Defectors

<p><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">this category refers to major companies that have bailed from major organizations ALEC and US CoC, often fronts and often because of specific attacks by activists  see also divestment, CSR, shareholder revolts</font></b>

<b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">also ICCC/Heartland, also mountaintop removal; so perhaps this is the new phase: force co's to abandon the buffer/front/industry group; cf divestment strategy 350 org, apartheid</font></b>

<b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">leverage? cascade effect? have some corps been hit by multiple campaigns?  what is the biggest win? wells fargo reneged re alec?</font></b>

<b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RJR sticks with alec, peabody</font></b>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">capt 218<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"> see bak</span></font></p><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">BP DEFECTS 2/20</b></font></p><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">12 pp</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/sustainability/our-participation-in-trade-associations-climate.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/sustainability/our-participation-in-trade-associations-climate.pdf</a></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Summary findings table</b> – for further details see page 7</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Not aligned </span>Associations deemed not aligned are those which we found to have</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>stated opposition to BP positions with limited balancing support in</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>other areas. </b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Associations in this category are:</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM)</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">AFPM collaborated with its members over the past year to support</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">changes to its climate policy. While we are encouraged by this</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">progress, BP and AFPM’s views on carbon pricing are at odds and</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">currently we have no areas of full alignment. As a result, we have</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">decided to resign our membership.</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Western Energy Alliance (WEA)</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">We have decided not to renew our membership with WEA due to</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">material differences around the federal regulation of methane and</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">due to BP’s divestment of assets in the states in which the</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">organization is active.</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA)</b></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">BP has decided to resign its membership in WSPA as a result of...</font></div></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></p><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">SHELL DEFECTOR (when was court loss?]</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/1-shell-quit-u-refining-105931571.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">
</a></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/1-shell-quit-u-refining-105931571.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">https://news.yahoo.com/1-shell-quit-u-refining-105931571.html</a></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">reuters</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">UPDATE 7-Citing climate differences, Shell walks away from U.S. refining lobby</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By Ron Bousso</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">April 2, 2019</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">* Shell to leave AFPM in 2020 over climate "misalignment"</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">* Shell releases first report on links with industry groups</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">* Investor welcomes report as "industry first" (Adds comment from French oil major Total)</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By Ron Bousso</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LONDON, April 2 (Reuters) - <b>Royal Dutch Shell Plc on Tuesday became the first major oil and gas company to announce plans to leave a leading U.S. refining lobby due to disagreement on climate policies, citing its support for the goals of the Paris climate agreement</b>.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In its first review of its association with 19 key industry groups, Shell said it had found "material misalignment" over climate policy with the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and would quit the body in 2020.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The review is part of Shell's drive to increase transparency and show investors it is in line with the 2015 Paris climate agreement's goals to limit global warming by reducing carbon emissions to a net zero by the end of the century.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>It is the latest sign of how investor pressure on oil companies, particularly in Europe, is leading to changes in their behavior around climate. Last year, Shell caved in to investor pressure over climate change, setting out plans to introduce industry-leading carbon emissions targets linked to executive pay.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Its chief executive, Ben van Beurden, has since repeatedly urged oil and gas producers to take action over climate and pollution, staking out a more radical position than the heads of other major oil companies.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>"AFPM has not stated support for the goal of the Paris Agreement. Shell supports the goal of the Paris Agreement," the Anglo-Dutch company said in its decision.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"The need for urgent action in response to climate change has become ever more obvious since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015. As a result, society's expectations in this area have changed, and Shell's views have also evolved," van Beurden said in the report.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The company has disagreed with AFPM on a number of issues for some time, according to two lobbying sources. Shell said it also disagreed with AFPM's opposition to a price on carbon and action on low-carbon technologies</span>.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Shell and AFPM have also been at odds in recent months over regulation over the use of renewable fuels. While Shell and other large refiners invested in cleaner fuel technology, AFPM has fought hard against standards requiring refiners to blend or subsidize the blending of biofuels into the gasoline pool - saying it hurts independent refiners</b>.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Shell and rivals Exxon and BP have in recent years left the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative political group, over its stance on climate change.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>AFPM Chief Executive Chet Thompson thanked Shell for its "longstanding collaboration."</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"We will also continue working on behalf of the refining and petrochemical industries to advance policies that ensure reliable and affordable access to fuels and petrochemicals, while being responsible stewards of the environment," Thompson said in a statement.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">AFPM counts around 300 U.S. and international members including<b> Exxon Mobil Corp, Chevron Corp, BP Plc and Total SA </b>that operate 110 refineries and 229 petrochemical plants, according to its 2018 annual report.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>French oil major Total said in a statement to Reuters that consensus required by organizations such as AFPM does not always reflect its position, and that it regularly monitors the relevance of its participation.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"In this case, Total takes a pro-active approach in order to convince its peers, particularly on climate issues. In case of differing points of view, Total publicly defends its position, and is ready to reconsider its participation in case of disagreement," the company said.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Total said it was fully aware of climate issues, has publicly recognized them and takes them into its strategy.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Shell's review was welcomed by Adam Matthews, director of ethics and engagement for the Church of England Pensions Board,</b> which invests in Shell and led discussions with the company over its climate policy.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"This is an industry first," Matthews said. "With this review Shell have set the benchmark for best practice on corporate climate lobbying not just within oil and gas but across all industries. The challenge now is for others to follow suit."</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WALK AWAY</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Shell also found "some" misalignment with nine other trade associations, including the American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas industry's main lobby.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Shell said that while it had some climate-related differences with the<b> API</b>, it welcomed the lobby's advocacy on a range of state and federal issues such as trade and transport, as well as the API's efforts to reduce methane emissions.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Shell said it will continue to engage with the API and other groups over climate policies and monitor their alignment.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Shell last month urged President Donald Trump's administration to tighten restrictions on emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, instead of weakening them as planned.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">(Reporting by Ron Bousso; Additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in New York and Bate Felix in Paris; Editing by Louise Heavens, Emelia Sithole-Matarise, Lisa Shumaker and Leslie Adler)</font></div></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div></div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">wow rep in shitter when eei bails? tho rep it what it's all about; interesting to see if 180 like corp pledge on sedition caucus</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">facing so</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The public outrage over the riot at the U.S. Capitol is hurting </span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">RAGA</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">'s fundraising. Popular Information </span><a href="https://popular.info/p/after-riot-major-corporations-suspend?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMTA3OTEwLCJwb3N0X2lkIjozMTMwNTU4OCwiXyI6InVTU2pvIiwiaWF0IjoxNjEwNTU2Njc4LCJleHAiOjE2MTA1NjAyNzgsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0xNjY0Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.OrAb-C9IBWc_sZoajg4PQbo_crIZfDPmijpB4vjyohg" times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" box-sizing="box-sizing" border-box="border-box" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">reports</a><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> that the</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> University of Phoenix is demanding its $50,400 donation back</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, while </span><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DoorDash, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Edison Electric Institute</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Facebook</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, Lyft, RIAA, and Smithfield Foods </span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">said they are suspending further contributions to RAGA. The</span></span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"> Cherokee Nation</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> has also </span><a href="https://www.newson6.com/story/5ffcebdad22b0d0bcdf42070/cherokee-nation-withdraws-donation-to-republican-ag-assoc-after-robocalls-promoting-dc-rally--" times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" box-sizing="box-sizing" border-box="border-box" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">announced</a><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> it's withdrawing its $150,000 donati</span></font></div></div><div><p><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></b></p><p><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">only corp to defect from API? GUK</font></b></p><p><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Growing public disquiet, and the departure of oil-friendly Donald Trump from the White House, shifted the ground for <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">API</span>. In March it launched a Climate Action Framework, which for the first time endorsed policies such as carbon pricing. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">It also stated its support for the Paris climate agreement.</span></font></b></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">API called the plan “robust” but others noted the lack of specifics and its sincerity was called into question when an Exxon lobbyist was caught on camera earlier this year saying that a carbon tax will never happen and that support for the measure was a public relations ploy intended to stall more serious measures.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 102);">And between API’s<b> lost support from Total, and the Shell </b>executives who resigned in December over what they regarded as the company’s foot-dragging on greener fuels, there are signs of shifting attitudes within the industry itself.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Shell and BP have said they will continue to review their support for API. </b>Shell said that where it disagrees with API’s position, the company “will pursue advocacy separately”....</font></p><p><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></b></p></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://yyy.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/mar/25/bp-google-alec-exodus-climate-change</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no lnx guk</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>
</div><div><b>BP and Google leave Alec: </b>are companies finally taking climate change seriously?</div><div>Kellen Klein</div><div>BP and Google have both cut ties with Alec. Does this exodus mean climate change is finally a top business priority?</div><div>
</div><div>BP is latest company to leave Alec. What do the recent high profile exits from the organization mean for business?</div><div>
</div><div>Wed 25 <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Mar 2015</span></div><div>
</div><div><b>It began with Microsoft in July, then Google in September – and now Facebook, Yelp, Yahoo, SAP America, AOL and eBay have all followed suit. These companies have now ended their relationship with the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council, or Alec.</b></div><div>
</div><div>This isn’t the first exodus Alec has seen. Companies such as Amazon, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Walmart also pulled out of the group after it supported Florida’s 2005 “stand your ground” gun law after an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin, was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, in 2012.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 102);">But the recent exodus is the first that is largely attributable to the organization’s views on climate change. </span>The trend highlights a major change in business attitudes towards climate change, indicating – perhaps for the first time – that major tech companies see environmental regulation as key to business.</div><div>
</div><div>This tech shift has sent shockwaves through climate advocacy circles. But perhaps even more fascinating has been the simultaneous distancing from Alec by major corporations affiliated with the fossil fuel industry.</div><div><b>
</b></div><div><b>Since September, Occidental Petroleum, Emerson Electric, Wells Fargo (a major O&G investor), Union Pacific, Northrop Grumman, and BP have all announced they too are discontinuing their Alec membership.</b> And while these companies were more elusive about the rationale for their respective withdrawals, recent campaigns and engagement by shareholders likely had them feeling the heat on climate action.</div><div>
</div><div>Companies across all industries would be wise to take heed of this case study. Perhaps more than any other story on this topic in recent months, the Alec climate saga illustrates the rapidly evolving landscape in which sustainable businesses are expected to play. In this new, polarized and hyper-connected world, action on climate change is increasingly framed as a moral issue on par with social causes like workers rights and racial equality. To deny climate change is to risk alienating millennial consumers and open the door to activist campaigns.</div><div>
</div><div><b>The Alec emigration is also a lesson to companies that sustainability cannot be separated into its own silo</b>. Google, for instance, has made strong strides reducing its carbon footprint, but this progress has not been reflected in its political spending and partnerships. Businesses and nonprofits alike (see the recent Susan G Komen Foundation-Baker Hughes debacle) committed to responsible causes must vet all departments and communications for actions that could be seen as hypocritical, and ensure that the company they keep aligns with their sustainability vision.</div><div>
</div><div>Lastly, the remarkably short time frame in which an entire sector shifted its rhetoric shows that lagging behind on climate change – either in action or in posturing – is increasingly likely to lead to brand damage. Campaigners are growing incredibly savvy and innovative. Companies might feel far removed from the climate change debate, but to stay silent or <b>partner poorly is to risk going viral for all the wrong reasons (see Greenpeace’s Lego-Shell campaign or Climate Parent’s <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Radio Disney-Ohio Oil & Gas Association</span> campaign)</b>.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Climate change is not the only issue facing growing stakeholder concern, of course. The Alec example is just a small part of a larger trend occurring in the consumer marketplace, one that we at Future 500 call “brand politics”.</span></div><div><b>
</b></div><div><b>Corporate stakeholders and consumers increasingly care not only about how sustainable a company’s own products and operations are, but also what that company stands for – and with whom they stand.</b></div><div>
</div><div>Consumer-facing brands are particularly compelling campaign targets in this movement, as their prominence makes it easier to garner public attention and can ultimately provide inroads to bigger, but less recognizable, corporate players up or down the supply chains.</div><div>
</div><div>While companies shouldn’t feel obligated to capitulate – or even respond – to each petition sent their way, executives should begin establishing their positions on trending topics of social consequence, and proactively identifying key stakeholders.</div><div>
</div><div>The majority of global brands now recognize that ignoring climate science is bad for business. In the years ahead, nearly all consumer-facing companies (and their suppliers) face the likelihood of being asked to take a clear public position on an ever-expanding group of environmental and social issues, from carbon pricing to income inequality. Encouragingly, many forward-thinking companies are seizing this momentum to proactively partner with civil society organizations, and to advocate for progressive climate policies and other mitigation strategies like renewable energy growth, forest protection, and materials innovation.</div><div>
</div><div><b>In the case of Alec, expect campaigners like Forecast the Facts and CMD to shift the pressure to remaining group members with prominent brand recognition, such as Expedia, Comcast, FedEx, Pfizer, and Shell</b>. In the broader marketplace, businesses striving for sustainability should recognize that their influence – and therefore their accountability – spreads further than they think.</div><div>
</div><div>The values-led business hub is funded by SC Johnson. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled “brought to you by”. Find out more here.</div><div>
