November 6, 2013
SEC Comment file 4-637
Dear Comment file 4-637,
I am deeply concerned about the influence of corporate money on our electoral process.
In particular, I am appalled that, because of the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, publicly traded corporations can spend investor's money on political activity in secret.
I am writing to urge the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue a rule requiring publicly traded corporations to publicly disclose all their political spending.
This corporate money disclosure should also be required to be VERBALIZED publicly on major media, by each candidate at several required intervals during a campaign.
Both shareholders and the public must be fully informed as to how much the corporation spends on politics and which candidates are being promoted or attacked. Disclosures should be posted promptly on the SEC's web site.
This should be a first step in the process to expose the "bought and paid for" aspect of all our political candidates...a situation that must end in our country if democracy is to be restored.
Thank you for considering my comment.
Sincerely,
Thomas Rippolon