US Chamber of Commerce president: Environmentalists behind resignation of Apple, others

Environmental groups are trying to discredit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce by persuading companies to quit the business group over its stance on greenhouse-gas regulation, chamber President Tom Donohue said. Apple and PG&E are among companies that have quit the chamber, citing the group's opposition to legislative and regulatory proposals for curbing emissions of carbon dioxide. New Mexico-based PNM Resources and Exelon of Chicago, also said they will leave. "There is under way an orchestrated pressure campaign by a couple of environmental groups," Donohue, 71, said at a Washington press conference Thursday. The chamber, which calls itself the world's largest business federation, won't give in and change its position, he said. An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the spat Thursday, pointing back to Apple's original letter from Monday that outlined why it is leaving the chamber.