Template:ALEC News

ALEC News

Rex Tillerson and Exxon Spent Big on Climate Change Denial while Misleading Public, Evidence Shows Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump's likely choice to be America's top diplomat as Secretary of State, has spent years funding climate change denial and underwriting efforts to block measures to address climate change while misleading the public, according to evidence compiled by the Center for Media and Democracy. As CMD detailed in a joint complaint filed with the IRS shortly before the election, Exxon has used the American Legislative Exchange Council "as a key asset in its explicit campaign to sow uncertainty about climate science, undermine international climate treaties and block legislation to reduce emissions." This includes attacks on the Clean Power Plan which sets out modest steps to try to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change being caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Read the rest of this item here. A Trump Nation in an ALEC Land The first post-presidential American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) meeting last week in Washington, D.C. made clear that starry-eyed conservative state legislators had visions of more power dancing in their heads. Corporations were giddy thinking about the tax giveaways and incentive packages (think the $7 million Trump/Pence tax giveaways to Carrier to keep less than one-half of its jobs in that state) surely coming their way. Even keynote speaker Carly Fiorina this morning seemed hopeful, seemingly forgetful of Trump's former abuse. Certainly, Trump wasn't the first choice of most ALEC members. Many other Republican presidential hopefuls had come to kiss the ALEC ring over the course of the Republican presidential primary. ALEC prince Scott Walker came before he fell off the presidential cliff. Kellyanne Conway appeared before ALEC in July, then a mere pollster. She (correctly) identified the mood of the electorate (very angry), and said that only a "change agent" like Trump could prevail. Even Mike Pence showed up to ALEC, but still no Trump. The ALEC audience was Trump wary. Read the rest of this item here. Hypocrisy and Trumpism on the Agenda as ALEC Meets in Washington, D.C. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and its offshoot the American City and County Exchange (ACCE) are meeting in Washington, D.C., this week to strategize on how to advance a far-right agenda under a Trump presidency. Trump Transition leader, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, is an ALEC booster. Not surprisingly the Trump team has been picking many with Koch and ALEC ties to fill key positions in government including Koch Congressman Mike Pompeo, school privatizer and ALEC funder Betsy DeVos, and South Carolina Governor and ALEC stalwart Nikki Halley. Read the rest of this item here.