</div><div>Topics</div><div>Guardian sustainable business</div><div>Values-led business</div><div>Alec (American Legislative Exchange Council)</div><div>Ethical business</div><div>Oil and gas companies</div><div>BP</div><div>Google</div><div>Microsoft</div><div>
</div></div><div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">2014</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-did-google-support-alec-one-of-the-most-controversial-organizations-ever-2014-9">https://www.businessinsider.com/why-did-google-support-alec-one-of-the-most-controversial-organizations-ever-2014-9</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Why Did Google Support ALEC, A Giant Organization That Denies Climate Change?</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dave Smith Sep 22, 2014, 1:30 PM</font></div><div>
</div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Google on Monday announced it would pull its support from The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) due to the organization’s ongoing denial of climate change.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"The facts of climate change are not in question anymore, everyone understands that climate change is occurring, and the people who oppose it are really hurting our children and our grandchildren and making the world a much worse place, and we should not be aligned with such people,” Google chairman Eric Schmidt said in a statement.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But some people might be wondering: Why did Google support this organization in the first place?</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For those who don’t know, ALEC was founded in 1973 as “the Conservative Caucus of State Legislators,” but its current goal is to further “the fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism.” </font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Among its various campaigns, ALEC has previously focused on opposing insurance coverage for  </font><span style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large">birth control</span></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> in the US; opposing the individual health insurance mandate enacted by the Affordable Care Act; expanding the “Stand Your Ground” laws that allow citizens the right to self-defense if they feel their property is under attack; prohibiting cities from building public broadband networks; urging state legislatures to demand voters produce state-issued IDs; and much more.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Last October, Google (and Facebook, too) joined ALEC</b>, a group that has initiatives to give tax cuts to tobacco companies, privatize schools and for-profit education companies, repeal state taxes for the wealthy, and oppose renewable energy efforts.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>But Google didn't just join ALEC; it also funded it.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">According to the watchdog group Common Cause, "In addition to paying to be a member of ALEC ($12,000 - $25,000 per year), Google and Facebook both pay to be a member of ALEC’s Communications and Technology Task Force ($5,000 per year). If they sponsor a workshop, training, or party during ALEC’s conferences, that is an additional amount (somewhere around $40,000 per event), plus conference fees to send their lobbyists/executives to ALEC conferences, plus any additional funding they give to ALEC or ALEC scholarship accounts. All of this funding is considered charitable contributions to a 501(c)(3). Google may write it off as a tax write-off."</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In a column for The Huffington Post, author <b>Norman Solomon cited a book by Robert McChesney in hopes to explain why Google had aligned itself with ALEC:</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“Any qualms about privacy, commercialism, avoiding taxes, or paying low wages to Third World factory workers were quickly forgotten,” McChesney writes. “It is not that the managers are particularly bad and greedy people — indeed their individual moral makeup is mostly irrelevant — but rather that the system sharply rewards some types of behavior and penalizes other types of behavior so that people either get with the program and internalize the necessary values or they fail.”</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Solomon believed Google joined ALEC so it could remain in a position of power, which would allow the company to impact — or at least know about — future changes to national policies and legislation.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>“Google’s involvement in ALEC is consistent with the company’s mega-business model that relentlessly exploits rigorous data-mining of emails, online searches and so much more,” Solomon writes.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Another theory from Todd O’Boyle, director of Common Cause: “[Google] might be concerned about right-of-way and video franchising related to Google Fiber, or maybe they want to work on state tax issues.” </b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>It’s unclear why Google initially joined ALEC — there are theories, but the company offered no official statement. That said, it’s pretty clear why Google decided to back out of its deal with ALEC on Monday.</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>On Sept. 3, more than 50 different labor, watchdog and advocacy groups wrote a letter to Google asking to cut its ties with ALEC.</b> A Google spokesperson initially told Ars Technica, “We aren’t going to be commenting on this letter.” However, with Microsoft cutting its ties with ALEC just weeks prior, Google may have foreseen a bigger controversy stirring, and severed ties in an attempt to save face.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">We’ve reached out to Google for an official explanation for its change of heart — besides the statement produced today by Schmidt — and we’ll update this story when we learn more.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Update: We received the following statement from <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson: “It is unfortunate to learn Google has ended its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council as a result of public pressure from left-leaning individuals and organizations who intentionally confuse free market policy perspectives for climate change denial.”</span></font></div></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div></div><div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">no lnx</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>British Petroleum (BP) is working to clean up its climate image. In the two months since environmental law nonprofit Client Earth filed a complaint against the UK oil giant with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) alleging its ads were misleading, BP has announced intentions to reach “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050,  stop all “corporate reputation” advertising and, now, withdraw from trade associations with approaches on climate that are out of step with its values.</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The company announced this week it will resign its membership in the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and will not renew its membership with the Western Energy Alliance (WEA).</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The decision came after BP conducted a review comparing the climate-related policies of several trade associations to its own. The company found its policies are not aligned with those of the AFPM, WSPA and WEA.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BP cited WEA’s opposition of federal methane regulation as a main area of misalignment. BP said “recent and developing differences in the area of carbon pricing” have contributed to its decision to leave the WSPA, as has its current focus on stopping a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) initiative in Washington state. But while proclaiming to support a tax on carbon, BP contributed nearly $13 million to a campaign by the WSPA to help defeat a Washington state carbon emissions fee initiative in 2018.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BP listed disagreements over carbon pricing as the main reason for leaving the AFPM.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">However, BP will remain a member of the American Petroleum Institute (AP), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), despite finding that its policies are only partially aligned with those groups. According to its review, BP disagrees with the API’s opposition to the federal regulation of methane, disagrees with NAM over its opposition to carbon pricing and differs from the Chamber’s approach to climate science and emissions reduction efforts.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Yet for now, BP will remain a member of these groups, despite the fact that the API, U.S. Chamber and NAM are well-known architects of climate science denial.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“A company like BP that engages with trade associations is doing a constant cost-benefit calculation--to what extent does this group represent BP's interest and its policy advocacy versus pose a reputational risk for the company with its own investors, and with the public," said Kathryn Mulvey, climate accountability campaign manager for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Clearly the fact that the company is staying with the American Petroleum Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Manufacturers, despite finding only partial alignment indicates that there's a calculation being made on its part.”</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BP is not the first oil major to call it quits with the AFPM. Shell withdrew its membership last year in response to pressure from investors. It continued its membership with the WSPA despite finding “some misalignment” between its own policies and those of the WSPA. Shell appears to have discontinued its WEA membership in 2016.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>AFPM president and chief executive officer Chet Thompson said the association is disappointed.</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"As a member of our executive committee they know that AFPM is and has been committed to supporting policies that address climate change. Because of that, it leads us to assume that this decision was made based on factors other than our actual positions on the issues,” Thompson said in a statement without specifying what those factors are.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>The split could ratchet up the pressure on ExxonMobil and Chevron, along with other oil companies to examine their trade association membership, Mulvey said.</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"We would expect it would make it a good deal harder for major oil and gas companies to hide behind third-party lobby groups,” she said.  “We're starting to see a real new norm in terms of transparency, regarding climate policy positions and also action to address misalignment and inconsistency of trade group positions with stated company positions.”</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BP said it will conduct its next review in two years and plans to provide periodic, internal updates to its board of directors and stakeholders. It did not rule out potentially withdrawing from more trade associations in the future.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“BP will pursue opportunities to work with organizations who share our ambitious and progressive approach to the energy transition. And when differences arise we will be transparent. But if our views cannot be reconciled, we will be prepared to part company,” said BP chief executive officer Bernard Looney in a statement, adding that the industry has long demonstrated it can collaborate effectively through trade associations.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“My hope is that in the coming years we can add climate to the long list of areas where, as an industry, we work together for a greater good,” Looney added.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Catherine Rheis-Boyd, president of the WSPA resident said her group and its members will continue to talk with BP and other stakeholders regarding the creation of a sustainable energy future.</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">“Our members know the way the world produces, distributes and consumes energy is evolving, and our industry will remain leaders in investing in and developing the diverse energy sources and technologies we need for the future,” Reheis-Boyd said. “Working together as an industry, we will rise to the challenge of a changing climate.”</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The WEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Mulvey said while BP is clearly concerned about its reputation and has pledged to be at net zero, whether the company will take the necessary steps remains to be seen. The company has so far only mentioned carbon capture technology and carbon offsets as methods to achieving net zero, promising to provide more details in September, nine months after its announcement.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Meanwhile, the company has pulled its “Possibilities Everywhere” campaign (the source of the Client Earth OECD complaint), but has been advertising its net zero commitment quite a bit on social media and in search engines.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BP’s withdrawal from the three associations does make one thing clear, Mulvey said.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" /></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"It lays down a gauntlet for ExxonMobil and Chevron to really step up or they may be understood, by the investor community in particular, to be falling behind their competitors."</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p><div class="3sZWk blog-post-title-font igE5v _2lmPI Qz_XW" data-hook="post-title" style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 9px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 740px;"><h2 class="2MNte post-title post-titletext blog-post-title-color blog-hover-container-element-color" data-hook="post-title" style="margin: 1px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; display: -webkit-box; -webkit-line-clamp: 2;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">BP Calls It Quits with 3 Trade Associations, but Continues Membership in NAM, API, US Chamber</font></font></font></div></h2></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a class="1NTXA igE5v _2lmPI" href="https://www.drillednews.com/post/bp-calls-it-quits-with-3-trade-associations-but-continues-membership-in-nam-api-us-chamber" target="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 100%; height: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /></font></font></font></p><div class="-RDEl igE5v blog-post-description-font Qz_XW" data-hook="post-description" style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 23px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;"><div class="1Uunh post-excerpt" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; opacity: 0.8; word-break: break-word; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; display: -webkit-box; -webkit-line-clamp: 2;"><div class="AB7h6" data-hook="post-description" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;"><a class="1NTXA igE5v 2lmPI" href="https://www.drillednews.com/post/bp-calls-it-quits-with-3-trade-associations-but-continues-membership-in-nam-api-us-chamber" target="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 100%; height: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" /></a><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a class="1NTXA igE5v _2lmPI" href="https://www.drillednews.com/post/bp-calls-it-quits-with-3-trade-associations-but-continues-membership-in-nam-api-us-chamber" target="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 100%; height: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" /></a><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a class="1NTXA igE5v _2lmPI" href="https://www.drillednews.com/post/bp-calls-it-quits-with-3-trade-associations-but-continues-membership-in-nam-api-us-chamber" target="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 100%; height: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">On the heels of its net zero announcement and commitment to stop corporate reputation ads, BP withdraws from three trade groups over climate</font></a></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div></div></div></div><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a class="1NTXA igE5v _2lmPI" href="https://www.drillednews.com/post/bp-calls-it-quits-with-3-trade-associations-but-continues-membership-in-nam-api-us-chamber" target="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 100%; height: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"></font></a></font></font></font></p></div><div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">i'm confused; did hrtland jump the shark?</font></font></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ucs 2018?</font></font></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font></font></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 866px; clear: both;"><h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.2em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">American Legislative Exchange Council: Fossil fuel industry ‘bill mill’</font></font></font></h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">On July 12, ExxonMobil <a href="https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/07/12/stories/1060088919" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">announced</a> it had ended its longtime membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council after a disagreement over the corporate lobby group’s climate policy. From 1998 through last year — when Exxon Mobil reported it gave the group $60,000 — ALEC received $1.93 million from the oil company.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Over the last two decades, ALEC has routinely featured climate science deniers at its conferences and supplied state lawmakers with a range of fossil fuel industry-drafted sample legislation, including bills that would restrict investment in renewables, eliminate incentives for electric vehicles, and hamper the solar industry from selling electricity directly to residential and business customers.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Since 2012, more than 100 corporations, including BP, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell and electric utilities Entergy, Pacific Gas & Electric and Xcel Energy, have <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">severed ties</a> with ALEC, in many cases because of its regressive policy positions.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">ExxonMobil’s exit from ALEC came just months after the company fought to defeat a <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/363389-exxon-opposes-alecs-attempt-to-fight-epa-climate-policy" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">draft resolution</a> sponsored by the Heartland Institute</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> — an ExxonMobil grantee from 1998 through 2006 — calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to “reopen and review” its “flawed” conclusion that climate change poses a threat to human health.</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> The</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"> EPA’s “endangerment finding” </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">requires the agency to regulate carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions as hazardous pollutants under the Clean Air Act.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>After ExxonMobil and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), a utility trade group, objected to the resolution, the Heartland Institute withdrew it and accused the two of being in league with the likes of Greenpeace and the Sierra Club.</b></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“Big corporations like ExxonMobil and trade groups like EEI have long been members of the discredited and anti-energy global warming movement,” Heartland’s president, Tim Huelskamp, said in a December 7 <a href="https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/heartland-institute-statement-on-alec-endangerment-finding-resolution" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">press release</a>. “They’ve put their profits and ‘green’ virtue signaling above sound science and the interests of their customers.”</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>Huelskamp’s ludicrous assertion notwithstanding, </b>some might construe ExxonMobil’s exit from ALEC as a welcome change in direction. The company’s money trail, however, clearly shows that it is still financing climate science denier groups that denigrate any and all climate policy options and <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobils-climate-disinformation-campaign-is-still-alive-and-well" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">provide cover</a> for Congress and the current administration to do nothing. Until ExxonMobil stops funding these groups, its avowed support for a carbon tax, the Paris agreement and other climate initiatives can’t be seen as anything more than a cynical PR ploy.