Home Depot

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Home Depot sells home improvement and construction products. It is the world's largest home fix-it chain with more than 2,150 stores in North America, ahead of second-place Lowe's. Home Depot is the second-largest retailer in the U.S., after Wal-Mart. Products include lumber, floor and wall coverings, plumbing, gardening supplies, tools, paint, and appliances.

[1]

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council

Home Depot has ties the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). It was a member of ALEC's Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force until it terminated its membership on January 14, 2013, according to an August 2013 ALEC board document obtained by The Guardian.[2]

About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.

Ad Boycott Against Air America Radio

Home Depot refused to advertise on the progressive Air America Radio. In October 2006, around 90 companies, including Home Depot, told ABC Radio Networks that they did not want their ads to play on radio stations that carried Air America Radio.[3][4][5]

Political Contributions

Home Depot is listed as a "heavy hitter" by the Center for Responsive Politics' "OpenSecrets.org" political influence website. The company or its employees contributed over $3 million to candidates, leadership PACs, parties, 527 committees, and outside spending groups in 2012 (the total of contributions to candidates from Home Depot PACs being 13 times larger than contributions from individuals at the company).[6]

Lobbying

The company spent $1.1 million on lobbying at the federal level in 2012.[6]

Personnel

Key executives and 2007 pay: [7]          Options
exercised
Francis S. Blake (Frank Blake), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer    N/A    N/A
Kenneth Gerard Langone, Co-Founder and Lead Director    $122,000    N/A
Carol B. Tomé, Chief Financial Officer    $1,770,000    $807,000
Robert P. DeRodes, Chief Information Officer    N/A    N/A

Selected board members: [8]

Former board members:

Contact Details

2455 Paces Ferry Road NW
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: 770-433-8211
Fax: 770-384-2356
Web: http://www.homedepot.com

References

  1. Profile, Hoovers, accessed July 2007.
  2. American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC 40th Anniversary Annual Meeting Board Meeting packet, organizational documents, August 6, 2013, released by The Guardian December 3, 2013.
  3. Marc Fisher, "Air America, in the Throes of Victory?", The Washington Post, December 10, 2006.
  4. "Air America on Ad Blacklist?", FAIR, October 31, 2006.
  5. "Air America Blackout", FAIR.org/ABC memo, October 25, 2006.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Center for Responsive Politics, Heavy Hitter Profile: Home Depot, OpenSecrets.org political influence database, accessed December 17, 2013.
  7. Home Depot Key Executives, Yahoo Finance, accessed October 2007.
  8. Board of Directors, Home Depot, accessed October 2007.