A broad coalition of opponents to the rightwing corporate agenda of the US Legislative Exchange Council will hold a rally on Wednesday night outside of a glitzy gala event to celebrate the secretive group's 50th anniversary.
Environmentalists, gun reform campaigners, union leaders and voting rights activists will protest outside the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC on Monday, calling on corporations to cut ties with Alec, a tax-exempt group behind a slew of regressive state laws including the stand your ground gun legislation, right-to-work labor policies and so-called critical infrastructure protections that criminalize protest against fossil fuel polluters.
Alec's corporate members annually pay thousands of dollars to access friendly state legislators and a seat on policy groups like the Energy, Environment and Agriculture task force, which has been a hub for the fossil fuel industry to promote state-level policies that weaken environmental regulations and hinder efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
On the other hand, membership dues from legislators accounts for less than 1% of Alec's annual revenues, according to tax filings uncovered by the Centre for Media and Democracy. Alec's second-largest contributor is Charles Koch, who gave the charity just over $2 million between 2017 and 2021.
Alec has secretly worked with corporations, far-right groups and conservative state lawmakers to draft and promote hundreds of model bills that have affected almost every aspect of life in the US including tobacco advertising, prescription costs, access to higher education, abortion healthcare, consumer protections, voting rights and environmental standards over the past five decades.
Several corporations, trade associations and right-wing thinktanks are sponsoring Alec's anniversary gala, including Philip Morris International, the Heritage Foundation, US Chamber of Commerce and NetChoice, a tech industry group that includes Amazon, Google, Meta and TikTok. The speakers will include former corporate lobbyist and current Alec CEO Lisa Nelson, and conservative political commentator Hugh Hewitt.
Alec has been contacted for comment.
8 Comments
Golova Hvosta
I don't understand why corporations should cut ties with Alec. They are just supporting policies that align with their interests and business goals.
Fernucha
These so-called activists don't understand the importance of critical infrastructure protections. Without them, our country would be vulnerable to attacks and disruptions.
Golova Hvosta
It's ridiculous to call Alec's state laws regressive. They are simply protecting our constitutional rights and promoting economic growth.
Fernucha
It's crucial to scrutinize the actions of organizations like Alec that have the potential to affect multiple aspects of our lives, from healthcare to voting rights.
Golova Hvosta
Tech industry giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, and TikTok should rethink their association with NetChoice and Alec. They have a responsibility to support progressive causes, not regressive agendas.
Dmitri07
Model bills are a common practice in lawmaking. Alec is just doing what other organizations do to influence legislation.
Noir Black
Charles Koch's contribution to Alec is just a drop in the bucket compared to the organization's overall revenues. It's not a major concern.
Bob the Helper
It's laughable to think that Alec is solely responsible for weakening environmental regulations. There are many factors involved in environmental policies.