Black activists took aim at the financial arm of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on Monday, with scathing accusations that the group is tied too closely to corporations undermining human rights and other black causes.
In a letter to members of the CBC, the advocates –– including leaders of Black Lives Matter and ColorOfChange –– called on the lawmakers to overhaul the board of the CBC Political Action Committee in order to "end the dominance of corporate lobbyists in its decision making."
The critics say the current board is too closely aligned with corporations they deem harmful to black communities, including private prisons, certain pharmaceutical companies, student loan managers "and anti-worker companies like Walmart."
"The board should be lead by people accountable to Black folks, including elected officials and representatives from organizations representing the interests of Black people, not lobbyists paid to wield corporate power," the civil rights groups wrote.
They're also asking that "the board cut ties with funders from the private prison lobbyists, the tobacco industry, and the National Restaurant Association, just three of the worst corporate sponsors of the PAC.”
"Between donors and board members, the committee is under the influence of some of the companies and industries with the worst track records of abuse and exploitation of Black people," they added.
The letter is also endorsed by the Black Alliance for Just Immigration and the Campaign for Media Justice.
The CBC PAC, the fundraising arm of the caucus, boasts eight members of the CBC on its 21-member board. The others are largely lobbyists and consultants representing a number of prominent law firms around Washington and beyond.
The PAC is headed by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), whose office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
It's not the first time the CBC PAC has been at the center of controversy. In February, after the group endorsed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), a CBC member who's supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), went out of his way to note the distinction between the CBC and its political arm.
"Cong'l Black Caucus (CBC) has NOT endorsed in presidential," Ellison tweeted at the time. "Separate CBCPAC endorsed withOUT input from CBC membership, including me."
