We’ve been talking a lot on ‘The War Room’ about the corporations who provide funds for the American Legislative Exchange Council. This council, better known as ALEC, is a corporate-backed group that creates conservative legislation for state lawmakers. And in light of the organization’s recent examination under the magnifying glass, several have already closed their wallets, including Coca-Cola, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and – as of today – McDonald’s.
But despite all of this discussion about what ALEC is and where their money comes from, one thing has escaped the attention of public scrutiny. Who exactly are the state legislators helping enforce ALEC’s Koch-fueled agenda? Who are the politicians who listen to the organization’s push for pro-conservative legislation such as voter suppression and “stand your ground” laws and decide, “Hey, that sounds like a great idea”?
Among the most public “ALEC Enforcers” is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. And then there’s Florida State Representative Dennis Baxley, who wrote his state’s now-infamous “Stand Your Ground” law at the center of the Trayvon Martin killing. Talking Points Memo uncovered last month how the bill was pushed by ALEC and the NRA. Or maybe you remember last November, when Florida State Representative Rachel Burgin introduced a bill to reduce corporate taxes, except she forgot to remove the boilerplate, “WHEREAS, it is the mission of the American Legislative Exchange Council to advance…”? Oops.
On tonight’s episode of ‘The War Room,’ we hope you’ll tune in as we explore this topic further with our guest Doug Clopp, deputy director for programs at CommonCause.org.
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