make sure their votes are in line with the interests of their constituents, and not driven by corporate dollars.”
Color of Change did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.