2008 Verizon Political Contributions Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VERIZON POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS JANUARY – DECEMBER 2008 Verizon Political Contributions January – December 2008 1 A Message from Tom Tauke Verizon is affected by a wide variety of government policies — from telecommunications regulation to taxation to health care and more — that have an enormous impact on the business climate in which we operate. We owe it to our shareowners, employees and customers to advocate public policies that will enable us to compete fairly and freely in the marketplace. Political contributions are one way we support the democratic electoral process and participate in the policy dialogue. Our employees have established political action committees at the federal level and in 25 states. These political action committees (PACs) allow employees to pool their resources to support candidates for office who generally support the public policies our employees advocate. This report lists all PAC contributions and corporate political contributions made by Verizon in 2008. The contribution process is overseen by the Corporate Governance and Policy Committee of our Board of Directors, which receives a comprehensive report and briefing on these activities at least annually. We intend to update this voluntary disclosure twice a year and publish it on our corporate website. We believe this transparency with respect to our political spending is in keeping with our commitment to good corporate governance and a further sign of our responsiveness to the interests of our shareowners. Thomas J. Tauke Executive Vice President Public Affairs, Policy & Communications Verizon Political Contributions January – December 2008 2 Political Contributions: Our Voice in the Political Process What are the Verizon Good Government Clubs? Are the Verizon GGCs required to adhere to any The Verizon Good Government Clubs (GGCs) exist to help government reporting requirements? the people of Verizon participate in America’s electoral The Verizon GGCs are political committees organized process and support the public policies important to our under federal and applicable state election laws. As such, future as a company. Through the GGCs, employees the GGCs are subject to numerous requirements voluntarily join together to contribute to political established by the statutes and the government agencies campaigns and effectively participate in the electoral administering the federal and individual state election process. laws. These rules and regulations govern many aspects of the contributions process including the setting of monetary What is the mission of the Verizon Good Government contribution limitations and the establishment of periodic Clubs? reporting requirements. Verizon strictly follows all state and The Verizon Good Government Clubs’ mission is to federal reporting and other political action committee advance and protect the future of Verizon and its requirements and restrictions. employees. The Verizon GGCs’ interest is not in partisan politics. Instead, through the GGCs, we are able to stand Does Verizon also make corporate political together to help government officials and elected leaders contributions? understand our business, our issues, and our concerns. Yes, corporate political contributions are made to organizations and to candidates for state offices where How are candidates selected? permitted by law. Each year, an overall budget is Candidates and committees who are recommended to established and all requests for corporate contributions receive support are approved by the state and federal must be submitted for formal approval by the state or GGC PAC and disbursal committees. These committees regional president, Verizon Legal, the Senior VP for State are comprised of Verizon employees who understand our Public Affairs and the Executive VP – Public Affairs, Policy business and are familiar with the political process and the and Communications. Advance approval must be candidates for state and federal office. A listing of the obtained for cash contributions to individuals or Officers and the Disbursal Committee of the Verizon organizations able to receive corporate contributions, use Federal GGC follows this discussion. Each of the state of corporate facilities, discounts, or other items having GGCs also have PAC Committees comprised of local monetary value. employees. Verizon Political Contributions January – December 2008 3 Verizon Federal Good Government Club Officers and Disbursal Committee Committee Members Peter Davidson – Chairman Chairman 1300 I Street, NW, Suite 500 East Tom Tauke Washington, DC 20005 Verizon Government Relations Andres Irlando Vice Chairman 140 West Street, Suite 3010 Peter Davidson New York, NY 10007 Verizon Government Relations Colleen McCloskey