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More ALEC News

Hypocrisy Alert: Speaker Vos and Rep. Craig Use Private Email, Too

Wisconsin Republicans have been caught in the spin cycle with their latest attack on the state's independent, nonpartisan Government Accountability Board (GAB), which oversees elections and ethics.

The GAB, which is led by a board of retired judges appointed by the governor, has been widely regarded as a national model for nonpartisan election administration. But this week the Republican-led legislature seeks to dismantle it as payback for investigating Governor Scott Walker.

"Political payback" doesn't poll well, so Republicans have tried advancing a series of disingenuous arguments to justify the attack on the GAB.

Read the rest of this item here.

ALEC Vice-Chair Falsely Attacks CMD

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) came under attack as Republicans fast-tracked bills to dismantle Wisconsin's nonpartisan Government Accountability Board (GAB) and gut the state's campaign finance laws.

During a hearing on SB 294, Sen. Leah Vukmir, made a series of false claims to paint the GAB as inept and partisan. She claimed that the GAB had failed to investigate CMD for not abiding by lobby disclosure laws, when in fact CMD does no lobbying in Wisconsin. Read the rest of this item here.

How SPN "Think Tanks" Will Spin ALEC's 2016 Agenda

A shadowy network of state-based, right-wing think tanks and advocacy groups convened with Koch operatives and other big donors in Grand Rapids, Michigan to coordinate their 2016 agenda for all 50 states.

The State Policy Network (SPN) is a network of state-branded groups, like the Civitas Institute in North Carolina and the Goldwater Institute in Arizona, which appear to be independent yet actually are operating from the same national playbook. SPN plays a key role in driving the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) agenda, particularly by providing academic-like cover for ALEC's corporate-friendly policies. Read the rest of this item here.

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-<h3>[http://www.prwatch.org/node/12950 ALEC Vice-Chair Falsely Attacks CMD]</h3>
+<h3>[http://www.prwatch.org/node/12956 Hypocrisy Alert: Speaker Vos and Rep. Craig Use Private Email, Too]</h3>
-The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) came under attack last week as Republicans fast-tracked bills to dismantle Wisconsin's nonpartisan Government Accountability Board (GAB) and gut the state's campaign finance laws.
+Wisconsin Republicans have been caught in the spin cycle with their latest attack on the state's independent, nonpartisan Government Accountability Board (GAB), which oversees elections and ethics.
-During a hearing on SB 294, Sen. Leah Vukmir, made a series of false claims to paint the GAB as inept and partisan. She claimed that the GAB had failed to investigate CMD for not abiding by lobby disclosure laws, when in fact CMD does no lobbying in Wisconsin.
+The GAB, which is led by a board of retired judges appointed by the governor, has been widely regarded as a national model for nonpartisan election administration. But this week the Republican-led legislature seeks to dismantle it as payback for investigating Governor Scott Walker.
-Over and over again in the marathon hearing, citizens objected to Vukmir's bill and demanded to know who was behind it.
+"Political payback" doesn't poll well, so Republicans have tried advancing a series of disingenuous arguments to justify the attack on the GAB.
-CMD can answer that question. [https://lobbying.wi.gov/What/BillInformation/2015REG/Information/12393?tab=Principals The only group lobbying in favor of the bill to kill the GAB is David Koch's Americans for Prosperity]. Read the rest of this item [http://www.prwatch.org/node/12950 here].
+Read the rest of this item [http://www.prwatch.org/node/12956 here].
+----
+<h3>[http://www.prwatch.org/node/12950 ALEC Vice-Chair Falsely Attacks CMD]</h3>
+The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) came under attack as Republicans fast-tracked bills to dismantle Wisconsin's nonpartisan Government Accountability Board (GAB) and gut the state's campaign finance laws.
+During a hearing on SB 294, Sen. Leah Vukmir, made a series of false claims to paint the GAB as inept and partisan. She claimed that the GAB had failed to investigate CMD for not abiding by lobby disclosure laws, when in fact CMD does no lobbying in Wisconsin. Read the rest of this item [http://www.prwatch.org/node/12950 here].
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 <h3>[http://www.prwatch.org/node/12945 How SPN "Think Tanks" Will Spin ALEC's 2016 Agenda]</h3>
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 The [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Policy_Network State Policy Network] (SPN) is a [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/12/12325/state-policy-network-stealth-network-dramatically-influencing-state-law network of state-branded groups], like the Civitas Institute in North Carolina and the [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/03/12021/reporters-guide-goldwater-institute Goldwater Institute in Arizona], which appear to be independent yet actually are operating from the same national playbook. SPN plays a key role in driving the [http://alecexposed.org/ American Legislative Exchange Council] (ALEC) agenda, particularly by providing academic-like cover for ALEC's corporate-friendly policies. Read the rest of this item [http://www.prwatch.org/node/12945 here].
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-<h3>[http://www.prwatch.org/node/12942 Scott Walker: Back in the Saddle, Back to His Old ALEC Tricks]</h3>
-On the heels of Scott Walker abandoning his presidential bid, the Wisconsin governor is returning to the state and flipping through the old [http://alecexposed.org American Legislative Exchange Council](ALEC) playbook for ideas.
-Walker comes back to Wisconsin with his approval at an [http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/election-matters/scott-walker-s-approval-dips-below-percent-in-wisconsin-in/article_da32e245-82bb-5586-be8e-b7f41a9af045.html all-time low].
-With his return to Wisconsin, [http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/what-gov-scott-walker-needs-to-do-now-b99582108z1-328702211.html some] called on Walker to build bridges and mend fences.
-Instead, Walker is returning to an old divide-and-conquer strategy: rallying the far-right base by scapegoating public workers, and pushing policies lifted from the ALEC playbook.
-Read the rest of this item [http://www.prwatch.org/node/12942 here].
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-<h3>[http://www.prwatch.org/node/12928 Showdown in the "Show-Me State"]</h3>
-Missouri’s General Assembly met under pressure from corporations and their lobbyists to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of bills that would curb local government control over wages, paid sick leave, and other employment policies and make Missouri a Right-to-Work state.
-Both bills vetoed by Nixon are high priorities of the [http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed American Legislative Exchange Council] (ALEC). Read the rest of this item [http://www.prwatch.org/node/12928 here].
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