Report exposes how corporate lobbyists create state laws
Corporations pay $25,000 to draft laws that benefit their bottom line
BY: MIKE DEAN
Common Cause blog
JANUARY 18, 2012 0 COMMENTS
Today, Common Cause Minnesota released an 80 page report detailing how corporate lobbyists are drafting Minnesota state laws behind closed doors. Led by some of the largest corporations in America, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has quietly drafted legislation that is designed to directly benefit the bottom line of its corporate members — corporations like Coca-Cola, Koch Industries, United States Smokeless Tobacco Company and Comcast.
Common Cause has spent the last several months comparing bills introduced in Minnesota to the over 800 model ALEC bills that were released by a whistleblower to The Center for Media and Democracy in August. In that review, Common Cause has identified at least thirty Minnesota legislators that are members of this secret organization. Over the last two sessions, those legislators introduced over 60 pieces of legislation that were drafted by corporate lobbyists, not legislators.
“Corporations are bringing legislators to some of America’s most exclusive hotels and resorts to share their wish list of special interest legislation,” said Mike Dean, Executive Director of Common Cause Minnesota. “Our legislators were elected to represent Minnesota families, not corporate bottom lines.”
(Continued here. The full report is available here.)
BY: MIKE DEAN
Common Cause blog
JANUARY 18, 2012 0 COMMENTS
Today, Common Cause Minnesota released an 80 page report detailing how corporate lobbyists are drafting Minnesota state laws behind closed doors. Led by some of the largest corporations in America, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has quietly drafted legislation that is designed to directly benefit the bottom line of its corporate members — corporations like Coca-Cola, Koch Industries, United States Smokeless Tobacco Company and Comcast.
Common Cause has spent the last several months comparing bills introduced in Minnesota to the over 800 model ALEC bills that were released by a whistleblower to The Center for Media and Democracy in August. In that review, Common Cause has identified at least thirty Minnesota legislators that are members of this secret organization. Over the last two sessions, those legislators introduced over 60 pieces of legislation that were drafted by corporate lobbyists, not legislators.
“Corporations are bringing legislators to some of America’s most exclusive hotels and resorts to share their wish list of special interest legislation,” said Mike Dean, Executive Director of Common Cause Minnesota. “Our legislators were elected to represent Minnesota families, not corporate bottom lines.”
(Continued here. The full report is available here.)
Labels: ALEC, American Legislative Exchange Council, Common Cause
Powered by Blogger
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home