Copyrighted Image? DMCA | There have been complaints in states like Minnesota that the American Legislative Exchange Council violates state lobbying laws, particularly with gifts for state lawmakers and undisclosed meetings with corporate lobbyists. ALEC, as we've reported, is the secretive bill-writing front group responsible for risky privatization schemes, massive taxpayer giveaways to big business, and dozens of other laws.
But Boyd Brown, a politician in South Carolina who is critical of ALEC's agenda, pointed out that ALEC is actually exempt from state lobbying laws: ALEC had been written into the South Carolina Code of Laws several years ago. ..The lobbyist's exemption for ALEC was written in 2003 by former Republican Speaker of the House and ALEC member, David Wilkins. [How can one lawmaker codify that one specific organization is exempt from laws all others must comply with? Unbelievable!] |