Venable partner Ron Jacobs was quoted in a February 11, 2016 NPR Marketplace article on Wall Street donations to political campaigns. While Wall Street donations topped $100 million to presidential candidates in 2015, those donations rarely come from corporate funds due to company policies against using corporate funds for political campaigns. Instead, individuals donated most of the money to super PACs and directly to campaigns.
"Legally, companies can suggest executives make a contribution or attend a fundraiser, but they can't mandate it," said Jacobs. He noted that such activities are more focused on local or congressional races rather than presidential campaigns. "It's a politician who represents [their] district or is on the committee that oversees [their] industry," he added. "Those kinds of targeted connections."