It’s been a bad month for ALEC, its far-right agenda ... now, complaint filed with IRS
It’s been a bad month for the American Legislative Exchange Council, aka ALEC, the far-right group that makes model-legislation for statea legislatures, including Minnesota.
Common Cause filed a complaint Monday with the IRS saying ALEC was falsely claiming tax exempt status. ALEC says its work is not lobbying. Common Cause disagrees.
ALEC "tells the IRS in its tax returns that it does no lobbying, yet it exists to pass profit-driven legislation in statehouses all over the country that benefits its corporate members," said Bob Edgar, president of Common Cause, in a statement. "ALEC is not entitled to abuse its charitable tax status to lobby for private corporate interests, and stick the bill to the American taxpayer."
Common Cause wants an IRS audit of ALEC's work, penalties and the payment of back taxes, according to an article posted on the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) website at the following link: IRS complaint filed against ALEC
ALEC is a far-right policy incubator whose members include corporations, think tanks and lawmakers, who introduce its model bills simultaneously in statehouses nationwide. The proposed legislation ranges from industry-specific measures such as a bill vetoed last week by Gov. Dayton limiting liability in asbestos injuries to the ideological, such as voter ID and shoot-first. It also includes anti-union legislation such as “right to work,” an unnecessary bill that could cost thousands of state employees their jobs and lower yearly earning by more than $5,300.
First, Governor Mark Dayton cut down a slew of ALEC-sponsored legislation with his veto pen. Then, a long list of corporate sponsors suspended their ties with ALEC and ALEC announced that it was that it was suspending the activities of its public-safety and elections task force, which generated controversial model voter ID and “shoot-first” bills, and was instead “redoubling our efforts on the economic front.”
ALEC has been having trouble getting its legislation signed into law in Minnesota thanks to Governor Dayton’s veto pen. The GOP-controlled Legislature keeps sending ALEC model legislation Dayton’s way, but the governor has stood strong, recognized the thinly veiled proposals and has prevented ALEC from dominating the 2012 session:
In addition, two fast food giants, McDonald’s and Wendy’s, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation severed ties with ALEC members to the conservative non-profit:
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23599
It is clear that ALEC is feeling the heat. To quell the mass exodus of corporate members upset by recent headlines, ALEC announced Tuesday that it was suspending the activities of its public-safety and elections task force, which generated controversial model voter ID and “shoot-first” bills:
Sounds like ALEC does not handle public scrutiny well. Keep the pressure on!
Sign a petition to get AT&T, State Farm and Johnson & Johnson to stop funding ALEC:
http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/survey_ALEC/?akid=7386.1002260.5rW8ll&rd=1&source=e2-3mo&t=4
