Research Cited

Betsy DeVos Speech Greeted by Protesters She Calls ‘Defenders of the Status Quo’

Source: NPR | Published: 7/20/2017

ALEC created the original school voucher bill in 1984. Free-market economist Milton Friedman, widely credited as the originator of the idea, spoke at the annual gathering in 2006. According to the Center for Media and Democracy, an organization critical of ALEC, Friedman said the ultimate goal was “abolishing the public school system,” but that vouchers form a “politically feasible” way of getting there.

Zinke Heads West to Meet Conservative Groups

ALEC, Koch

Source: E&E News | Published: 7/20/2017

Past funding for ALEC, in addition to dues paid by legislators, has come from conservative foundations associated with the Koch family, trade associations like the American Petroleum Institute and corporations like Exxon Mobil Corp., according to studies by the Center for Media and Democracy.

All the Bad News You Need to Know about ALEC Agenda

ALEC, Democracy, Economy, Education, Environment

Source: AlterNet | Published: 7/20/2017

The Center for Media and Democracy reported that there will be a debate on the ALEC draft model bill to repeal the 17th Amendment, but many other controversial issues will be on the ALEC agenda as the meeting gets underway tomorrow. ALEC will be debating bills related to sexual assault on college campuses, campus protest, taxpayer vouchers for private schools and well-off families, the rollback of popular renewable energy programs, the dismantling the Affordable Care Act and more.

Suit Filed Against Fil-Am Utah Attorney General

RAGA

Source: ABS-CBN News | Published: 7/19/2017

According to a press release from the Center for Media and Democracy or CMD, the group filed a request last March for Reyes’s correspondence with the Republican Attorney Generals Association and the rule of law defense fund.

A New Deal for Wall Street

ALEC, Koch

Source: In These Times | Published: 7/19/2017

Macquarie also flexed its muscles to influence state and local politics as a member of the Koch-backed American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). For decades, the ALEC agenda has helped set the stage for infrastructure privatization by “depriving the government of key revenue,” says Lisa Graves, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy, which runs the website ALEC Exposed. “If you make it harder for governments to raise taxes, you create a situation where the government has to resort to public-private partnerships.”

Trump Team, ALEC, Koch Industries Debate Gerrymandering the US Senate in Denver

ALEC, Democracy, Koch

Source: Moyers & Company | Published: 7/18/2017

Now that GOP state legislators have control over 32 state legislatures (both chambers), thanks in large part to partisan gerrymandering, some extremists are preparing to use their clout to gerrymander the US Senate.

Senator Joins Ethics Probe That Could Get EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Disbarred

Democracy, Environment

Source: Huffington Post | Published: 7/18/2017

On Feb. 21, four days after he the Senate narrowly confirmed his nomination, the Oklahoma attorney general’s office released 7,564 pages of Pruitt’s emails under court order following a lawsuit from the nonprofit Center for Media and Democracy. The correspondence showed Pruitt using his personal email for official purposes, contradicting his testimony.

Group Sues Utah AG for Records Showing His Ties with Conservative Policy Organizations

Democracy, RAGA

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune | Published: 7/18/2017

A national media watchdog group has sued the Utah attorney general’s office in state court, alleging the state’s top law enforcement agency is hiding information about its dealings with what the group calls politically conservative “cash-for influence” organizations.

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) filed the suit Monday in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court after Attorney General Sean Reyes’ office refused to comply with public records requests for email communications and documents that would detail the relationship between Reyes, the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) and the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF).

Lawsuit Seeks Records Tying Utah’s Sean Reyes to GOP Group

Democracy, RAGA

Source: KUTV.com | Published: 7/18/2017

A left-leaning advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes that seeks documents from his office detailing his ties to one of his chief political donors, the Republican Attorney Generals Association.

The Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy said Tuesday that it filed a lawsuit in Utah against Reyes’ office. The lawsuit filed Monday seeks emails and other documents about the Republican official’s dealings with the Republican attorneys general group and its partner organization, the Rule of Law Defense Fund.

Watchdog Group Sues Utah A.G. Over Ties to GOP Attorneys General Association

Democracy, RAGA

Source: Deseret News | Published: 7/18/2017

A government watchdog group is suing the Utah Attorney General’s Office for allegedly refusing to release documents related to Attorney General Sean Reyes’ ties with the Republican Attorneys General Association.

The Center for Media and Democracy argues in a 3rd District Court lawsuit that the office is violating Utah’s open records law in not turning over emails and other correspondence with the attorneys general association and its partner organization, the Rule of Law Defense Fund.