With the recent uproar around Target Corporation’s campaign donation to a Minnesota political candidate, it strikes me how oddly similar domestic campaign donations are to the many actions which are prohibited by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). How is it that giving money to a foreign official, directly or indirectly, in hopes of securing a contract or some form of business, is considered illegal and unethical according to the Department of Justice, yet giving money to a domestic official, directly or indirectly, in hopes of securing favorable governmental decisions, is considered legal and ethical.
Surely there are “hairs to be split” and very fine points worthy of debate as to how these two scenarios are different, but how can we label such similar activities with such different labels: ethical and unethical?
