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Target asks employees to contribute to its PAC

Posted at 12:00 PM on August 7, 2006 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)

A Target employee gave me a letter from Target Chairman and CEO Bob Ulrich which encourages Target employees to join its PAC, Target Citizens Political Forum. Ulrich writes in the letter:

Whether it's strengthening the safety of our ports while maintaining an efficient supply chain, supporting legislation that increases the penalties for conducting organized retail crime, or ensuring that our nation's trade policies positively impact importers, our company is continually faced with legislation and regulatory issues that greatly affect our success as a corporation and ultimately as individual team members.

The FEC site says 228 people have given to the PAC since 2000. A quick glance at Political MoneyLine details who gave to the PAC and where the PAC money goes. 19 Target employees have given to the PAC in the 2006 election cycle. In that same time period, the PAC has given money to 45 candidates this year, $30,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee and 15 other Political Action Committees (11 to the PACs of GOP lawmakers, 2 Democratic lawmakers and 2 retail related PACS).

The letter asks that employees contribute .5% of their gross annual salary or $20, $10 or an unspecified dollar amount through paryoll deduction. To be clear, Ulrich also writes in his letter that contributions are voluntary and the decision to contribute will "neither benefit nor disadvantage your present or future position with Target."

It's no surprise that businesses such as Target have a PAC. What I'm wondering is whether other businesses encourage their workers to donate to their Political Action Committees. If so, shoot me a note (it doesn't have to be published on the blog) and let me know.

Comments (4)

Interesting. There is a Sebastian Mallaby essay today at washingtonpost.com about the political power of brands that complements this story nicely. He didn't mention specific PACs.

Posted by bsimon | August 7, 2006 1:39 PM

Here's the link to the Mallaby article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/06/AR2006080600841.html

Posted by tom scheck | August 7, 2006 2:05 PM

Xcel has a PAC (NSPC), as do many others.

Here's the link to all the PAC's registered in the state. There are federal PACs too.

http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/campfin/pcfatoz.html

Posted by Julian | August 7, 2006 3:28 PM

Before ReliaStar became ING (Minneapolis), it had a PAC and employees were strongly urged to contribute to it.

Posted by Margaret | August 8, 2006 7:19 AM

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