Every year, millions of dollars pass from corporations into the political process. While the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 applied some increased restrictions on these funds, including the prohibition of unlimited contributions to national political parties or committees controlled by federal office holders, it has done little to address funds that move through other channels. Corporations are free to contribute so-called "soft money" through industry and trade associations, certain state and local political committees, and nonprofit political organizations known as "527s" that generally report to the Internal Revenue Service rather than the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Disclosure of some types of contributions is required by the FEC, as well as by certain state and local regulations; however, some shareholders are concerned that loopholes and limitations in this disclosure result in a lack of accountability at the corporate level. Shareholders advocating increased disclosure of corporate political contributions file dozens of shareholder resolutions each year calling for transparency into this information, raising the question: do existing regulations and disclosure requirements provide shareholders with adequate insight into their companies' involvement in the political process?