International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) Viewpoint
Co-Authored by Lauren Compere
The 2016 US Presidential election campaign is set to be the most expensive yet – a whopping $10 billion in total costs. This has brought corporate political spending and lobbying in the US to the forefront of public visibility and scrutiny. Yet many investors during this election cycle may not be fully aware of the political risk posed by dark money flow by US corporations they invest in, or the special interest groups that these corporates belong to may be affiliated with.
This Viewpoint provides an update on the issue of corporate lobbying and political donations through a corporate governance lens. While ICGN’s focus on this and other governance issues takes a global perspective, the primary focus of this Viewpoint is on developments in the US, given the 2016 Presidential election and the magnitude of campaign finance in the US.
