Van Hollen will debate corporate ‘opponent’

Perhaps it’s a good thing for Rep. Chris Van Hollen that Murray Hill Inc. can’t run for Congress.

Less than two weeks before a scheduled debate between the “candidates,” the public relations firm has more than 10,200 fans on its Facebook page, compared to 3,400 for the four-term Democrat.

But even though the state Board of Elections has ruled that Murray Hill is too young to run for Congress and not human enough to vote, Van Hollen has agreed to debate the company on July 20 at Northwood High School.

“Once again, Congressman Van Hollen is taking on the special interests — this time by actually running against one for office,” Van Hollen spokesman Doug Thornell said.

Said Eric Hensal, president of Murray Hill the company and “designated human” for Murray Hill the corporate candidate: “We just want to discuss the proper place for people in politics.”

The company threw its hat into the ring in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District to lampoon the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The high court’s 5-4 decision overturned a ban on corporate campaign spending, treating companies like individuals in allowing them to pay out of pocket for campaign advertising.

“This forum will highlight the absurdity of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United, and the urgent need for the U.S. Senate to pass Congressman Van Hollen’s campaign finance reform bill to address it,” Thornell said.

The bill, passed by the House of Representatives on June 24, would bar foreign firms and financial institutions that received bailout funds from donating to campaigns, and toughen disclosure requirements.

Van Hollen was quick to criticize the court’s decision in January, calling it “radical” and “scandalous.”

He implored others to “think of some hypotheticals,” like Wall Street firms fearing stricter regulations pouring money into campaign war chests, and Fortune 100 companies controlling American politics.

Murray Hill’s corporate candidacy, however, was not one of those scenarios the congressman imagined.

“Clearly he’s on the other side of the issue,” Hensal said. “He’s trying to oppress us corporations. He’s going to have to defend that in public.”

The company has taken the court’s ruling and run with it, developing a campaign to fight for corporate civil rights while selling yard signs, T-shirts and bumper stickers with the slogan “corporations are people too.”

It first sought to run as a Republican. But, state elections officials ruled the company could not register for the primary because Murray Hill is not a registered Republican voter, and could not register because it is not a human being.

Next, Hensal lined Murray Hill up for a campaign free of party affiliation. While on his way to the beach with his human family on July 2, Hensal stopped by the Board of Elections office in Annapolis to declare as an independent candidate. His forms were stamped “denied” when officials determined Murray Hill was not old enough to run.

As mandated by the Constitution, members of Congress must be at least 25. Murray Hill is only five, though perhaps a little older if you count its time as an LLC.

“The Constitution says 25 years old,” Hensal said. “But it doesn’t say how to calculate years. There’s a bodied person [human] assumption there.”

Hensal said the company is mulling other options to force its way on to the ballot after twice being turned away by the elections board.

Hensal said he hopes the forum helps drum up support for a potential petition drive to get Murray Hill on the ballot.

“I don’t know if there’s an administrative remedy at this point or not,” he said. “We’ll take it one thing at time. We’ll see what we can do in the court of public opinion for a bit.”