Disclosure of Political Activity
Windstream's Policy on Oversight and Transparency for Political Spending
Windstream's Board of Directors oversees corporate political spending. At least annually, Windstream
will brief its Governance Committee on the company's corporate political activity, including the spending
of treasury funds and/or funds from the Windstream Corporation political action committees. Further,
prior to funding any independent expenditure, Windstream shall obtain the approval of its Governance
Committee.
Windstream is committed to transparency in its political activities. The company complies with federal
and state regulatory reporting requirements, including required filings made with the Federal Election
Commission (FEC) and analogous state entities. This information is supplemented by voluntary
disclosures on the Investor Relations website, thus offering shareholders and the public a comprehensive
view of Windstream political activity.
Windstream has not funded independent expenditures and does not plan to fund independent
expenditures as part of its political program. Consistent with its commitment to transparency,
Windstream will be fully transparent if it funds independent expenditures in the future.
Windstream also provides transparency on its major trade association memberships. The company will
post on its website the name of all trade associations receiving more than $50,000 a year in Windstream
membership dues. In addition, for trade associations that are not primarily engaged in
telecommunications regulatory matters, Windstream will provide the annual payment amount for the
preceding year.
Windstream is active in the governance of its major trade associations and encourages them to provide
transparency for their political campaign contributions and to decline to make independent expenditures.
The company does not, however, condition membership in a group or association based on the group or
association's policy on reporting independent expenditures.
Disclosure of Political Activity
Windstream is committed to transparency in its political activity. Following is an accounting of the
company's efforts in 2020.
Campaign contributions - Windstream made no corporate contributions to candidates or political parties
in 2020.
During 2020, Windstream had two political action committees (PACs), each funded 100% with voluntary
contributions from employees. The Arkansas PAC operates exclusively in that state. The Windstream
Corporation PAC contributes to candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and also
makes contributions to state and local candidates, where permitted. During 2020, the two PACs
contributed approximately $80,000 to federal candidates; $85,750 to state and local candidates or
parties; and $11,000 to the PACs of state and national telecom associations. Detailed information on the
activity of both PACs is available online:
Independent expenditures – Windstream made none in 2020.
Trade associations – Outside of telecom, Windstream has no major memberships. A major membership
is defined as at least $50,000 in annual dues.
In 2020, Windstream paid at least $50,000 to two organizations that focus on telecom regulatory and
policy issues:
- the United States Telecom Association (USTelecom), and
- INCOMPAS.
These organizations focus narrowly on telecom regulatory matters. For competitive reasons,
Windstream does not itemize its dues payments to such groups. Windstream is active in the governance
of its major trade associations and encourages them to provide transparency for any political campaign
contributions and to decline to make independent expenditures.
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