One third of Wisconsin’s state Legislature belongs to the controversial group the American Legislative Exchange Council, according to documents The Guardian obtained from the organization.
ALEC describes itself as an organization that “works to advance the fundamental principles of free market enterprise, limited government and federalism at the state level,” according to its website. Its purpose is to provide a forum for lawmakers and private sector representatives to collaborate on bills to be introduced on a state legislative level. The
The group made headlines earlier in the year when state Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa, would not provide the Center for Media and Democracy with ALEC documents. Vukmir, whose office declined comment on the suit Thursday, countered the lawsuit saying her position made her immune to lawsuits during the legislative session. Vukmir is the newly elected second vice chairwoman for ALEC.
Several news outlets have reported that Vukmir and the Center for Media and Democracy are engaged in talks to settle the lawsuit.
The ALEC documents sparked discussion in other areas of state politics during the week. While the organization says it promotes a nonpartisan partnership between its legislative members and the public, critics of the organization, such as U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said it exists only to promote big business interests.
Pocan, who said in a statement he joined the organization while he was still a state legislator to see how it is run, said the experience soured him to the group and its attempts to “shield itself” as a nonprofit.
“It is past time that ALEC is exposed for what it is—a corporate lobbying firm doing the bidding of corporations,” Pocan said in the statement.
The Guardian released its report from the documents to detail ALEC’s loss of donors after supporting the controversial “stand your ground laws” in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin case.
