More than $37m has already been spent in an election that will this month determine control of Wisconsin’s supreme court, easily making it the most expensive judicial contest in US history.
Your March 13 editorial (“Out of the darkness“) tying the recent Larry Householder guilty verdict to the perils that companies face from “dark money” political spending hit the bullseye.
A sordid chapter in Ohio’s political and corporate history came to a close as former Republican House Speaker Larry Householder and former state GOP chairman Matt Borges were convicted last Thursday, March 9, in federal court on racketeering-conspiracy charges.
“FirstEnergy is the poster child of the risks and damage a company faces from ill-considered political spending,” said Bruce Freed, president of the Center for Political Accountability.
Action range from full disclosure to bans on corporate money in politics.
‘Interplay between government institutions and businesses engaging in both policy and politics is rightfully being scrutinized in ways not seen for generations,’ says IBM’s Christopher Padilla.
At least 10 major corporations made substantial donations “directly or indirectly” to the re-election campaign of Gov. Ron DeSantis, with three of them giving more than $2 million and are now touting their promotion of Black History Month.
The 2024 election cycle will likely see record campaign spending and companies will find themselves ever more intensely scrutinized for the way they engage in politics.