November 9, 2013
SEC Comment file 4-637
Dear Comment file 4-637,
SO EVEN AFTER THE BIGGEST, MOST CORRUPT, PERSONAL AND PUBLICLY DEVASTATING ECONOMIC FAILURE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, YOU WANT TO ALLOW PRIVATE COMPANIES THE PRIVILEGED OF BUYING POLITICAL INFLUENCE WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY? TO DO SO SIMPLY CONFIRMS MY FEAR THAT THE CORRUPTION HAS ALREADY REACHED YOUR ORGANIZATION. DO YOUR JOB AND CLEARLY AND PRECISELY KEEP FUNDING FOR OUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES PUBLIC SO WE CAN KNOW WHO IS PAYING FOR THEIR INFLUENCE! IF AMERICA IS NOW A CORPORATION, IT'S INVESTORS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW EXACTLY FOR WHOM THEIR BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENT.
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.
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.
Thank you for considering my comment.
Sincerely,
Patrick Conn