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; line-height: 30px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Posted in: <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/category/energy" rel="category tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Energy</a>, <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/category/global-warming" rel="category tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Global Warming</a> Tags: <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/carbon-tax" rel="tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">carbon tax</a>, <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/climate-denier" rel="tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Climate Denier</a>, <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/climate-science" rel="tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Climate Science</a>, <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/exxonmobil" rel="tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">ExxonMobil</a>, <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/fossil-fuel" rel="tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">fossil fuel</a>, <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/global-warming-2" rel="tag" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Global warming</a></font></font></font></p></div></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></div></div></div><div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">   =</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">519</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Comcast Is Latest Telecommunications Company to Drop ALEC</font></strong></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T1c5bac30-000f-4131-956e-808fad6cc58b/ac94ac0d-31ce-11e7-960b-0a8abee05f34" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">David Armiak</a> — The news of Comcast’s departure was made public in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing calling for increased lobbying disclosure by Comcast.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="https://default.salsalabs.org/Tac9cacb0-f7b8-4a3b-a612-542ce9d9fea4/ac94ac0d-31ce-11e7-960b-0a8abee05f34" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Read more >></font></a></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></p></div><div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong></strong></font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b> AT&T, the biggest telecommunications company in the world, has followed in the footsteps of Verizon and dropped its membership with ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council</b>) over its hosting of hate speech last summer. </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">My takeaway? Exposing ALEC works! </strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">113 corporations worth trillions in market value have now dumped ALEC since we launched ALEC Exposed in 2012. </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><a rel="nofollow" target="blank" href="https://default.salsalabs.org/T4155c210-455d-4ceb-8514-628c3f4956db/ac94ac0d-31ce-11e7-960b-0a8abee05f34" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); overflow-wrap: break-word;">And exposing ALEC is only possible with your support.</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">While ALEC has been a tool of the Kochs and big business pay-to-play operations for decades, it has recently veered into alarming far-right territory, denying climate science, embracing racists, and using hatemongers like David Horowitz to whip up alt-right support for rewriting the U.S. Constitution. </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">CMD blew the whistle on Horowitz's wild anti-Islamic accusations at ALEC's annual meeting in August and joined 78 civil rights and reform groups in a letter of protest calling on ALEC's corporate patrons to stop funding ALEC extremism.   </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And earlier this month CMD exposed that Rep. Matt Shea, who was reported to the FBI for circulating a manual on how to wage a violent Christian holy war in the United States, is the chair of ALEC in Washington State. ALEC still has not removed Shea from his position. </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">      </span><br style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">AT&T's departure is the third major blow to ALEC this year, following Exxon-Mobil's decision to ditch ALEC in July.</span></span></font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong></strong></font></font></font></p></div><div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> =</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/09/17/verizon-dumps-alec-denounces-speaker-racist/">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/09/17/verizon-dumps-alec-denounces-speaker-racist/</a></font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">armiak</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Verizon has decided to quit the <a href="https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC) following <b>a public outcry over the corporate lobby group’s hosting of <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/David_Horowitz(ex-Marxist)" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; outline: 0px;">David Horowitz</a> as a prominent speaker at its annual meeting in New Orleans in August.</b></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD)’s <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/08/13/alec-in-disarray/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">exposé</a> of Horowitz’s divisive and bigoted remarks at the ALEC event sparked a coalition of 78 democracy reform, civil rights, and advocacy organizations to send a <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/08/27/broad-coalition-calls-corporations-drop-funding-alec-horowitz-speeches/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">letter of protest</a> to ALEC’s largest corporate backers, including Verizon, urging them to “make it clear that [they] will not stand for the sort of toxic, inflammatory claims ALEC has embraced” and leave ALEC.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“Our company has no tolerance for racist, white supremacist or sexist comment or ideals,” Verizon spokesperson Richard Young said in a statement to <a href="https://theintercept.com/2018/09/15/verizon-alec-david-horowitz/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">The Intercept</a>, which first broke the story.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">ALEC may have tried to prevent Verizon from dropping its membership with a <a href="https://www.alec.org/public-affair/alec-speaker-identification-and-engagement-statement/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">statement</a> posted to its website on September 10 stating that Horowitz “was advised of the program parameters and did not abide the process,” and that “ALEC staff removed the video archive of the livestream and ceased promotion of the speech as the comments were inconsistent with the manner in which speeches are offered at ALEC.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>Verizon, a member and major donor of ALEC for over three decades, must have been unimpressed with the statement. The telecommunications giant was a long-time holder of a seat on ALEC’s Private Enterprise Board. Its exit is the second big loss for ALEC in 2018 after ExxonMobil’s</b> <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/07/12/alec-extreme-exxon-long-term-alec-board-member-dumps-alec-climate-denial-policy" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">decision</a> to not renew its membership earlier in the year.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">State Rep. Chris Taylor, who attended the event and wrote the original article exposing Horowitz’s rhetoric at ALEC, quoted him as saying that, “at the K-12 level, school curricula have been turned over to racist organizations like Black Lives Matter and terrorist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Horowitz’s legal team <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/09/10/rep-taylor-center-media-democracy-rebuff-legal-threat-alec-speaker/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">attempted to intimidate CMD</a> into retracting the story with the threat of a defamation lawsuit for describing him as a “hatemonger” and “anti-Islamic.”</b></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Madison attorney Lester Pines sent a response on behalf of Rep. Taylor and CMD standing by the accuracy of Rep. Taylor’s column. “Were your client to bring a suit for defamation against Representative Taylor or CMD, it would be dismissed as frivolous and they would seek attorneys’ fees and expenses,” Pines wrote.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It remains unclear whether other brand-sensitive corporate backers of ALEC serving diverse markets will follow Verizon’s lead. More than <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">110 corporations and 19 nonprofits</a> have severed their ties with ALEC in recent years over the front group’s backing of controversial “Stand Your Ground” and voter ID laws, and its radical climate denial stance.</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></div></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/07/12/alec-extreme-exxon-long-term-alec-board-member-dumps-alec-climate-denial-policy">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/07/12/alec-extreme-exxon-long-term-alec-board-member-dumps-alec-climate-denial-policy</a></font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">armiak mb</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>ExxonMobil, the largest oil and gas company in the world, will not renew its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) after a split within the corporate lobbying group over how to address climate change,</b> Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-12/exxon-quits-koch-backed-business-group-after-climate-change-row" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">reported</a> earlier today.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Exxon’s exit follows a disagreement <a href="https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/heartland-institute-statement-on-alec-endangerment-finding-resolution" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">over a resolution</a> introduced in December by the Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based think tank that denies climate change, that would have asked the federal government to reconsider its findings that greenhouse gasses are harmful to human health.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The EPA did its spadework and laid out the scientific foundation of the endangerment findings in over <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-08/documents/endangerment_tsd.pdf" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">200 pages</a> of technical documentation in 2009. Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt failed to reconsider those findings, much to the disappointment of the Koch crowd.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Although large companies like Ford, Google, Microsoft, Coca-Cola and many others have <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">cut ties</a> with ALEC, few have given and supported ALEC as much as Exxon has. Exxon was listed as a <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4597750-ALEC-Letter-to-Philip-Morris-1981.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">“major contributor”</a> to ALEC as far back as 1981 and has given ALEC <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/11/letter-to-senate-committee-on-rex-tillersons-exxon-funding-for-alec/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">millions</a> over the years to promote its corporate agenda. Exxon has also consistently served on ALEC’s Private Enterprise Board.</font></font></font></p><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">REACTION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT</font></font></font></h2><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“This is a major loss for ALEC. It’s not just the financial support that Exxon provides, which has been significant over the years. This also represents a growing split between oil and gas majors that are increasingly concerned about their public image, and groups like ALEC that still regularly promote debates about climate science on their agenda,” said Nick Surgey, co-director of Documented.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Exxon’s departure should send a strong message to ALEC that it’s extreme agenda and undemocratic, secretive operations have no place in American politics,” said Jay Riestenberg, campaigns & media strategist at Common Cause.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“It’s very significant when a giant of the fossil fuels world thinks that ALEC ‘s denial of the existence of climate change is intolerable. I hope that other responsible corporations that are still members of ALEC will follow suit,” said Wisconsin State Rep. Chris Taylor, who has attended ALEC events and <a href="https://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/rep-chris-taylor-alec-abandoned-tech-giants-call-it-quits/article_82d5d70c-4e34-5549-9ac4-adcf0c272379.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">written</a> about its climate denial positions.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">With regard to ALEC and the Koch brothers’ hostility to renewable energy and public transportation, Taylor said, “Their positions belong in the dinosaur age. We need to be investing in transit and renewables, and they just keep throwing up road block after road block.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Other major oil companies, including BP, Royal Dutch Shell and ConocoPhillips, left ALEC years ago. It’s about time ExxonMobil finally did, too,” said Kathy Mulvey, fossil fuel accountability campaign director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, in a <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/press/2018/exxonmobil-departure-climate-denying-alec-long-overdue#.W0fYHdhKjOR" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">formal statement</a>. “But the company has a lot more to do to set things straight.” Exxon continues to fund the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, both of which continue to do battle with groups and regulators attempting to address climate change, Mulvey said.</font></font></font></p><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">EXXON USED ALEC TO PROMOTE CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL FOR DECADES</font></font></font></h2><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In October 2016, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) and Common Cause <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/10/06/exxon-alec-running-illegal-lobbying-scheme-irs-complaint/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">filed additional evidence</a> for their 2012 IRS whistleblower complaint against ALEC detailing how Exxon had pumped $1.7 million into the front group “to promote the oil giant’s climate denial policies and legislative agenda, in gross violation of ALEC’s 501(c)(3) charitable status.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>ALEC claims to spend zero dollars on lobbying but the complaint showed that Exxon had deliberately used ALEC over two decades as its lobbying arm to advance its position on cap-and-trade policies, the Keystone Pipeline, the Obama Clean Power Plan, and fracking.</b></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">CMD <a href="https://www.prwatch.org/news/2017/01/13199/exxon-illegally-funded-alec-under-tillersons-tenure-cmd-tells-committee" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out; text-decoration-line: none;">brought</a> this concern to the attention of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in January 2017 when ExxonMobil’s former CEO, Rex Tillerson, was nominated to be President Trump’s Secretary of State.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“For years, Exxon used ALEC as a key asset in a fossil fuel industry campaign to sow uncertainty about climate science, undermine international climate treaties and block legislation to reduce emissions,” said Arn Pearson, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy, who drafted the 2016 IRS complaint. “And New York and other states have been investigating Exxon for its role in hiding evidence of its climate impact from shareholders and the public. So it is ironic that ALEC’s anti-science stance has apparently become too extreme even for Exxon.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Exxon did not respond to CMD requests for comment.</font></font></font></p></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></div></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">mirror /crypto:</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-11/for-companies-torn-between-industry-and-climate-the-heat-is-on">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-11/for-companies-torn-between-industry-and-climate-the-heat-is-on</a></font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><div class="lede-text-v2 lede" style="margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; z-index: 2;"><div class="lede-text-v2container" style="margin: auto; padding: 20px 0px 26px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1160px;"><div class="lede-text-v2content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; width: 1160px;"><h1 class="lede-text-v2hed" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; letter-spacing: -0.025em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For Companies Torn Between Industry and Climate, the Heat Is On</font></font></font></h1><div class="lede-text-v2dek" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.13; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Pressure on a company devoted to both renewable energy and a traditional trade group has come from the left. About-face.</font></font></font></div><address class="lede-text-v2byline" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.32; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By </font></font></font></address><div class="author-v2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline-block;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a class="author-v2byline" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AQdgGkZhizQ/eric-roston" rel="author" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;">Eric Roston</a></font></font></font></div><div class="lede-text-v2times" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.32; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><time class="article-timestamp" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-11T13:30:05.737Z" data-type="updated" data-status="localized" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">January 11, 2017, 5:30 AM PST</time> <span class="updated-wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="updated-text" style="margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Updated on </span><time class="article-timestamp" itemprop="dateModified" datetime="2017-01-11T13:44:29.185Z" data-type="updated" data-status="localized" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">January 11, 2017, 5:44 AM PST</time></span></font></font></font></div></div></div></div><div class="content-well-v2" style="margin: auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1160px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><section class="main-column-v2" style="display: table-cell; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 30px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: top; max-width: 830px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><div class="body-columns" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="middle-column" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 210px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620px; overflow: auto;"><div class="body-copy-v2 fence-body" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.56; vertical-align: baseline; float: right;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Environmental groups have long made hay of companies that tout their climate-friendliness but belong to industry associations that promote traditional energy in Washington. The pressure was from the left. Now, for companies active in both renewable energy and conventional trade organizations, it’s coming from the right.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font></font></font></p></div></div></div></section></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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nugent, ingraham sponsor boycott

<a href="https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/ted-nugent-wont-stop-ridiculing-parklands-teenage-survivors">https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/ted-nugent-wont-stop-ridiculing-parklands-teenage-survivors</a>
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</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/george-lieutenant-governor-casey-cagle-threatens-delta-over-nra"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/george-lieutenant-governor-casey-cagle-threatens-delta-over-nra</font></a></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);" size="4" face="Times New Roman">Conservatives are growing increasingly furious over companies like Delta Air Lines distancing themselves from the National Rifle Association. On Monday, one particular Republican official vowed to "kill" any legislation that would benefit Delta as far as tax breaks are concerned. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/27/589047224/georgias-lt-gov-threatens-to-kill-tax-break-for-delta-airlines-amid-nra-spat" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Georgia's lieutenant governor Casey Cagle threatened Delta</a> by saying he would nix a tax break for the airline company for its position on the NRA. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, such a <a href="https://www.aviationpros.com/news/12398107/delta-ceo-defends-georgia-jet-fuel-tax-cut-proposal" style="text-decoration-line: none;">fuel tax exemption could save Delta at least $40 million</a>.</font></font></font></div><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Shortly after the horrific school shooting that hit Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Valentine's Day, Delta said that it was "reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program." The company declared this decision on Twitter on Saturday and added that it would request the association to "<a href="https://news.delta.com/update-delta-ends-nra-discount-annual-meeting" style="text-decoration-line: none;">remove our information from their website</a>." In the wake of the <a href="https://time.com/5158678/what-to-know-about-the-active-shooter-situation-at-florida-high-school/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">shooting that claimed the lives of 17 people</a>, the <em>Los Angeles Times</em> reported that Delta had received significant pressure from gun control activists who <a href="https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-delta-nra-20180226-story.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">demanded the company reconsider</a> its discount contract with NRA members.</font></font></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://twitter.com/CaseyCagle/status/968199605803454465" style="text-decoration-line: none;">On Monday, Cagle tweeted</a> that he “will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back." In a previous tweet, Cagle called for more <a href="https://twitter.com/CaseyCagle/status/967560442305548289" style="text-decoration-line: none;">focus on mental health programs</a> in the country as opposed to ending discount programs with NRA members. "I'm a lifelong member of the NRA and a strong supporter of the law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights,” the Georgian legislator said.</font></font></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Like all Americans, I'm horrified by the mass shootings we've witnessed,” the conservative lawmaker went on. “If corporate America wants to make a positive difference on gun violence, it should donate a portion of its profits to mental health treatments and school safety initiatives. They should put their money where their mouth is instead of engaging in viewpoint discrimination against conservatives and law-abiding gun owners." Ironically enough, Cagle failed to realize that Delta was indeed putting its money where its mouth was by striking out its discount program with NRA members.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Delta isn’t alone in cutting corporate cords with the NRA. The company is joined by other massive business entities like MetLife, Symantec, United Airlines, Allied, and others in stepping away from affiliate and discount programs with the NRA. <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2018/02/25/news/companies/companies-abandoning-nra-list/index.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">A list created by CNN Money</a> actually shows how, at this moment, at least 15 companies have disassociated themselves with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nra-power-lobbying-statistics-gun-control-2017-10" style="text-decoration-line: none;">America’s most potent gun lobby</a>.</font></font></font></p><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></div><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></b></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">surprising defection: greenwash?</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/bhp-climate-change-2518910663.html">https://www.ecowatch.com/bhp-climate-change-2518910663.html</a></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></font></font></p><div class="headline-container" style="margin-top: 10px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><h1 class="headline h1" style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px; position: relative; line-height: 31px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">World's Largest Mining Company Breaks With Global Trade Groups That Deny Climate Change</font></font></font></h1></div><div id="utm_campaign" style="margin-top: 10px;"><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="js-scroll-trigger" data-target="body" data-triggers="render-rebelbar" data-toggle-class="with-floating-shares" data-loaded="true" style="margin-top: 10px;" /></font></font></font></p><div class="body js-expandable clearfix js-listicle-body js-update-url" data-elid="2518910663" data-authors="Climate Nexus" data-headline="World's Largest Mining Company Breaks With Global Trade Groups That Deny Climate Change" style="margin: 10px; line-height: 24px;"><div class="body-description"><p style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);" size="4" face="Times New Roman">One of the world's largest <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal" style="text-decoration-line: none;">coal</a> companies is making plans to quit the World Coal Association over a disagreement on <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">climate</a> policies.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">British-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton noted in a <a href="https://www.bhp.com/-/media/documents/ourapproach/operatingwithintegrity/industryassociations/171219_bhpindustryassociationreview.pdf?la=en" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">review</a> of the company's industry associations issued Tuesday that it may end its membership in the international lobbying group and will reconsider its membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce due in part to the U.S. planned withdrawal from the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Paris agreement</a>.</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);" size="4" face="Times New Roman">BHP's review comes on the heels of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/19/bhp-agrees-to-rethink-its-links-to-minerals-council-of-australia" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">mounting shareholder pressure</a> to reconsider its memberships with groups that espouse views contrary to the company's stated values. The report affirmed that BHP believes "the warming of the climate is unequivocal, the human influence is clear and physical impacts are unavoidable" and reasserted the company's support for the Paris agreement.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As reported by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/business/energy-environment/australia-mining-company-climate-change.html?r=0" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">New York Times</a>:</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-left: 20px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The move highlights the delicate considerations huge mining companies must contend with as they seek to balance profit with social and environmental awareness.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-left: 20px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It represents the latest example of a business that is largely built around traditional fossil fuels responding to investor and government concern over climate change. Last week, the oil and gas giant BP <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/business/energy-environment/bp-lightsource-solar.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">said it would spend $200 million</a> to acquire a large stake in a <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar" style="text-decoration-line: none;">solar</a> power developer, while Norway's Statoil and France's Total have also made investments in <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">renewables</a>.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-left: 20px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Though carefully worded, B.H.P.'s report also takes issue with the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Trump</a> administration's unilateral exit from the Paris agreement.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-left: 20px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"While we won't always agree with our industry associations, we will continue to call out material differences where they exist and we will take action where necessary, as we have done today," Geoff Healy, the company's chief external affairs officer, said in a statement.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For a deeper dive:</font></strong></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/business/energy-environment/australia-mining-company-climate-change.html?r=0" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/us-bhp-coal-climatechange/bhp-says-likely-to-quit-global-coal-lobby-group-idINKBN1ED073" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/dec/19/bhp-could-end-2m-membership-of-minerals-council-over-policy-differences" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">The Guardian</a>, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6e17e770-e46d-11e7-97e2-916d4fbac0da" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">FT</a>, <a href="http://www.dw.com/en/bhp-to-exit-coal-alliance-over-climate-change-policy/a-41853899" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deutsche Welle</a>, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-climate-for-coal-just-got-even-chillier-1513678383?mg=prod/accounts-wsj" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">WSJ</a>, <a href="http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/12/19/bhp-billiton-threatens-to-leave-world-coal-association-over-climate-policy.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Fox Business</a></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, and sign up for daily </em><a href="http://climatenexus.us4.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=7c84c08aaa" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>.</em></font></font></font></p><div class="around-the-web" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="around-the-webheadline" style="font-weight: 700; text-transform: uppercase;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RELATED ARTICLES AROUND THE WEB</font></font></font></div><ul class="around-the-weblist" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none;"><li class="around-the-webitem"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.bhp.com/environment/climate-change" class="around-the-weblink" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; line-height: normal; display: inline-block; margin-top: 10px;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">BHP Billiton | Climate change ›</font></a></font></font></li><li class="around-the-webitem"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/carbon-emissions-2456647136.html" class="around-the-weblink" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; line-height: normal; display: inline-block; margin-top: 10px;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">These 100 Companies Are to Blame for 71% of Greenhouse Gas ... ›</font></a></font></font></li></ul></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></div></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"When it comes to the policies of the organization,<b> ALEC </b>does have strong positions on issues that are consistent with the free market," Blair said. "The issue is if they are planning to upend those principles to fundraise in the future."</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">They worry that ALEC is trying to plug a funding gap following the<b> high-profile exits of Google, BP PLC, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Royal Dutch Shell PLC</b> and others, all of which blamed the organization's stance on climate change for their departure. Those companies left largely over pressure from shareholders who were spurred into action after activist groups harped on ALEC funding streams. The conservative billionaire industrialist Koch brothers are big donors; Exxon Mobil Corp., a member of the Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force, is also a major funder.</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">817</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Leading the fight is an anonymous group called Sleeping Giants.</b> Using the Twitter handle <a data-link="" href="https://twitter.com/slpng_giants" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="text-decoration-line: none;">@slpng_giants</a> and a Facebook page, for the past eight months Sleeping Giants has targeted companies whose ads have appeared on<b> Breitbart</b>.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Harnessing the power of its 106,000 followers, they have persuaded almost 2,600 advertisers to pull their ads, including Audi, Avis, BMW, Easyjet, Nestlé and the <a data-link="" href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/breitbart-therebel-google-advertising-hate-websites-porn-federal-government-blacklist-1.4257463" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Canadian government.</a>...</font><span style="font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">“We want to take the profit out of bigotry,” said the spokesman.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Kellogg’s was the first big name to react, pulling its ads last November. Breitbart hit back with a <a data-link="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/nov/30/breitbart-news-kelloggs-advertising-boycott-alt-right" name="in body link" id="in body link" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">campaign to boycott Kellogg’s</a>. “That was the dumbest move they could have made,” said the Sleeping Giants spokesman. “When you’re an advertiser, the last thing you want is some crazy blog threatening to send people after you if you decide not to do business with them.”</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The time has come for these purportedly pro-climate companies to put up or shut up. If they care about the climate, then they must stop funding the anti-climate Chamber and its bogus studies. This is not a radical step to take</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">. Many blue-chip <b>companies have already left the Chamber </b>– some publicly, like Apple, CVS and Pacific Gas & Electric, and others <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/24/disney-the-gap-and-pepsi-urged-to-quit-us-chamber-of-commerce?CMP%3Dshare_btn_tw&source=gmail&ust=1497042118621000&usg=AFQjCNFYIcO1I0B9mGTHIOyIuvqijYKHuA" href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/24/disney-the-gap-and-pepsi-urged-to-quit-us-chamber-of-commerce?CMP=share_btn_tw" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none;">privately</a>, such as Costco, eBay, Hewlett-Packard, General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft Heinz, Mars, Mattel, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Starbucks, Unilever and Walgreens Boots Alliance. Many of these companies quit the Chamber because of the Chamber’s anti-climate work.</span></font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">HOPE</font></font></font></p><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">divest/shareholder/defector combine? trimtab?</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">A global coalition of 25 institutional investors with over forty five billion pounds in assets under management is calling on nine major publicly listed companies to review their membership of lobbying groups that seek to undermine EU climate policy.</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The investors have written to BHP Billiton, BP, EDF, Glencore, Johnson Matthey, Proctor and Gamble, Rio Tinto, Statoil and Total expressing concern that the companies declared climate policies are undermined by membership of lobby groups with a track record of obstructive lobbying on climate change policy. The move comes as companies have come under increasing pressure to withdraw from regressive lobbying groups, with Unilever leaving Business Europe and BP and Shell exiting ALEC over climate policy.</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://www.alternet.org/environment/ftse-100-firms-pressured-leave-anti-climate-lobbying-groups</font></font></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></div></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It’s been behind such bills as <a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/10/08/alec-renewable-energy-ohio/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">Ohio’s freeze of its clean energy standards</a> last year and the <a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/02/06/war-on-renewables-west-virginia/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">repeal of West Virginia’s standards</a> in February, and it’s promoting similar legislation around the country. It’s been <a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/27/solar-under-attack-koch-brothers/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">fighting against the growth of solar power</a> across the country working to block rooftop installations that might undercut big utility companies. In Florida, where a <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/237969-florida-utilities-work-to-stop-rooftop-solar" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">battle over making such installations legal</a> is going on right now, former state legislator Jimmy Patronis, now sitting on the Florida Public Service Commission, <a href="http://fcir.org/2015/04/03/in-sunshine-state-big-energy-blocks-solar-power/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">has been listed as ALEC’s state chair</a>.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">But the efforts of nonprofit advocacy groups like <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/press/press-releases/alec-tries-to-silence-critics.html" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Common Cause</a>, the <a href="http://www.lcv.org/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">League of Conservation Voters</a> (LCV) and <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Greenpeace</a> have cost it a growing list of high-profile corporate members. Over 100 have departed,</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> as public pressure has mounted. Just in the past year, ALEC lost Facebook, </span><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/08/21/alec-microsoft/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Microsoft</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, AOL, eBay, </span><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/09/23/alec-google-climate-change/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Google</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and Yelp. Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Amazon, Best Buy and WalMart were already gone. Even BP, formerly a high-level ALEC sponsor, announced in March </span><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/24/museums-urged-to-drop-climate-denier-donors-bp-dumps-alec/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">it was cutting its ties with the group</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">. Greenpeace, for its part, <a href="http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2015/04/06/alec-denies-alec-denies-climate-change/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">has announced</a> the launch of a new <a href="http://alecclimatechangedenial.org/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">website</a> to highlight the extent of ALEC’s climate denial campaign.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">With so much attrition, ALEC has decided to fight back, and the tactic it’s chosen is intimidation. It sent <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/issues/more-democracy-reforms/alec/alec-cease-and-desist-letter.pdf" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">cease-and-desist letters</a> to Common Cause and the League of Conservation Voters, threatening to sue them unless they retract statements saying ALEC is denying <a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">climate change</a>.</font></b></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The letter said it was “clear” that ALEC did not deny that climate change was happening and was human-caused. It claims that ALEC adopted the “model policy” that “human activity has and will continue to alter that atmosphere of the planet” in 1998.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The letter also does some fancy footwork to claim that <a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/09/23/alec-google-climate-change/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">Google chairman Eric Schmidt’s comment last fall</a>, in response to a question from an NRP listener about whether Google was still funding ALEC, wasn’t referring to ALEC at all. Addressing specifically Google’s departure from ALEC, Schmidt said, “Everyone understands climate change is occurring, and the people who oppose it are really hurting our children and our grandchildren and making the world a much worse place. And so we should not be aligned with such people—they’re just literally lying.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“If you listen to the  entire exchange on the Diane Rehm show, Mr. Schmidt does not say ALEC is lying about the facts of climate change,” sad ALEC’s attorneys, apparently preferring the narrative that Schmidt was referring to “people” in general.</font></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Common Cause’s statements concerning ALEC’s position and activities on climate change are statements of opinion, are neither false nor defamatory, and as such are not legally actionable,” said Common Cause’s attorney Vinita Ferrera in responding to ALEC’s attorneys. “For these reasons, Common Cause declines ALEC’s request to retract or alter any statements appearing on Common Cause’s website or in other Common Cause materials.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“We don’t appreciate the attempt to silence LCV just because we disagree with ALEC’s positions,” LCV’s senior vice president for communications David Willett <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/05/this-conservative-group-is-tired-of-being-accused-of-climate-denial-and-is-fighting-back/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">told the <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Washington Post</em></a>. “Usually if someone wants to get serious about tackling climate change, they ask about working with us, they don’t threaten to sue us.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Washington Post </em>pointed out that the increasing amount of negative publicity ALEC has gotten as it’s emerged in the past several years from the shadows where it preferred to reside seemed to have had an impact on the group.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“The legal spat is an escalation of the conflict and suggests ALEC is feeling the heat of the activist groups’ efforts,” <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/05/this-conservative-group-is-tired-of-being-accused-of-climate-denial-and-is-fighting-back/" target="blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;">it said</a>. “It also suggests a new risk to organizations that rely on the donations from companies that do not want to be associated with organizations accused of denying that human activity is warming the atmosphere at an alarming rate.”</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE</font></strong></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/13/whitehouse-calls-out-alec-climate-deniers/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Sen. Whitehouse Calls Out ALEC for Role in Funding Climate Deniers</font></a></span></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/12/03/alec-anti-environmental-agenda/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Gives Congressional Climate Deniers Their 2015 Marching Orders</font></a></span></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 25.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/30/dumping-alec-not-enough-climate-change/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s linear; background: transparent;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dumping ALEC Is Not Enough to Combat Climate Change</font></a></span></font></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">==</font></font></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

</font></font><p style="font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">defectors:</font></span></font></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In September 2009, </span><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/09/28/out-the-door-exelon-leaves-chamber-of-commerce-over-climate-policy/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">three major energy companies</a><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> – PG&E, PNM and Exelon, the largest electric utility company in the country – </span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2009/09/28/174442/exelon-ditches-chamber/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">left the Chamber</a><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> over its opposition to climate change legislation (though Exelon has since made at least one donation to the Chamber). Apple </span><a href="http://chamber.350.org/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">also left over climate change</a><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">; “Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in that effort,” Apple said in a statement. </span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/09/30/62203/nike-chamber/" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nike left</a></b><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b> the Chamber’s board of directors</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the same month, prompting the New York Times editorial board </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/opinion/30wed3.html?r=0" target="blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">to write</a><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, “The United States Chamber of Commerce’s web site says the group supports ‘a comprehensive legislative solution’ to global warming. Yet no organization in this country has done more to undermine such legislation.”   In<b>July 2013, Skanska USA, an arm of Swedish construction giant Skanska, left the U.S. Chamber, </b></span><a href="http://blog.usa.skanska.com/why-skanska-dropped-its-membership-in-the-u-s-chamber-of-commerce-to-protest-proposed-changes-to-leed-in-government-buildings/" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; line-height: 18px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>saying</b></a><span style="line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>, “Sustainability is one of Skanska’s core values.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>And we will not be a part of an organization that supports the American High-Performance Building Coalition (AHPBC), which harbors the American Chemistry Council and opposes the implementation of a new, stronger<b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>LEED<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>certification program (LEEDv4).” Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards are the worldwide gold standard for sustainable building, but chemical companies at the U.S. Chamber pushed it to oppose strengthening the program. </span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Large institutional museums have a history of receiving funding from those who might have an interest in slanting how they cover climate issues. Oil company BP, for instance, is a corporate sponsor at Chicago’s venerable Museum of Science and Industry, whose exhibits have long promoted a cheerful upbeat “better living through science” approach and whose interactive coal mine exhibit has been one of its major attractions since 1933.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bu</span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">t BP is doing a little image scrubbing of its own. It announced Monday that it has <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/23/usa-alec-bp-idUSL2N0WP21Y20150323" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">dropped its membership</a> in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)</span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, the rightwing </span><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/09/25/alec-climate-change-deniers/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">climate denying group</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> that is heavily funded by—you guessed it!—the Koch brothers. BP gave no reason for dropping its membership, but it follows in the footsteps of Walmart, Amazon, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola Co., Best Buy, </span><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/09/23/alec-google-climate-change/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Google</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, Microsoft, </span><a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/09/24/facebook-alec-climate-change/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">Facebook</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, eBay, Wells-Fargo and dozens of others that have dropped their ALEC membership in response to pressure from activist groups.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., Occidental Petroleum, International Paper, and Overstock.com are the latest corporations to say they have left the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) after a wave of technology companies led by Google and Facebook announced their departures last week.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/News_Corporation" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">News Corp</a>., the <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=NWSA" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">$8 billion-a-year</a> global media company run by media mogul <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rupert_Murdoch" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 20.8px;">Rupert Murdoch</a> that owns the <em style=" border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wall Street Journal</em>, had been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/marketplacek12/2012/05/news%20corp_wireless_alec.html" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Education Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/issues/more-democracy-reforms/alec/whistleblower-complaint/original-complaint/National_ALEC_Exhibit_4_TaIT_2010_Annual_Meeting.pdf" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Communications and Technology Task Force</a>. A spokesperson told Media Matters in response to an article published Friday that the company is <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/09/26/wsjs-misleading-defense-of-alec-doesnt-disclose/200914" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">no longer a member of ALEC</a>. Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Ashley Huston told the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) that News Corp. has not been a member of ALEC since its split from 21st Century Fox in July 2013.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Occidental" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Occidental Petroleum</a>, at <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=OXY" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">$24.5 billion in annual revenue</a>, is one of the largest global oil and gas exploration and production companies based in the United States. It had been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/issues/more-democracy-reforms/alec/whistleblower-complaint/original-complaint/National_ALEC_Exhibit_4_EEA_2011_STFS.pdf" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force</a>. Linda Peterson, Associate General Counsel at Occidental, said in a <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/241351061/Occidental-Petroleum-letter-discussing-ALEC-membership" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">letter</a> to Timothy Smith of Walden Asset Management, who is involved in leadership of shareholder campaigns, that "there are no plans to continue Occidental's membership in, or make further payments to ALEC." She said the company had paid $12,500 to ALEC in 2014. She also referenced the concern that the company could be "presumed to share the positions" on climate change and air pollution regulations held by ALEC, as <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/large-oil-company-bolts-from-alec-20140929" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><em style=" border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">National Journal</em> reported</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Tim Smith said of Occidental's decision, "This is very welcome news. It's one of the first major oil companies to acknowledge cutting ties to ALEC. It did so in response to ongoing and sustained investor pressure in relationship to ALEC and especially because of ALEC's opposition to renewable energy at the state level. We hope there'll be other companies following."</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/International_Paper" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">International Paper</a>, the <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=IP" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">$29 billion-a-year</a> global paper and packaging company headquartered in Tennessee, had been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/issues/more-democracy-reforms/alec/whistleblower-complaint/original-complaint/National_ALEC_Exhibit_4_EEA_2011_STFS.pdf" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force</a> and had <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Corporations#I" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">sponsored</a> ALEC's 2011 annual meeting. Company spokesperson Tom Ryan <a href="http://www.commoncause.org/democracy-wire/international-paper-leaves.html" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">told Common Cause</a> on September 26 that "we no longer have a membership with ALEC" and confirmed that the company no longer funds ALEC.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Overstock.com, the <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=OSTK" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 20.8px;">$1.3 billion-a-year</a> online retailer, had joined ALEC to push a state sales tax legislative issue. A company spokesperson told CMD on September 26 that the company had determined not to renew its membership after a year of funding the group.</font></p>

