The chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) plans to step down “at the end of the summer” amid a House of Representatives investigation into donations the foundation received from the Tides Foundation, according to an internal memo.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark wrote in an internal memo that Carolyn Corley will “leave the Chamber at the end of the summer.” according to of hill.
“It is with bittersweet emotion that I share the news that Carolyn will be leaving the Chamber at the end of the summer,” Clark said in the memo. “We began thoughtful conversations earlier this year regarding her desire to focus more on her personal endeavors.”
Clark’s memo also said that Michael Carney, who served as senior vice president of the USCCF, would be promoted to president of the foundation.
In early May, Rep. Jason Smith (R-Missouri), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, launched an investigation into the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) and its foundation.
In his letter to Corey and Clark, Smith sought answers to questions about donations the foundation received from the Tides Foundation, a “left-wing organization that aligns with and supports groups that advocate for policies that are damaging to American business.”
Smith explained that, according to a March report by Breitbart News, the USCCF received more than $12 million in funding from the Tides Foundation, a foundation funded by George Soros, between 2018 and 2022.
The money donated by the Tides Foundation was used to support the USCCF’s “Hiring Our Heroes” employment program for veterans. Smith’s letter added:
While the USCC’s stated mission is to improve people’s lives “by advancing American business” and “advancing policies that help businesses create jobs and grow the economy,” it seems odd to accept funding from an organization like the Tides Foundation, which is so focused on activities that run counter to the USCC’s mission.
In response to the report, USCC officials asserted that the report was false, but did not specify where the alleged factual errors were in the Breitbart News article.
Smith’s letter gave Corley and Clark a deadline of May 20 to answer questions about the donations.
As of Wednesday, a House Ways and Means Committee aide confirmed to Breitbart News that the USCC had not provided the committee with any “relevant information” about Smith before the deadline.
