January 14, 2014
It is an outrage that the Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped the rule requiring publicly traded corporations to disclose their political spending from the unified agenda !
RETURN THE RULE to the unified agenda AND COMPLETE THE RULE in 2014.
After the Supreme Court’s APPALLING Citizens United ruling, followed by 2012’s tsunami of election spending, bringing corporate “dark money” into the light should be of the HIGHEST PRIORITY for an agency charged with looking out for the interests of investors.
Giving CEOs the green light to USE OUR retirement savings and investments as a political war chest for PARTISAN INTERESTS like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is WRONG.
It would be absurd for a small business owner NOT to know if his or her company’s money is being spent to help elect politicians. The SAME holds true for shareholders.
Both shareholders AND the public MUST BE FULLY INFORMED as to HOW MUCH corporations spend on politics, AND which candidates are being promoted or attacked. Disclosures MUST be posted PROMPTLY on the SEC’s web site.
Your ATTENTION to this issue---AND your ACTION upon it---is of critical importance.
The SEC's shining a clear LIGHT on activities that damage the functioning of democratic principles our country was founded upon is an action that millions of citizens rightfully expect.
PROTECTING retirement savings and investments from ANY corporate abuse falls squarely upon the shoulders of the SEC.
Many of us continue to worry; yet we are hopeful of seeing that clear light.
...And we are waiting still.
Jayne Chase
Marlborough, NH