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<h3>[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/20/influence-watch-website-launched-berman-alec-heartland-copy-cmds-sourcewatch-org-site/ 'Influence Watch' Launched: Copies CMDs' Sourcewatch.org Site]</h3>
<h3>[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/02/08/arizona-ground-zero-koch-attack-public-education/ Arizona "Ground Zero" for Koch Attack on Public Education]</h3>
[[Image:SourceWatch-InfluenceWatch270px.jpg|270 px|center]]The [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Capital_Research_Center Capital Research Center] (CRC), a right-wing opposition research group with deep ties to PR spin doctor Richard Berman and bankrolled by the $800 million Bradley Foundation, launched an "Encyclopedia of the Left" inspired by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD)'s Sourcewatch.org this month called [https://www.influencewatch.org/ Influence Watch].
[[Image:Kochs-characterture-270px.jpg|270 px|center]]The annual Koch donors summit took place at the five-star Indian Wells Resort and Spa in the California desert at the end of January. The millionaires and billionaires called to the posh resort from all parts of America by the Koch brothers pledged $100,000 or more for a $400 million effort to keep the U.S. House and Senate in Republican hands in 2018.


CRC "conceived of this project after identifying a need for more fact-based, accurate descriptions of all of the various influencers of public policy issues," says the website, but internal documents from the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation tell a different story.
At the same time, the donors pledged to go to war with parents and teachers in Arizona who are fighting to block the state's massive school voucher expansion. Since taxpayer "vouchers" for private and religious schools were first put on the ballot in Michigan in 1978, they have been consistently rejected by voters who remember their roots in the [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/02/12730/segregation-school-vouchers segregationist south] and understand that the well-off will take the money and run, leaving community schools without the funding they need and deserve. Read the rest of this item [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/02/08/arizona-ground-zero-koch-attack-public-education/ here].
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<h3>[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/01/29/alec-emperors-new-clothes/ The ALEC Emperor's New Clothes]</h3>
[[Image:Saine-twitter-270px.jpg|270 px|center]]ALEC named Republican North Carolina state representative Jason Saine its [http://nsjonline.com/article/2017/12/saine-tapped-to-chair-alec/ new national chairman] late last year.


Read the rest of this item [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/20/influence-watch-website-launched-berman-alec-heartland-copy-cmds-sourcewatch-org-site/ here].
Saine, who took office in 2011, has co-sponsored many bills held dear to ALEC, including those on charter schools, limits to speech on campus, a [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/06/alec-backs-extreme-climate-denial-constitutional-rewrite-corporate-wish-list-nashville-summit/ constitutional convention] and federal preemption of state and local rules [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/11/13173/fracking-special-interests-spent-big-2016-elections governing fracking]. (View his voting record [https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/134760/jason-saine#.WjBPoN-nGM8 here].)
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<h3>[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/06/credo-delivers-petition-ups-demanding-drop-alec/ Credo Delivers Petition to UPS Demanding that It Drop ALEC]</h3>
[[Image:Turn-up-heat-UPS-270px.jpg|270 px|center]]Credo Action delivered a [https://act.credoaction.com/sign/UPS-ALEC petition] to the United Parcel Service (UPS) with 84,453 signatures asking the company to dump the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The text of the petition email read, "UPS must stop funding ALEC's climate change denial, anti-environmental advocacy and right-wing extremist agenda."


The petition was sent as ALEC members, including UPS, meet in Nashville for the group’s annual States and Nation Policy Summit.
For pushing the ALEC agenda, Saine was awarded the 2014 ALEC "[https://www.alec.org/press-release/rep-jason-saine-awarded-legislator-year-american-legislative-exchange-council/ Legislator of the Year]," an award that seems to be a requirement for its top post.


Read the rest of this item [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/06/credo-delivers-petition-ups-demanding-drop-alec/ here].
Despite his ALEC accolades, Saine's legislative career in the Tar Heel state has been mired in controversy. Read the rest of this item [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/01/29/alec-emperors-new-clothes/ here].
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<h3>[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/08/alec-gives-top-award-to-legislator-jailed-for-trying-to-sneak-loaded-gun-on-a-plane/ ALEC Gives Top Award to Legislator Jailed for Trying to Sneak Loaded Gun on a Plane]</h3>
<h3>[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/01/21/railroads-fund-alec/ Why Are Railroads Funding ALEC?]</h3>
[[Image:CO-rep-Lori-Saine-ALEC-award270px.jpg|270 px|center]]Colorado State Representative Lori Saine (R-63) arrived a little later than expected to this week’s American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) States & Nation Policy Summit in Nashville, but she had a great excuse.
[[Image:Train-270px.jpg|270 px|center]]Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors on state laws that govern your rights.


Saine was arrested Wednesday at the Denver International Airport for trying to bring a loaded semi-automatic handgun through security.
By looking at the [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Task_Forces task forces] on which ALEC corporate members sit, it is not difficult to determine some of the corporate interests putting forth "model" bills, but four railroads are also part of ALEC: CSX, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Gennese & Wyoming, and Norfolk Southern.  


Saine was charged with a sixth-degree felony. If convicted, she could face up to 18 months in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe was listed as a "[https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Corporations#cite_note-aarp_2016-5 Trustee Level Sponsor]" at the 2016 ALEC conference; the other railroads funded ALEC in previous years. Their funding makes this industrial sector among the most represented in ALEC, along with energy and utility companies and pharmaceutical companies.


Read the rest of this item [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/12/08/alec-gives-top-award-to-legislator-jailed-for-trying-to-sneak-loaded-gun-on-a-plane/ here].
Read the rest of this item [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/01/21/railroads-fund-alec/ here].
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Revision as of 16:52, 14 February 2018

ALEC News

Arizona "Ground Zero" for Koch Attack on Public Education

The annual Koch donors summit took place at the five-star Indian Wells Resort and Spa in the California desert at the end of January. The millionaires and billionaires called to the posh resort from all parts of America by the Koch brothers pledged $100,000 or more for a $400 million effort to keep the U.S. House and Senate in Republican hands in 2018.

At the same time, the donors pledged to go to war with parents and teachers in Arizona who are fighting to block the state's massive school voucher expansion. Since taxpayer "vouchers" for private and religious schools were first put on the ballot in Michigan in 1978, they have been consistently rejected by voters who remember their roots in the segregationist south and understand that the well-off will take the money and run, leaving community schools without the funding they need and deserve. Read the rest of this item here.


The ALEC Emperor's New Clothes

ALEC named Republican North Carolina state representative Jason Saine its new national chairman late last year.

Saine, who took office in 2011, has co-sponsored many bills held dear to ALEC, including those on charter schools, limits to speech on campus, a constitutional convention and federal preemption of state and local rules governing fracking. (View his voting record here.)

For pushing the ALEC agenda, Saine was awarded the 2014 ALEC "Legislator of the Year," an award that seems to be a requirement for its top post.

Despite his ALEC accolades, Saine's legislative career in the Tar Heel state has been mired in controversy. Read the rest of this item here.


Why Are Railroads Funding ALEC?

Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors on state laws that govern your rights.

By looking at the task forces on which ALEC corporate members sit, it is not difficult to determine some of the corporate interests putting forth "model" bills, but four railroads are also part of ALEC: CSX, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Gennese & Wyoming, and Norfolk Southern.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe was listed as a "Trustee Level Sponsor" at the 2016 ALEC conference; the other railroads funded ALEC in previous years. Their funding makes this industrial sector among the most represented in ALEC, along with energy and utility companies and pharmaceutical companies.

Read the rest of this item here.