Feb. 1, 2020
Dear SEC Rule Comments, I am a shareholder as well as a voter!!! I want more -- rather than less -- accountability from corporate CEOs, which is what the current proposal will result in. I am appalled that the SEC is attempting to severely limit the ability of shareholders to conduct oversight of the companies in which they invest...especially in light of the preventable deaths caused by Boeing aircraft. I admit that the rest of this comment consists of language suggested by ad advocacy group, that I strongly support. But I wanted to make sure that whoever read this understood that I know what this comments says and support it The federal agency tasked with protecting American investors should be encouraging a robust system of checks and balances between the owners of corporate wealth and companies’ management, not shutting down the main path for providing shareholder input. These new rules would make it harder for investors to raise emerging issues with managers, meaning that it would halt progress toward addressing critical issues impacting companies and our communities over the long term. Years before Boeing’s 737 MAX model aircraft killed hundreds of people, the company’s shareholders filed proposals asking for more transparency about the company’s lobbying, citing concerns about the company’s influence over regulators. Had the new rules been in place, those shareholders’ efforts to hold Boeing’s management accountable would have been stopped in their tracks. The SEC should be facilitating shareholder democracy, not undermining it. This new set of rules should not be advanced. Thank you for considering my comment. Sincerely, Rivko Knox [redacted]