The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu The leading online blog in the fields of corporate governance and financial regulation. Mon, 28 Sep 2026 15:45:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.11 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-photography-4-e1706898544564-1-32x32.png Primer on Corporate Political Activity: The Risks Companies Face from Political Spending, and How to Manage Them – The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu 32 32 Primer on Corporate Political Activity: The Risks Companies Face from Political Spending, and How to Manage Them https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2026/09/28/primer-on-corporate-political-activity-the-risks-companies-face-from-political-spending-and-how-to-manage-them/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=primer-on-corporate-political-activity-the-risks-companies-face-from-political-spending-and-how-to-manage-them https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2026/09/28/primer-on-corporate-political-activity-the-risks-companies-face-from-political-spending-and-how-to-manage-them/#respond Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:32:37 +0000 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/?p=183987?d=20260925155154EDT Posted by Bruce F. Freed (Center for Political Accountability), and William S. Laufer (The Wharton School), on Monday, September 28, 2026
Editor's Note:

Bruce F. Freed is president of the Center for Political Accountability; and William S. Laufer is the Julian Aresty Endowed Professor and Director of the Carol at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. This post is based on their recent memorandum.

The primer was jointly produced by the Center for Political Accountability, an NGO leading the effort to bring transparency and accountability to corporate political spending, and The Impact, Value, and Sustainable Business Initiative at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton Impact).

The primer couldn’t be more timely as K Street and corporate America brace for possible post-midterm congressional investigations.  Business leaders and general counsels know that their companies’ political donations will be in the crosshairs.

For companies, the primer comes out as corruption has become a major political issue. A recent Gallup survey found a record-high 89 percent in the U.S. responded that government corruption, of which political spending is a part, is widespread. (Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread)

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