Investigating Power
The American Legislative Exchange Council meets this week in Washington, D.C., for its annual States and Nation Policy Summit at the four-star Grand Hyatt Washington, where rewriting the U.S. Constitution, “woke” capitalism, and protecting hate speech and misinformation are at the top of the agenda.
DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund, the favorite donor conduits of the Koch political network, distributed $123 million in grants in 2021 to right-wing advocacy groups, litigation centers, media outlets, climate deniers, extremists, pro-gun groups, and other tax-exempt organizations that make up America’s right-wing infrastructure, the latest tax filings from both groups detail.
The American Legislative Exchange Council has quietly uploaded a sweeping model bill to its website that would require states to blacklist companies that consider anything other than maximizing profits when making business decisions.
Recent documents acquired by the Center for Media and Democracy reveal a new initiative targeting local politicians–especially school board candidates–with right-wing messaging, policies, and financial resources.
Republican treasurers, auditors, and staff from 23 states will arrive in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 13 to meet with corporate lobbyists and an array of right-wing groups during the Fall National Meeting of the State Financial Officers Foundation. Over the course of three days, they will discuss “the rising threat from China,” inflation, “true diversity,” and anti-ESG investing efforts.
The American Legislative Exchange Council held its third known voter suppression summit for state lawmakers on July 25 and 26 preceding its annual meeting in Atlanta.
The $152 million represents a 27% increase over the $120 million CMD calculated the network brought in almost three years ago.
The Center for Media and Democracy revealed on August 3 that 224 ALEC-affiliated legislators belong to far-right Facebook groups, based on “Breaching the Mainstream,” a report by the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. Five ALEC lawmakers were profiled in the report and are republished with permission.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who has faced long-running controversy over his role in impeding an investigation into State House corruption, has been an active participant in the Republican Attorneys General Association’s pay-to-play operation.
At least 224 state lawmakers affiliated with the American Legislative Exchange Council are enrolled in one or more far-right Facebook group.