After Uproar, Target Tightens Rules on Political Donations

Don't expect Target to be making any more controversial political donations. The store has revised its policy and will put all future contributions through a much tighter review process, reports the Advocate via the Washington Blade. The changes come after the company enraged the gay community last year by donating $150,000 to political group MN Forward, which supported a gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota who opposed same-sex marriage. The donation prompted protests, boycotts, and an eventual apology from the CEO.

The chain is creating a "policy committee" of senior executives to review donations. As the company puts it: “These changes are really reflective of that perspective that we gained over the 2010 election cycle." Meaning it's a safe bet that any donations with even a whiff of controversy will be talked to death in that policy committee. (More Target stories.)