Lee Fang | |
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File:Lfang.jpg | |
Education | BA, Government from University of Maryland |
Occupation | Journalist for Think Progress |
Website | Lee Fang |
Lee Fang is an investigative reporter and blogger[1] who has written for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.
Early Life and Career
Fang's hometown is in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He attended college at the University of Maryland, College Park and graduated with a B.A. in Government and Politics.[2]
Fang was an intern with ThinkProgress and also a researcher for Progressive Accountability. As an undergraduate, Fang also interned for Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), for the activist watchdog outfit Media Matters and for the lobbying firm Westin Rinehart.[2] Fang is active on Twitter and Facebook. As of February 2012, Fang had over 3,000 "tweets".[3]
Lee Fang wrote A Field Guide to the Right: The Conservative Machine in the Age of Obama, which was published by The New Press in 2011.
His contributions to ThinkProgress have included such articles as “GOP Congressman Tells Televangelists US Must Give Aid to Israel or 'Lose God's Hand” in May 2011 and “Why the Occupy Wall Street Protests Embody Values of the Real Boston Tea Party,” in October 2011.[4]
On October 5, 2010, Fang wrote an opinion article charging the United States Chamber of Commerce with taking foreign money to run political adds.[5] Chamber spokeswoman Tita Freeman replied, saying "we're careful to ensure that we comply with all policeable laws. No foreign money is used to fund political activities."[6]
Fang has been a vigorous critic of racism, Islamophobia of American right-wing evangelicals,[7] and of the Tea Party movement.
Chamber of Commerce article
On October 5, 2010, Fang wrote a story on ThinkProgress.Org stating that the United States Chamber of Commerce funded political attack campaigns from its general fund which solicits funds from foreign sources. The article, citing unnamed legal experts, stated that the chamber is "likely skirting longstanding campaign finance law that bans the involvement of foreign corporations in American elections."[8]
The story attracted national attention. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce denied Fang's charge, stating on its website that "no foreign money is used to fund political activities. All allegations to the contrary are totally and completely false."[9] Fang discussed the story on National Public Radio,[10] and on MSNC with [[Keith Olbermann]. Fang told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann that the Chamber is "going to foreign businesses and foreign individuals, saying, 'if you send us checks, you'll have a voice in American public policy debates.' They're sending those checks to the same bank account used for the attack ads."
While not mentioning Fang by name, The New York Times' judicial columnist Eric Lichtblau, the Associated Press, and Factcheck.org questioned the veracity of his ThinkProgress article's claims.[11] Lichtblau mentioned Fang's article by name, "Exclusive: Foreign-Funded ‘U.S.’ Chamber of Commerce Running Partisan Attack Ads,” and wrote that the press "provided no evidence that the money generated overseas had been used in United States campaigns. Still, liberal groups like MoveOn.org pounced on the allegations, resulting in protests at the chamber’s offices, a demand for a federal investigation by Senator Al Franken, Democrat of Minnesota, and ultimately the remarks by Mr. Obama himself."[12]
References
- ^ "Fang bio". ThinkProgress.
- ^ a b "Lee Fang". Center for American Progress.
- ^ http://twitter.com/lhfang
- ^ Fang, Lee. "GOP Congressman Tells Televangelists U.S. Must Give Aid To Israel Or 'Lose God's Hand'". Think Progress. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "Chamber of Commerce article". ThinkProgress.
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ignored (help) - ^ "Chamber response". Politico.
- ^ Fang, Lee. "Breivik Was Influenced By American Islamophobes Behind 'Ground Zero Mosque' Hysteria". Think Progress. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Fang, Lee. "Exclusive: Foreign-Funded 'U.S.' Chamber of Commerce Running Partisan Attack Ads". ThinkProgress.Org.
- ^ Chris Frates (10/05/2011). ""Chamber of Commerce Under Fire for Foreign Cash". Politico. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
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(help) - ^ Terry Gross (October 7, 2010). "'Citizens United' Ruling Opened Floodgates On Groups' Ad Spending National Public Radio".
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(help) - ^ JIM KUHNHENN (October 11, 2010). "SPIN METER: Foreign money in politics? Not proven". Associated Press.
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(help) - ^ Eric Lichtblau (October 8, 2010). "Topic of Foreign Money in U.S. Races Hits Hustings".
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