DES MOINES – Progress Iowa Executive Director Matt Sinovic sent a letter last week to Representative Linda Upmeyer, asking that she make public information about the relationship between the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the Iowa Legislature. Upmeyer is the National Chairwoman of ALEC, as well as the Majority Leader in the Iowa House of Representatives.
ALEC is the nation’s largest individual membership association of state legislators, supporting free markets, limited government, and federalism.
“Iowans deserve to know the organizations to which their elected officials are dues paying members,” said Sinovic. “And the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.”
In the letter, Sinovic asks Upmeyer to “clear up any question of membership and the relationship between ALEC and the Iowa legislature” by using her unique position in leadership of both ALEC and the Iowa legislature to answer the following questions:
- What members of the Iowa legislature are currently dues paying members of ALEC – will you release that list to the public?
- What dues have been paid to ALEC for Iowa legislators to become members, and how have those payments been made (by the state, by legislators individually, or by some other entity)?
- If dues have not been paid to ALEC on behalf of legislators, why does the organization consider them to be members?
Questions and concerns have been raised recently about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), specifically whether Iowa legislators participate in the organization. Last week, the Executive Director of ALEC sent a letter to House Minority Leader Mark Smith claiming that the state of Iowa pays for all Iowa legislators to be members of ALEC, which contradicted reports that the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) has not paid dues to ALEC for any Iowa legislator since 2011.
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Background:
ALEC’s Iowa ties challenged again
http://www.desmoinesregister.
Image of letter sent to Representative Upmeyer
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
Full text of the letter sent:
January 16, 2014
Representative Linda Upmeyer
Iowa State Capitol
1007 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Representative Upmeyer:
Important questions have been raised recently about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), whether Iowa legislators participate in the organization, and how many legislators are members. You are in a unique position to answer these questions as the national chairwoman of ALEC and in your capacity as Majority Leader in the Iowa House of Representatives.
Last week, the Executive Director of ALEC sent a letter claiming that the state of Iowa pays for all Iowa legislators to be members of ALEC, despite claims that the Legislative Services Agency has not paid dues to ALEC for any Iowa legislator since 2011.
Iowans deserve to know the organizations to which their elected officials are dues paying members, and the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
To clear up any question of membership and the relationship between ALEC and the Iowa legislature, please provide an answer to the following questions:
- What members of the Iowa legislature are currently dues paying members of ALEC – will you release that list to the public?
- What dues have been paid to ALEC for Iowa legislators to become members, and how have those payments been made (by the state, by legislators individually, or by some other entity)?
- If dues have not been paid to ALEC on behalf of legislators, why does the organization consider them to be members?
We will make public any information provided, in our continued effort to educate Iowans about the relationship between their legislators and ALEC. Thank you in advance for using your unique role in leadership both in ALEC and in the Iowa House to provide assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Matt Sinovic
Executive Director
Progress Iowa
