ALEC Exodus Now at 40

Merck, Wells Fargo Departures Push ALEC Exodus to 40

With this week’s announced departures of Merck and Wells Fargo, the exodus of major corporations from ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, has reached 40, Common Cause announced today.

“It’s becoming increasingly apparent to corporate leaders that ALEC is a bad idea whose time has passed,” said Common Cause President Bob Edgar. “The citizen activists and shareholders who’ve joined to question corporate involvement in this organization have performed a valuable service for the companies involved, and for the nation.”

Common Cause has been in the forefront of efforts to focus public attention on ALEC’s work, including its drafting of and support for laws that would privatize public schools and prisons, eviscerate clean air and water laws, and endanger voting rights and public safety.

“We expect corporate lobbyists to look out for corporate interests,” Edgar said, “but our elected officials are elected to pass laws that are in the public interest. ALEC has given its member companies a secret way to work their will in our state capitols and helped its legislative leaders advance a narrow, partisan agenda. It’s encouraging to see that more and more companies are recognizing that this is not the way a good corporate citizen does business.”