Follow the money.
That was the catchphrase of the shadowy source “Deep Throat” in the 1976 film All The President’s Men when providing guidance to a reporter on how to break open the Watergate scandal.
The sentiment holds good when it comes to the EU referendum.
The direction of travel in the EU couldn't be clearer. A vote to 'Remain' is a vote to be part of an EU superstate. pic.twitter.com/M29L0Ccj5S
— LEAVE.EU (@LeaveEUOfficial) June 8, 2016
Figures from the Electoral Commission show that some of the biggest American banks have been financing the campaign to keep the UK in the European Union.
Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have each donated £500,000 ($730,000) to the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign.
Morgan Stanley chipped in £250,000 ($364,000).
You might have thought that Goldman Sachs would wish to hang on to its loose change.
On April 11, Goldman bosses agreed to a $5.1 billion fine with the US Department of Justice for deceiving investors in mortgage bonds.
Now, having deceived investors, the firm is financing the deception of the British electorate – funding the propaganda effort of the Remain campaign.
Goldman Sachs was also criticized for its role in Greece’s bankruptcy by helping the government to disguise the true extent of the growing national debt.
As for JP Morgan, it might have been expected to want to avoid throwing its money around this year as well.
Don't be scared and threatened of the EU powerbrokers. The power and size of our market will do the talking.
— Steven Woolfe MEP (@Steven_Woolfe) June 7, 2016
In January we learnt that it was to pay $1.42bn to settle legal claims that it drained Lehman Brothers of cash at the time of the 2008 financial crash.
Thus we have some of the principal culprits of the last recession having the audacity to fund claims about the perils of financial collapse in the event of Brexit – Britain quitting the EU.
I suppose they can at least point to having expertise of financial slumps having been the architects of one.
So why are they doing it?
These American banks do very well out of the European Union.
They are happy in a corporatist world remote from democratic accountability where those with the most to spend on lobbying (that is, themselves) can secure regulations that stifle competition and allow consumers to be stung.
The EU referendum is a David and Goliath struggle. The Remain campaign has the resources of the state and the huge banks.
But the Leave campaign scores well with what is effectively a people’s army. There are thousands of ordinary patriotic citizens who are campaigning to come out of the EU.
Remain in EU is epitome of inability to see out of the box, trapped by dependency on others, a lack of initiative & self confidence.#Brexit
— Dr Teck Khong (@DrTeckKhong) March 4, 2016
They will not be cowed by the bullying and scaremongering from officialdom and the mega corporations.
The voters can see through it.
They know what Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan are doing and they know why they are doing it.
The EU referendum is not for sale.
