2019-Political-Engagement-Report
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1 Verizon Political Engagement - 2019 A Message from Craig Silliman 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 our business. We owe it to our shareowners, employees and customers to advocate public policies that will enable us to create new services for our customers and compete fairly 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 18 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. Verizon also participates in trade associations that advocate on behalf of their members. This report lists all PAC contributions, corporate political contributions, support for ballot initiatives and independent expenditures made by Verizon and its affiliates during the first half of 2019. It also lists our Public Policy organization's significant memberships in trade associations and issue advocacy organizations and provides a link to our federal lobbying reports. Our political activity 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 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. Craig L. Silliman Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative, Legal and Public Policy Officer 2 Verizon Political Engagement - 2019 Political Activity: Our Voice in the Democratic Process VERIZON’S POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT SuperPACs. Members of Verizon’s PAC boards also evaluate and approve the PAC budget and our giving to Verizon participates in the policymaking process at the candidates to ensure that contributions to each candidate federal, state, and local levels in order to inform public meet the criteria described above. officials of Verizon’s views on policy issues. Government policies can have a big impact on our business, whether they Third Party Organizations: We also make our voice heard involve decisions on taxes, technology regulation, or through participation in trade associations and by supporting consumer issues like protecting user privacy and stopping advocacy organizations. Verizon supports these illegal robocalls. We participate in these conversations so organizations for a variety of reasons, ranging from our that government decision makers understand how these interest in the community, to take advantage of industry policies could affect Verizon and our customers, employees, expertise, or because they have common goals and interests and shareholders. on key strategic policy and business issues. We participate in these organizations despite the fact that we may not HOW WE ADVOCATE always agree with all of the positions of each organization or its other members. These groups often have a diversity of Lobbying: As part of our advocacy, Verizon engages in members, interests and viewpoints that may not always lobbying at all levels of government. Verizon lobbies both reflect Verizon’s beliefs or priorities. When we disagree with through our own employees on our government affairs teams a position of an organization we support, we attempt to and through outside consultants. Verizon’s Public Policy and communicate our concerns through the senior executives Government Affairs organization approves any engagement that interact with these organizations. of lobbyists on behalf of Verizon. Verizon strictly complies with all lobbying laws, which require that we disclose our GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE lobbying activities and the amount we spend on lobbying. As described below, we file public reports that outline our All of Verizon’s political activity is subject to the company’s activities and expenses related to lobbying. Code of Conduct and other corporate policies. As outlined above, this activity is subject to the strict supervision of the Political Contributions: Verizon makes corporate political Verizon Legal Department and Public Policy and Government contributions where the law permits. The Verizon Legal Affairs organization. The Corporate Governance and Policy Department reviews all corporate political contributions to Committee of the Board of Directors also provides oversight ensure they are consistent with the company’s policy and of Verizon’s political activity, and policies regarding political strategy and that they comply with the law. activity, on an annual basis. Verizon also operates several political action committees Verizon knows that transparency regarding our political (PACs) that support candidates at the federal, state and activity is critical to maintaining the trust of the company’s local levels who make decisions on policy issues that impact employees and shareholders, and the public. Here are some Verizon. All PAC contributions are overseen and approved of the most significant ways we inform the public about our by senior leaders in the Public Policy and Government Affairs political activity: organization. • Twice a year, Verizon publishes on our website a report All contributions by Verizon and our PACs are made to listing all of our corporate political contributions and promote the interests of the company, our shareholders and PAC contributions. This report also discloses trade customers, and without regard to the personal political associations and tax exempt organizations (501(c)(4) interests of Verizon executives. The criteria we use to and 501(c)(6) organizations) for which our Public Policy support particular candidates depend on various factors, organization’s support exceeds $50,000 annually. such as general alignment with our business objectives, whether the candidate sits on a committee that addresses • Verizon’s political action committees file public legislation that is important to Verizon and our industry, a disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission candidate’s committee standing and ranking, and their and state and local campaign finance regulators, in leadership position and track record on key strategic accordance with applicable laws. business and policy issues for Verizon. We support candidates of any political party who share our priorities, • Verizon files public reports with the U.S. Congress and even if we do not agree with them on every issue. state and local lobbying regulatory bodies disclosing our lobbying activities. At the federal level, these reports We make contributions to candidates for political office, and (available at lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov) disclose organizations that support candidates for office and ballot Verizon’s lobbying activities and the amounts spent by initiatives. We do not make corporate political contributions Verizon on those activities. or PAC contributions to presidential candidates or federal 3 Verizon Political Engagement - 2019 Verizon Federal Political Action Committee Officers Disbursal Committee Kathleen Grillo - Chairwoman Robert Fisher - Chairman 1300 I Street, NW 1300 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Washington, DC 20005 Robert Fisher - Vice Chairman Leecia Eve 1300 I Street, NW 140 West Street Washington, DC 20005 New York, NY 10007 Taylor Craig - Treasurer Kathleen Grillo 1300 I Street, NW 1300 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Washington, DC 20005 Regi Simpson - Assistant Treasurer Anthony Lewis 1300 I Street, NW 1300 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Washington, DC 20005 Lydia Pulley 703 E Grace Street Richmond, VA 23219 Taylor Craig - Non-Voting 1300 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 David Kass - Non-Voting One Verizon Way Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 4 Verizon Political Engagement - 2019 Verizon Federal Political Action Committee 5 Verizon Political Engagement - 2019 Verizon Federal Political Action Committee CALIFORNIA PAC Contributions to Candidate Committees (Office Sought) Lena Gonzalez for Senate 2019 / Sen. Lena A. Gonzalez (State Senate - CA 33) ................................................. $ 1,000 Contributions to Party Organizations, PACs and Other Groups Bay Area Legislative Leaders PAC / (CA) ................................................................................................................................. $ 2,500 DELAWARE PAC Contributions to Party Organizations, PACs and Other Groups Delaware House Democrats / (DE) ................................................................................................................................................... $ 125 FEDERAL PAC Contributions to Candidate Committees (Office Sought) Stephanie Murphy For Congress / Rep. Stephanie N. Murphy (US House - FL 7) ............................................. $ 1,739.12 Bob Casey For Senate Inc / Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. (US Senate - PA) .................................................................... $ 1,500 Tom O'Halleran For Congress / Rep. Tom O'Halleran (US House - AZ 1) ................................................................... $ 1,000 Gallego For Arizona / Rep. Ruben M. Gallego (US House - AZ 7) ..................................................................................