Des Moines, Iowa — A new report was released today, entitled ALEC Exposed in Iowa: How Corporate Influence Subverts our Democratic Process. The report provides research about the background of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, and details the organization’s influence on Iowa lawmakers and the legislative process in Iowa. The report was jointly issued by Progress Iowa, Center for Media and Democracy, Common Cause, People for the American Way, and ProgressNow.
“ALEC is directly influencing Iowa’s elected officials and cutting citizens out of the process,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “We encourage every Iowan to read the report, then contact their elected representatives to ask that they cut ties with ALEC immediately.”
Key findings in the report include:
- The secretive nature of ALEC’s taxpayer-funded membership in Iowa due to a lack of transparency in the Iowa legislature — including the fact that many legislators may be members without their knowledge
- A detailed listing of the more than $500,000 in campaign donations from ALEC member corporations to ALEC members in Iowa, including more than $200,000 to Governor Terry Branstad, a founding member of ALEC
- Examples of several ALEC ‘model’ bills, written side by side with corporate interests, then introduced by Iowa legislators
- Recommended actions to be taken by citizens, reporters, and legislators to further expose ALEC’s influence in Iowa
ALEC Exposed in Iowa was released at an event held in the state capitol today, featuring local and national leaders speaking out about the organization. Lisa Graves, the executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy and publisher of ALECexposed.org, Senator Joe Bolkcom, chair of the national Progressive States Network, and Peter Fisher, research director for the Iowa Policy Project, all participated on an expert panel about ALEC, a group that has been described as “stealth lobbyists” for its clandestine pursuit of a corporate agenda across the country.
To read the full report released today, visit: http://bit.ly/aleciniowa
Look at who is doing the complaining. All left wing organizations and supporters. Classic example of the pot calling the kettle black..
Who wrote Obama Care?
I find it odd that the organizations reporting are far left progressive liberals reporting on where the money comes from on the right. Lets see Soros, GE, this isnt news its politics. Both sides if they are in congress to long they become self serving and corrupt its the good ole boys club.
“You don’t get to vote on Civil Rights”? Well, the Justices did. Why can’t we?
Once again, the Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of Iowa’s DOMA. As we knew it would, it was struck down as unconstitutional because it flies in the face of our rights as outlined in our constitution.
Get back over there in the dunce chairs.
You should have been “fired NIACC”
“ALEC is directly influencing Iowa’s elected officials and cutting citizens out of the process,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. Sinovic forgets that “corporations” are not organizations that exist in a vacuum – rather they are owned by their shareholders – who happen to be real people and citizens.
Perhaps he wants the field to himself, or to at least reduce the competition. It must be tough to be a professional rabble-rouser when there is a competent competitor.
Nice try but no cigar. Being a shareholder of some corporation should not be a requirement for fair representation.
And shareholders do not vote on the contributions going to particular political parties.
Like the article said, the unfair influence is cutting regular citizens out of the political process. Just go back and read what that cow Upmeyer said when she was singing ALEC’s praises – you’ll get the drift.