April 24, 2013
Dear Madam or Sir:
As Sherlock Holes was noted for saying,"it's elementary". The owners of public corporate entities - the shareholders - should certainly have the right to know how their money is being spent. Only if sunlight is thrown on political spending can shareholders make an informed judgment as to whether such expenditures are in their best interests.
It would be very unfortunate if the SEC, in denying the petition, were to serve the interests of the managers that shareholders have hired, rather than the interests of the shareholders themselves. Indeed, succumbing to the pressure of such business groups at the Chamber of Commerce would be a slap in the face of those whom the SEC exists to protect - investors and shareholders.
Desmonde Printz
Former Senior Analyst, Proxy Monitor