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CMD's Lisa Graves Honored by Wisconsin Association for Justice

by PRW Staff — December 17, 2012 - 8:52am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Democracy

    • CMD's Executive Director Lisa Graves was honored recently by the Wisconsin Association for Justice (WAJ). WAJ is the largest voluntary bar organization in Wisconsin representing the trial bar profession. WAJ presented Lisa with the President's Award for her ongoing work exposing the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), particularly ALEC's "tort reform" efforts which make it harder to hold corporations accountable when their products injure or kill consumers. She was presented with the award at WAJ's Winter Seminar and Annual Meeting at the Pfister Hotel and Tower in Milwaukee.

    News

    Backgrounder: the History of the NRA/ALEC Gun Agenda

    by Lisa Graves — December 15, 2012 - 12:32pm
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Right Wing, Corporations, Democracy, Ethics, Marketing

    • "We've endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years," President Obama said in response to horrifying shooting massacre of 20 little children and six of their educators in Connecticut.

    News

    Running Scared: ALEC Anticipating an IRS Audit?

    by Brendan Fischer — December 14, 2012 - 8:17am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Democracy, Politics

    • The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) appears to be anticipating an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audit, after multiple complaints challenging the "corporate bill mill's" charitable status, based on documents recently obtained by Bloomberg News.

    News

    From Capitol Hill, Rep. Hank Johnson Highlights ALEC Connection to MI Right to Work Law

    by Brendan Fischer — December 13, 2012 - 8:42am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Corporations, Democracy, Politics

    • U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) took to the floor of the House of Representatives Wednesday night to criticize the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) for pushing "Right to Work" in Michigan, describing it as politically motivated "crush-the-union legislation" and noting the identical language between the ALEC model and Michigan's law.

    News

    WI Elections Board Says Ending Same-Day Registration Would Cost Over $5 Million

    by Harriet Rowan — December 13, 2012 - 7:25am
  • Topics: Democracy

    • For almost 40 years Wisconsin law has provided for same-day voter registration, a provision which greatly contributes to the state's record of consistently high voter turnout. On November 6, 2012, in Milwaukee alone 54,000 people were registered to vote at the polls. But this Wisconsin tradition unexpectedly came under attack when Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker discussed repealing the law at the Ronald Reagan library in California, a forum for Republicans with higher ambitions.

    Op-Ed

    ALEC's So-Called "Right to Work" Bill as Political Revenge in Michigan

    by Lisa Graves — December 11, 2012 - 7:00am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Right Wing, Corporations, Democracy, Economy, Labor, Politics

    • As concerned workers come together across Michigan in protest, partisan politicians are poised to make one of the strongholds for America's blue-collar worker rights into a so-called "Right to Work" (RTW) state -- in accordance with the ALEC blueprint to change to state laws at the behest of some of the biggest corporations in the world. Yet, 42 corporations, including General Motors, have distanced themselves from ALEC this year after ALEC's role in controversial and divisive legislation was exposed.

    News

    Will Wisconsin Follow Minnesota's Lead and Ban ALEC "Scholarships?"

    by Brendan Fischer — December 7, 2012 - 8:11am
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Corporations, Democracy, Politics

    • Minnesota's ethics board has long banned the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) "scholarship" scheme that allows corporations to fund legislator travel, providing further evidence that the practice should be banned in Wisconsin and other states. Recently obtained documents also show that corporations pay upwards of $80,000 to sponsor issue-focused ALEC "academies," which legislators attend on the corporate dime.

    News

    ALEC-Inspired Union-Busting Bill Narrowly Passes in Michigan as Koch Group Cheers

    by Mary Bottari — December 6, 2012 - 7:23pm
  • Topics: ALEC Exposed, Democracy, Economy

    • Today in Michigan, Gov. Rick Snyder and his GOP controlled lame-duck legislature pulled a fast one, introducing and then ramming through the House and the Senate so-called "right to work" legislation. The bill was introduced at 11 a.m., passed the House at 5 p.m. by a narrow margin and the Senate at around 6:00 p.m. When the process is complete and the bill is signed, Michigan will become the 24th right to work state.

    News

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

    by Brendan Fischer — November 29, 2012 - 9:00am
  • 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 - 4:04pm
  • 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.

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