Friday

Top U.S. corporations funneled $185 million to political nonprofits

Company filings shine light on dark money

By

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling in 2010 did not, as some warned, unleash a flood of corporate money directly into elections.
But since then, scores of blue-chip U.S. companies quietly bankrolled politically active nonprofits to the tune of at least $185 million in roughly a single year, according to a new Center for Public Integrity investigation.

Ranking among the biggest donors are energy giant Exelon Corp., health insurer WellPoint Inc. and technology titan Microsoft Corp.

The millions of dollars in corporate expenditures highlighted by the Center for Public Integrity’s research flowed to more than 1,000 politically active nonprofits, from major trade associations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to pro-business alliances such as the Fix the Debt Coalition.

“When customers can associate a store or company with a particular political position, they may be less likely to shop there if they disagree with that position.”
- Rick Hasen, election law professor at the University of California, Irvine

Many such trade associations and so-called “social welfare” groups have released a tsunami of political ads since the Citizens United decision.

These funds have been dubbed “dark money” because nonprofits organized under sections 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) of the U.S. tax code need not publicly disclose the sources of their funding — unlike candidates, political parties and super PACs.

The Center for Public Integrity illuminated the flow of money by combing through voluntary disclosures filed by the 300 largest public companies in the United States, as ranked by Fortune magazine, most of which covered calendar year 2012.

Shadowy spending has targeted elections at all levels, from the White House to Congress to state party committees. The extent of financial involvement from major corporations has been unclear, as there has been only a scant paper trail to examine.

According to the Center for Public Integrity’s seven-month analysis, roughly 84 percent of the $185 million in self-reported funds flowed to trade associations, including major political players like the Chamber, America's Health Insurance Plans and the American Petroleum Institute.

Meanwhile, about 13 percent went to social welfare nonprofits such as the Democratic-aligned Third Way think tank and the Republican Main Street Partnership.

And about 3 percent was doled out to other entities such as the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the National Conference of State Legislators, the Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Follow the corporate cash flow to nonprofits

By Chris Zubak-Skees and Michael Beckel

About one-third of the 300 largest companies in the country voluntarily disclosed gifts to trade associations and other politically engaged nonprofits in 2012. We used those disclosures to make more than $185 million in previously dark money searchable.
 

The analysis found that roughly one-third of the Fortune 300 companies voluntarily disclosed dues payments, grants or contributions to trade associations and other politically engaged nonprofits. Dozens of other large firms, meanwhile, reported affiliations with such groups without getting into the financial details.

Some of the nation’s largest companies — including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., ExxonMobil Corp. and AT&T Inc. — do not voluntarily disclose their political spending.

But what voluntary transparency does exist heartens disclosure supporters.

“Companies increasingly see disclosure as good governance,” said Bruce Freed, the president of the Center for Political Accountability, which advocates for greater corporate self-reporting and each year grades major U.S. companies on their policies and practices.

“There is a premium on transparency,” Freed continued. “Openness on this is in their self-interest.”

“Activists want additional disclosure of political spending so they can target the companies for harassment and boycotts.”
- Blair Latoff Holmes, spokeswoman for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

No comments: