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Emails from ALEC Member Russell Pearce Show Anti-Immigrant Law May Have Been Racially Motivated

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona has asked the man behind the "show me your papers" anti-immigrant law in that state to show them his emails. An open records request to former Arizona state Senator Russell Pearce netted thousands of email records sent from Pearce's account that suggest Arizona's SB 1070, which was taken up as an American Legislative Exchange Council "model bill" but recently struck down in large part by the U.S. Supreme Court, was motivated by racism and xenophobia.

Special Report from Salt Lake: ALEC Exposed, ALEC Diminished

SALT LAKE CITY -- American Legislative Exchange Council legislators, corporate lobbyists, and special interest group staffers awoke Thursday morning to bad news about ALEC delivered to every room at the "five diamond" Grand America hotel. Although the print edition of the Salt Lake Tribune's headline read "ALEC says it won't be threatened," the news story in the state's leading paper featured two prominent critiques of ALEC.

ALEC Down 30 Corporations: General Motors and Walgreens Cut Ties

Two more large American companies, headquartered in the Midwest, have responded to their customers and cut ties with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): General Motors (GM) and Walgreens. This brings the total to 30 corporations and four non-profits -- 34 total private sector members -- that have cut ties to the right-wing corporate bill mill.

"Tobacco Can Cure Smoking" and other Highlights of ALEC's Annual Meeting in Salt Lake

State legislators attending this week's American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) meeting in Salt Lake City will be told they can advance ALEC's mission of "limited government and free enterprise" by letting "the free market reduce smoking-related diseases," according to an agenda obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.

Protestors Greet ALEC as 39th Annual Meeting Gets Underway in Utah Today

This week politicians and corporate lobbyists will descend on Salt Lake City for the 39th annual conference of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). While there, ALEC politicians will be schooled on ALEC's portfolio of "model" legislation, which they will be asked to bring home to their state for introduction -- sans ALEC letterhead.

Mark Fiore on How a Bill Becomes a Law -- ALEC-Style

The brilliant Pulitzer-prize winning cartoonist, Mark Fiore, does it again with another cartoon video skewering the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The video focuses on how a bill becomes a law ALEC-style. Warning: this is not School House Rock. This is Fiore's second video on ALEC. Previously he shined a light on the NRA's Stand Your Ground" legislation implicated in the Trayvon Martin slaying that ALEC deemed a model bill and helped get it passed in over two dozen states. Many folks may remember the original School House Rock! version of how a bill becomes a law.

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