And some experts believe political contributions can be smart investments. Supporting market-oriented think tanks is just one part of automakers' antiregulatory strategy. Unfortunately, safety is too often part of the equation and is compromised as a result. The Ford Motor Company Fund's annual report for 1999 doesn't mention CEI, which got nearly 3 percent of its annual budget from Ford last year. Corporations are not required to disclose such donations, and nonprofit organizations aren't required to list their donors.
Courts give companies wide latitude in connecting their donations to fiduciary duty.
A bill sponsored by Representative Paul Gillmor, an Ohio Republican, would require companies to disclose their total charitable contributions and to detail any contributions to charities with connections to company officers. Meanwhile, Sam Kazman's article in the Journal didn't note Ford's backing of his organization. 23, November 6, 2000. This article may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author.