<h2 style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"Climate deniers are the new tobacco executives"</font></h2>

<p style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Corporations that have publicly cut ties to ALEC</a> since CMD launched <a href="http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ALECexposed.org</a> in July 2011 <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">include</a> Fortune 500 firms such as General Motors, General Electric, Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Kraft Foods, Coke, and Pepsi. ALEC spent years pushing controverisal <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/12181/" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">Stand Your Ground</a> gun laws and bills to make it <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/10/12270/officials-arizona-and-kansas-rig-ballots-implement-alec-voter-suppression-scheme" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">harder for Americans to vote</a> before trying to distance itself from that legacy.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">More recently, ALEC has been criticized for its bills on energy. The group has worked to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/08/state-renewable-energy-laws-turn-out-to-be-really-hard-to-repeal/" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">repeal renewable energy laws</a> and is working to get state attorneys general to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/10/12273/supreme-court-rule-greenhouse-gas-regulation" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">regulate greenhouse gases</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Last week, a number of tech companies left ALEC after sustained campaigning by environmental, labor, and community groups. This prompted Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune to say:</font></p>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"Climate deniers are the new tobacco executives -- nobody wants to be seen with them. With Google, Facebook, Yelp, and Microsoft all dumping ALEC, it’s increasingly obvious that you cannot run a successful 21st century company while associating with ideologues from the stone age. Fossil fuel-backed groups like ALEC are on the wrong side of nearly every effort to tackle the climate crisis and on the wrong side of history."</font></p>