Treasurer One Verizon Way, 1st Floor Taylor Craig Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Verizon Government Relations Tom Tauke 1300 I Street, NW, Suite 400 West Washington, DC 20005 Robert Woltz 600 Main Street, 11th Floor Richmond, VA 23219 Howard Woolley 1300 I Street, N.W., Suite 400 West Washington, DC 20005 Taylor Craig – Non-Voting 1300 I Street, NW, Suite 500 East Washington, DC 20005 James C. Wilson – Non-Voting 1515 North Courthouse Road Arlington, VA 22201 VERIZON PAC CONTRIBUTIONS JANUARY – DECEMBER 2008 Verizon Political Contributions (PAC Contributions) January – December 2008 5 FEDERAL PAC Contributions to Party Organizations or Other Groups Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee $15,000 Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee $15,000 DNC Services Corporation/Democratic National Committee $15,000 National Republican Congressional Committee $15,000 National Republican Senatorial Committee $15,000 Republican National Committee $15,000 Republican Party of Arizona $1,000 State Democratic Central Executive Committee (Arizona) $1,000 Contributions to Candidate Committees (Office Sought, State, District) Gary Ackerman (U.S. Representative, New York, District 5) $3,500 John Adler (U.S. Representative, New Jersey, District 3) $5,000 Lamar Alexander (U.S. Senator, Tennessee) $5,000 Rodney Alexander (U.S. Representative, Louisiana, District 5) $1,000 Robert Andrews (U.S. Representative, New Jersey, District 1) $2,500 Michael Arcuri (U.S. Representative, New York, District 24) $3,000 Joe Baca (U.S. Representative, California, District 43) $4,000 Michele Bachmann (U.S. Representative, Minnesota, District 6) $4,000 John Barrasso (U.S. Senator, Wyoming) $5,000 James Barrett (U.S. Representative, South Carolina, District 3) $1,000 John Barrow (U.S. Representative, Georgia, District 12) $3,500 Joe Barton (U.S. Representative, Texas, District 6) $5,000 Max Baucus (U.S. Senator, Montana) $1,000 Melissa Bean (U.S. Representative, Illinois, District 8) $5,000 Shelley Berkley (U.S. Representative, Nevada, District 1) $1,000 Marion Berry (U.S. Representative, Arkansas, District 1) $1,500 Gus Bilirakis (U.S. Representative, Florida, District 9) $1,000 Rob Bishop (U.S. Representative, Utah, District 1) $1,000 Sanford Bishop (U.S. Representative, Georgia, District 2) $5,000 Tim Bishop (U.S. Representative, New York, District 1) $2,000 Marsha Blackburn (U.S. Representative, Tennessee, District 7) $5,000 Roy Blunt (U.S. Representative, Missouri, District 7) $10,000 John Boccieri (U.S. Representative, Ohio, District 16) $1,000 John Boehner (U.S. Representative, Ohio, District 8) $5,000 Mary Bono Mack (U.S. Representative, California, District 45) $3,000 Daniel Boren (U.S. Representative, Oklahoma, District 2) $4,000 Verizon Political Contributions (PAC Contributions) January – December 2008 6 FEDERAL PAC (continued) Contributions to Candidate Committees (Office Sought, State, District) Leonard Boswell (U.S. Representative, Iowa, District 3) $6,000 Rick Boucher (U.S. Representative, Virginia, District 9) $3,500 Charles Boustany (U.S. Representative, Louisiana, District 7) $2,000 Allen Boyd (U.S. Representative, Florida, District 2) $3,000 Jeb Bradley (U.S. Representative, New Hampshire, District 1) $5,500 Bob Brady (U.S. Representative, Pennsylvania, District 1) $1,000 Kevin Brady (U.S. Representative, Texas, District 8) $1,000 Bobby Bright (U.S. Representative, Alabama, District 2) $2,500 Corrine Brown (U.S. Representative, Florida, District 3) $1,000 Henry Brown (U.S. Representative, South Carolina, District 1) $1,000 Vern Buchanan (U.S. Representative, Florida, District 13) $1,000 Michael Burgess (U.S. Representative, Texas, District 26) $2,000 G.K. Butterfield (U.S. Representative, North Carolina, District 1) $5,000 Stephen Buyer (U.S. Representative, Indiana, District 4) $3,500 Dave Camp (U.S. Representative, Michigan, District 4) $3,000 Christopher Cannon (U.S. Representative, Utah, District 3) $5,000 Eric Cantor (U.S. Representative, Virginia, District 7) $5,000 Shelley Moore Capito (U.S. Representative, West Virginia, District 2) $2,000 Michael Capuano (U.S. Representative, Massachusetts, District 8) $1,000 Dennis Cardoza (U.S. Representative, California, District 18) $3,000 Christopher Carney (U.S. Representative, Pennsylvania, District 10) $3,000 Andre Carson (U.S. Representative, Indiana, District 7) $3,500 John Carter (U.S. Representative, Texas, District 31) $1,000 Michael Castle (U.S. Representative, Delaware, District 1) $1,000 Katherine Castor (U.S. Representative, Florida, District 11) $3,000 Donald Cazayoux (U.S. Representative, Louisiana, District 6) $3,000 Steve Chabot (U.S. Representative, Ohio, District 1) $4,000 Saxby Chambliss (U.S. Senator, Georgia) $9,000 Travis Childers (U.S. Representative, Mississippi, District 1) $1,000 William Lacy Clay, Jr.