2019 Proxy Season Analysis: Mutual Fund Support for Corporate Political Disclosure Continues Steady Rise

The largest mutual funds’ support for the Center for Political Accountability’s corporate political disclosure resolution continued to steadily rise in 2019, to 56.0 percent from 52.7 percent in 2018 according to analysis based on the Morningstar Fund Votes Database. This increased support continues to build on the strong momentum of the 8.2 percentage point increase…

CPA’s Corporate 527 Donation Data Set

Please download the zip file below to access Center for Political Accountability’s research on contributions to and spending by 527 political committees over the past decade, which forms the basis for CPA’s forthcoming Conflicted Consequences report. CPA’s research focused on six state-focused political committees, several of which reshaped state and national politics and policy. The…

Collision Course: The Risks Companies Face When Their Political Spending and Core Values Conflict, and How To Address Them

This report takes an in depth look at the consequences of political spending by the largest US public companies over the past decade. It examines how companies’ corporate political spending often conflicts with their publicly stated values and the challenges this creates in today’s hyper-polarized environment. Collision Course Report…

Political Spending and Unintended Consequences

Big corporations have deep pockets and face few checks and balances, which means they have great influence. But, when a company’s political spending doesn’t align with its policies and values, there are bound to be consequences. Here’s an example: In 2016, North Carolina’s enactment of a controversial transgender bathroom law, HB2, brought high-profile news coverage…

Mutual Fund Support for Political Spending Disclosure Jumps in First Year of Trump Presidency (pdf)

Support by mutual funds for the Center for Political Accountability’s corporate political disclosure resolution jumped significantly in 2017, to 48 percent from 43 percent in 2016, according to an analysis by Fund Votes. The analysis also found that abstentions decreased from five percent to three percent, indicating a shift toward more active support for political…