</blockquote>

<p style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Interestingly, tobacco giants <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Altria_Group" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Altria/Phillip Morris</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Reynolds_American" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Reynolds American</a> remain stalwart ALEC</font>

<span style="line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">- See more at: http://www.prwatch.org/node/12612#sthash.E1NQPvKh.dpuf</font></span>

<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/23/1331951/-BREAKING-Facebook-to-leave-ALEC"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/23/1331951/-BREAKING-Facebook-to-leave-ALEC</font></a>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">On the heels of Microsoft, and then Google, leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Facebook-to-cut-ties-with-conservative-policy-5776055.php" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">a Facebook spokesperson now says that they will leave</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the corporatist front group in 2015, as well:<br style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;" />

 </font></p>

<blockquote style="margin: 1.2em 0px; padding: 20px; line-height: 18.2px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(226, 226, 225); border-top: 1px solid rgb(226, 226, 225); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(246, 243, 236);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Google’s departure, “really puts Facebook and Yahoo in an uncomfortable position,” said Jay Riestenberg, a research analyst with Common Cause who follows ALEC.

</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Facebook may be next out the ALEC door, a company spokesperson told The Chronicle on Tuesday.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“We re-evaluate our memberships on an annual basis and are in that process now,” a company representative wrote in an e-mail to the newspaper.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4;">“While we have tried to work within ALEC to bring that organization closer to our view on some key issues, it seems unlikely that we will make sufficient progress so we are not likely to renew our membership in 2015.”</b></font></p>

</blockquote>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The American Legislative Exchange Council—the now infamous ALEC—has lost yet another member.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Microsoft announced this week that it’s severing its relationship with the group, which writes and pushes so-called “<a href="http://ecowatch.com/2013/07/18/dangerous-model-laws-alec/" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; background: transparent;">model legislation</a>” that’s very conservative, pro-big business and anti-environment. Microsoft was a member of ALEC’s Communications and Technology Task Force, but said it is no longer participating in this group.<b>...</b></font>

<a href="http://ecowatch.com/2014/08/21/alec-microsoft"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">http://ecowatch.com/2014/08/21/alec-microsoft</font></a></p>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Microsoft" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Microsoft</a>, the $86.8 billion-a-year technology company, is no longer a member of the <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC) and has stopped funding the group.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The company confirmed that "in 2014 Microsoft decided to no longer participate in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Communications and Technology Task Force, which had been our only previous involvement with ALEC. With this decision, we no longer contribute any dues to ALEC." The confirmation was sent by email to The Sustainability Group of Loring, Wolcott and Coolidge and Walden Asset Management, which had engaged Microsoft over its affiliation with ALEC.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Microsoft has left ALEC, but big technology companies Google, eBay, Facebook, and Yahoo reportedly still fund and remain engaged with ALEC.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The $25.7 billion-a-year pharmaceutical British and Swiss company <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/AstraZeneca" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">AstraZeneca</a> and the energy companies <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ameren" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Ameren</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Corporations#M" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company</a> (MEHC) -- now known as Berkshire Hathaway Energy -- <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Corporations#P" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PacifiCorp</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NV_Energy" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NV Energy</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Alliant_Energy" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Alliant Energy</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/PG%26E" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PG&E</a> have also confirmed that they have cut ties to ALEC. This brings the number of corporations that have left the controversial group to at least 80, along with 19 non-profits, for a total of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">99 private sector members</a> that have publicly announced leaving ALEC. (Three of those corporations have <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#Corporations_that_Claimed_They_Were_Cutting_Ties_but_Returned_to_ALEC" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">subsequently returned to ALEC</a>, and many of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#Trade_Associations_and_Non-Profits" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">non-profits</a> listed by ALEC as "lapsed" in August 2013 share an ideological agenda with and noted their desire to return to ALEC.)</font></p>

<h2 style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Companies' Involvement with ALEC</font></h2>

<h3 style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Microsoft</font></h3>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Sustainability Group noted in a statement released in July that it believed Microsoft's "affiliation with ALEC, which is actively fighting policies that promote renewable energy, was incongruous. In addition, there were numerous other ALEC actions that conflicted directly with Microsoft’s values."</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As a member of ALEC, Microsoft has gained access to and influence over state legislators from all 50 states and has underwritten <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/08/12559/how-alec-fronts-fossil-fuels" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ALEC's agenda</a> to resist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency attempts to limit carbon dioxide pollution from coal plants at the state level, to penalize people who generate solar power on their rooftops, to <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/06/11617/partisan-motivation-behind-voter-id-laid-bare" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">restrict citizens' ability</a> to vote for reportedly partisan reasons, and to <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/02/11995/anniversary-trayvon-martins-death-alec-backed-stand-your-ground-laws-remain-books" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">push "Stand Your Ground" laws</a> around the country.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Telecommunications_and_Information_Technology_Task_Force" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Communications and Technology Task Force</a>, Microsoft has helped big telecom change state laws for corporate gain and has helped limit access to broadband, as the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/02/12385/how-alec-helps-big-telecom-change-state-laws-corporate-gain" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">has reported</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Sustainability Group said, "We commend Microsoft on its commitment to open dialogue with shareholders, and for making this important decision."</font></p>

