Democracy Wire

Here are some of the corporations that still put their money behind ALEC, despite widespread criticism of the organization for its secretive operations and controversial agenda, and increasing calls from shareholders for more transparency about corporate lobbying activities.

As more major companies leave the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a secretive corporate lobbying group, it’s a wonder why Pfizer remains a member.

One of the nation's largest defense contractors has joined the exodus from the American Legislative Exchange Council

Our democracy is in serious trouble -- corporations and wealthy individuals are pumping unprecedented amounts of money into our system through secretive outside groups to buy more political power for themselves. And ALEC, the shadowy corporate lobby group, is doing everything they can to keep it that way.

Two DC events this week demonstrate corporate concern about citizen and shareholder efforts to force disclosure of political spending.

Over the last few months major companies including Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Yelp, Yahoo, International Paper, Occidental Petroleum, News Corp, Overstock.com, SAP America, and AOL have all announced they have left or were leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the secretive group that brings state politicians and corporate lobbyists behind closed doors to rewrite our laws.