ALEC Exposed

News

Bank of America Cuts Ties to ALEC

by Rebekah Wilce — November 29, 2012 - 11:28am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Corporations, Politics

    • Bank of America (BofA), one of the largest banks in the United States with a major role in the financial crisis, is cutting ties with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). A company spokesperson informed Timothy Smith, Senior Vice President of Walden Asset Management, by phone that Bank of America is not renewing its membership in ALEC for 2013 "due to budget constraints." BofA did not return the Center for Media and Democracy's (CMD's) calls to independently verify this information.

    News

    After a Controversial Year, ALEC Convenes in Washington with Damage Control at Top of Agenda

    by Brendan Fischer — November 29, 2012 - 10:00am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Corporations, Democracy, Lobbying, Politics

    • At the end of a tumultuous year that has seen the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) come under unprecedented scrutiny for its role in advancing a slate of right-wing legislation, the corporate-friendly organization of state lawmakers and special interest lobbyists convenes this week in Washington, DC to try and salvage its viability.

    News

    Taxpayer-Enriched Companies Back Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education, its Buddy ALEC, and Their "Reforms"

    by Lisa Graves — November 28, 2012 - 5:04pm
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Right Wing, Front Groups, Third Party Technique, Children, Corporations, Democracy, Education, Lobbying, Think Tanks

    • This week in Washington, DC, Jeb Bush's "Foundation for Excellence in Education" (FEE) is meeting just five blocks away from the post-election conference of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the controversial corporate bill mill working on profitizing public education among other legislative changes, but the ties between the two groups are even closer.

    Press Release

    Wisconsin Legislators Jetting Off on Corporate-Funded Trip to Develop Special Interest Legislation

    by PRW Staff — November 28, 2012 - 12:22pm
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Ethics, Politics, Secrecy

    • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 28, 2012
    CONTACT: Brendan Fischer

    MADISON, WI -- Several Wisconsin legislators are attending this week's conference of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) at the Grand Hyatt in Washington D.C., and likely doing so on corporate-funded "scholarships," which the Center for Media and Democracy believes violate state ethics and lobbying laws. The three-day meeting, held November 28-30, will bring state legislators together with corporate lobbyists and special interests to craft "model" bills -- many of which will likely be introduced in the ALEC-majority Wisconsin legislature in the session that begins in January.

    News

    ALEC's Economic Policies Do More Harm Than Good, New Report Shows

    by Rebekah Wilce — November 28, 2012 - 8:51am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Economy, Politics

    • Corporate lobbyists and right-wing legislators of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) will be gathering in Washington, DC today for ALEC's annual States and Nation Policy Summit. Today also marks the release of an in-depth report on the failure of ALEC's economic recommendations for the states. The report claims that "states that were rated higher on ALEC's Economic Outlook Ranking in 2007," the first year the ranking was published, "have actually been doing worse economically in the years since, while the less a state conformed with ALEC policies the better off it was."

    News

    ALEC and Heartland Aim to Crush Renewable Energy Standards in the States

    by Sara Jerving — November 27, 2012 - 10:28am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Energy, Environment

    • An effort to stomp out state renewable energy mandates across the country has roots in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). As reported by The Washington Post, the Heartland Institute wrote the bill, had it passed through ALEC, and is now targeting the 29 states and the District of Columbia, which have passed renewable energy requirements in some form.

    Guest Contributor

    Corrections Corporation of America Used in Drug Sweeps of Public School Students

    by Beau Hodai — November 27, 2012 - 8:00am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Children, Corporations, Education

    • An unsettling trend appears to be underway in Arizona: the use of private prison employees in law enforcement operations.

    The state has graced national headlines in recent years as the result of its cozy relationship with the for-profit prison industry. Such controversies have included the role of private prison corporations in SB 1070 and similar anti-immigrant legislation disseminated in other states; a 2010 private prison escape that resulted in two murders and a nationwide manhunt; and a failed bid to privatize nearly the entire Arizona prison system.

    News

    117 ALEC Members Voted Out in 2012

    by Rebekah Wilce — November 20, 2012 - 8:59am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Politics

    • In primary and general elections in 2012 and recall elections in 2011 and 2012, a total of 117 members and alumni of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) were voted out of office, according to research and analysis by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), ColorOfChange, and others.

    News

    WI Legislators Receive $24K in Campaign Contributions After Pushing ALEC Predatory Lending Bill

    by Brendan Fischer — November 16, 2012 - 8:03am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Economy

    • Wisconsin's effort to open the state to predatory lenders using American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) legislation has paid dividends for the ALEC legislators behind it.

    News

    WI Republican Insists Romney Would Have Won if Voter ID Law Was in Place, But Admits "Not Dealing With the Real Reality"

    by Brendan Fischer — November 14, 2012 - 11:24am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Election 2012, Democracy, Politics

    • Wisconsin State Senator Alberta Darling said that Mitt Romney could have won the state if Wisconsin's voter ID law had been in place for the November 6 election, despite zero evidence of voter fraud -- but also admitted she and other Republicans may not be "dealing with the real reality."

    Syndicate content