ALEC announced the elimination of its Public Safety and Elections Task Force

 ALEC announced the elimination of its Public Safety and Elections Task Force, which it had used to advance unneeded voter identification laws, "Stand Your Ground" gun laws and other noxious legislation. The move followed the departure of 10 major corporations from ALEC's orbit last week. One of our targets, Pfizer, literally shut down their public phone line amid a flood of calls from supporters like you. 

This is a huge victory for citizen action. But more than 100 companies still are funding ALEC's extremist agenda. We can’t afford to sit back, simply hoping they follow suit.   

Anger over initial failure of Florida police and prosecutors to address Martin’s shooting led to an intense focus on the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law, and on the role of ALEC and the National Rifle Association in passing similar laws in states across the country.

That expanded interest in ALEC, a conservative “bill mill” that has been under scrutiny since the Center for Media and Democracy and The Nation launched the “ALEC Exposed” project last summer.

Pressure by CMD, civil rights groups such as the NAACP, the Urban League and ColorOfChange and good government organizations such as Common Cause and People for the American Way—which have expressed concern with ALEC’s meddling in public safety and democracy debates at the state level—has in recent weeks led to decisions by Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald’s and other corporations to drop their affiliations with ALEC.

In many cases, the corporations that have quit ALEC have suggested that—while they were comfortable working with the right-wing group in order to advocate on behalf of tax and regulatory policies that are favorable to their business interests—they are ill at ease being drawn into debates about issues such as voting rights and gun control.

That's why we've identified more than a dozen of the most influential ALEC corporations to target with widespread public pressure. It's time to turn this snowballing ALEC exodus into an avalanche.

Over the past 10 years, ALEC has poured nearly $400 million into state elections. The results are appalling -- Florida-style "Stand Your Ground" laws … voter suppression laws … anti-worker legislation … attacks on teachers' jobs ... the list doesn't stop.

But neither will we -- not until ALEC stops its assault on the public interest.

Stopping the biggest and richest companies in the world from twisting our state legislatures into corporate puppets will require an aggressive, sustained grassroots effort -- and your help.

Common Cause supporters like you enabled us to lead the charge in exposing and spotlighting ALEC. We've published studies, tracked model bills from state to state, and urged the IRS to investigate ALEC's tax exemption. Will you help us keep up that pressure?

Make a gift today and help fuel the fight to end ALEC's influence in our laws and lives.The past few weeks have proven the enormous citizen power we wield when we join together, stand up and speak out. Let's keep it up and reclaim our democracy once and for all!

Thanks for all you do,    
Bob Edgar  

and the rest of the team at Common Cause