An anti-ALEC protest in Minnesota last March. (Photo credit: Flickr user Fibonacci Blue)
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a powerful front group that works to pass corporate-friendly legislation in state legislatures. But since the backlash against voter suppression and Stand Your Ground laws, a flood of corporations have exited the group.
Today, Color Of Change announced that six more corporations are leaving ALEC.Ai??General Electric, The Western Union Company, Sprint Nextel Corporation, Symantec Corporation, and Reckitt Benckiser Group plc. have all announced that they have cut ties with ALEC.
Americans continue to slowly learn more about this secretive corporate front group. E-mails released earlier this month show the strong ties between the group and right-wing lawmakers. In Ohio, e-mails “were sent through … [a] lawmaker’s office last year to arrange free meals and other perks for legislators from lobbyists at events sponsored by the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council.”
All these organizations are leaving AL:EC but, are they withdrawing their funding for business-friendly politicians etc. I just wonder if this is just a election year sham or are these groups, organizations truly serious? The other thing is many legislative bodies have already passed ALEC sponsored legislation that hurt many people except for rich-white men. I’m white I can say that. Also, I’m old enough to remeber the racial segregation in the South, President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act in 1965, which the republicans are violating all over America AND THE COURTS ARE VIOLATING THIS ACT BY APPROVING LAWS THAT LEGALIZE VOTER SUPPRESSION.
Some, like Wal-Mart, fund a variety of other political organizations and conduits other than ALEC. Still, driving them away from one effective organization to let corporations write our laws is effective and useful
I think a thorough investigation should ensue as to who is involved and the lawmakers that introduced ALEC sponsored legislation be charged with fraud and plagiarism. Any legislation that was passed as a result should be considered null and void and members of ALEC should be charged with conspiracy to undermine the legislative process for personal gain. Why do our courts and law enforcement officials go for the jugular vein of low level criminals yet turn a blind eye to hideous crimes against the public?