<h3 style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">AstraZeneca</font></h3>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/AstraZeneca#Ties_to_the_American_Legislative_Exchange_Council" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">AstraZeneca</a> has been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a> as well as state corporate co-chair of Delaware. The company confirmed, in response to an April 2013 shareholder question, that it decided <a href="http://shareaction.org/lobbying_agms#astrazeneca" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">not to renew its membership in ALEC's task force</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As a member of ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force, AstraZeneca has funded <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Health,Pharmaceuticals,and_Safety_Net_Programs" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ALEC's agenda</a> to oppose health insurance reforms, eliminate mandated benefits intended to ensure minimal care for American workers, to cap damages for pain and suffering and for the loss of companionship of a loved one who is killed due to medical negligence or incompetence, to amend Medicaid to replace the current funding program -- in which the federal government matches a percentage of state costs -- with block grants, and to erode the safety net for older Americans or Americans living in poverty.</font></p>

<h3 style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ameren</font></h3>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ameren" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Ameren</a> has a long history of involvement with ALEC, having <a href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/xlw76d00/pdf" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">sponsored ALEC's 1998 annual meeting</a>. More recently, it <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_a7c08603-30c0-58df-9b19-0942328a2257.html" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">sponsored</a> "Missouri Night" at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans during the 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">An Ameren spokesperson <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ameren-fends-off-activist-shareholder-proposals/article_b299b042-b43a-52d9-8779-cbadbbc897c8.html" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">told the <em style=" border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</em></a> that the company is not a member of ALEC in April 2014.</font></p>

<h3 style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25;"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Berkshire Hathaway Energy</font></span></h3>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Greenpeace <a href="http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2014/02/20/greenpeace-asks-electric-utilities-to-dump-alec-and-embrace-clean-energy/" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">sent letters</a> to nine utility companies that have supported ALEC's anti-science environmental attack campaign in early 2014, asking them to cut ties. The environmental activist organization confirmed in May that MidAmerian Energy Holdings Company, PacifiCorp, NV Energy, Alliant Energy, PG&E, and Ameren had <a href="http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2014/05/01/greenpeace-confirms-six-utilities-quietly-dumped-alec/" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">quietly dumped ALEC</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Formerly known as MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy is a holding company owned almost entirely by Warren Buffett's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Berkshire_Hathaway" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Berkshire Hathaway</a>, which has owned a controlling stake <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/26/business/berkshire-hathaway-and-others-plan-to-buy-midamerican-energy.html" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">since 1999</a>. It also has a long history of involvement with ALEC, having<a href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/xlw76d00/pdf" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">sponsored ALEC's 1998 annual meeting</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/PacifiCorp" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PacifiCorp</a> is now a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. It has been a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140405002736/http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/eea_35daymailing%20dc.pdf" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">member of ALEC</a> individually, as part of its <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NV_Energy" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NV Energy</a> is also a Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidiary. It has been a member of ALEC's energy task force, as well as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_State_Chairmen" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ALEC corporate co-chair of Nevada</a>.</font></p>

<h3 style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.25; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Alliant Energy</font></h3>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Alliant confirmed to Greenpeace in May 2014 that it had <a href="http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2014/05/01/greenpeace-confirms-six-utilities-quietly-dumped-alec/" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">cut ties to ALEC</a>.</font></p>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/PG%26E" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Pacific Gas and Electric Company</a> (PG&E) was also a long-time ALEC member, having funded ALEC in at least <a href="https://www.pge.com/regulation/GO_77M/GO_77M-2010-Redacted.pdf" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">2010</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131202221558/http://www.alecwatch.org/chapterfour.html" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">earlier</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PG&E confirmed to Greenpeace in May 2014 that it had <a href="http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2014/05/01/greenpeace-confirms-six-utilities-quietly-dumped-alec/" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">cut ties to ALEC</a>.</font></p>

<p style=" border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Corporations that have publicly cut ties to ALEC</a> since CMD launched <a href="http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ALECexposed.org</a> in July 2011 and highlighted Coca Cola's role in the group include Coca Cola, Wells Fargo, General Electric, Western Union, Sprint, General Motors, Walgreens, Best Buy, Hewlett-Packard, MillerCoors, John Deere, Dell, Johnson & Johnson, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Procter & Gamble, Mars, Wendy's, McDonald's, Kraft Foods, and PepsiCo. The addition of these eight companies brings the total to at least 80 corporations. These and 19 non-profits that have cut ties brings the total number of private-sector ALEC members who have cut ties to at least 99.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">At least <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Legislators_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">78 state legislators</a> have also cut ties with ALEC.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Public interest groups including Sierra Club, Forecast the Facts, Sum of Us, CMD and others have been actively <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/o/632/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14651" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">urging Google to uphold its motto "don't be evil" by cutting ties to ALEC</a>, which spent years peddling <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/12181/" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">Stand Your Ground</a> gun laws and bills to make it <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/10/12270/officials-arizona-and-kansas-rig-ballots-implement-alec-voter-suppression-scheme" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">harder for Americans to vote</a> before trying to distance itself from that legacy. It has also worked to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/08/state-renewable-energy-laws-turn-out-to-be-really-hard-to-repeal/" target="blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">repeal renewable energy laws</a> and the ability of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/10/12273/supreme-court-rule-greenhouse-gas-regulation" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.6em;">regulate greenhouse gases</a>. Despite Google's stated commitment to efforts to address global climate change, ALEC has routinely worked to indoctrinate legislators against the near consensus (97 percent) in the scientific community that global climate changes are underway and has sought to undermine the power of the EPA and other agencies to address climate change.</font></p>

</div>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><li class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/special" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Special</a></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></li>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><li class="field-item odd" style="border: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/alec-exposed" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">ALEC Exposed</a></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></li>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><li class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: none; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/corporations" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Corporations</a></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></li>

</ul>

</div>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">To see a list of corporations and other groups known to be connected with ALEC now or in the past, please see <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Corporations" title="ALEC Corporations" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ALEC Corporations</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As of August 2014, at least <b>80 corporations and 19 non-profits -- for a total of 99 private sector members -- have publicly announced that they cut ties with the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council" title="American Legislative Exchange Council" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC)</b> (three of those corporations have <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#Corporations_that_Claimed_They_Were_Cutting_Ties_but_Returned_to_ALEC" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">subsequently returned to ALEC</a>, and many of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#Trade_Associations_and_Non-Profits" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">non-profits</a> listed by ALEC as "lapsed" in August 2013 share an ideological agenda with and noted their desire to return to ALEC):</font></p>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 19.2px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline" id="Corporations"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Corporations</font></span></h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Coca-Cola_Company" title="Coca-Cola Company" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Coca-Cola Company</a></b>: Gave a statement to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Washington_Examiner" title="Washington Examiner" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Washington Examiner</a> on April 4th stating that it had "elected to discontinue its membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council" <sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[1]</a></sup></font></span></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pepsi" title="Pepsi" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Pepsi</a></b>: Informed Color of Change in a letter dated January 25th that they would not renew their membership in ALEC in 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-2" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[2]</a></sup></font></span></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Kraft" title="Kraft" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Kraft</a></b>: Announced in an email on April 6th that "Our membership in ALEC expires this spring and for a number of reasons...we have made the decision not to renew." <sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-3" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[3]</a></sup></font></span></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Intuit" title="Intuit" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Intuit</a></b>: Told the Center for Media and Democracy on April 6th that they did not renew their membership when it expired in 2011. <sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-4" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[4]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/McDonald%27s" title="McDonald's" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">McDonald's</a></b>: Initially defended its membership in ALEC <sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-5" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a></sup> Announced on April 10th that they had made the decision to withdraw from ALEC at the end of March. <sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wendy%27s" title="Wendy's" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Wendy's</a></b>: Sent an email to the Center for Media and Democracy on April 11th confirming that it is no longer a member of ALEC <sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-7" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[7]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Mars" title="Mars" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mars</a></b>: Sent an email to Color of Change on April 12th, stating that they had ended their membership with ALEC <sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-8" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[8]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Reed_Elsevier" title="Reed Elsevier" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Reed Elsevier</a></b>: Told Reuters on April 12th that they had withdrawn "after considering the broad range of criticism being leveled at ALEC," <sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-9" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[9]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Traffic_Solutions" title="American Traffic Solutions" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">American Traffic Solutions</a></b>: Told the Arizona Capitol Times on April 13th that they would not renew their ALEC membership. <sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-10" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[10]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Blue_Cross_and_Blue_Shield_Association" title="Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Blue Cross Blue Shield</a></b>: Announced on April 19th that it had not renewed its membership in February 2012,<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-11" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[11]</a></sup> but according to an ALEC document, "left after losing on exchanges workshop" and didn't terminate until April 4, 2013.<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/YUM!_Brands" title="YUM! Brands" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">YUM! Brands</a></b>: Told Color of Change that they would not renew their membership on April 19th. <sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-13" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[13]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Procter_%26_Gamble" title="Procter & Gamble" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Procter & Gamble</a></b>: Told <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Color_of_Change" title="Color of Change" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Color of Change</a> that it would not renew its membership on April 20th.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-14" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[14]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Kaplan</b>: Wrote Republic Report on April 26th, 2012 to confirm that they were no longer a member of ALEC<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-15" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[15]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Scantron Corporation</b>: Told CMD in May 2012 that it was no longer a member of ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-16" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[16]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Amazon" title="Amazon" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Amazon.com</a></b>: Announced at a shareholder meeting on May 24, 2012 that it had decided not to renew its membership in ALEC this year.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-17" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[17]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Medtronic</b>: Medtronic did not renew its ALEC membership in 2011 or 2012, according to a spokesperson.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-18" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[18]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wal-Mart" title="Wal-Mart" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Wal-Mart</a></b>: </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Wal-Mart told </span><i style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Reuters</i><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> on May 30 that it is suspending its ALEC membership because "we feel that the divide between these activities and our purpose as a business has become too wide," according to Wal-Mart vice president of public affairs and government relations and </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Boards_and_Task_Forces#.22Private_Enterprise.22_Board_of_Directors" title="ALEC Boards and Task Forces" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ALEC corporate board secretary</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Maggie_Sans" title="Maggie Sans" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Maggie Sans</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span><sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-19" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[19]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Johnson_%26_Johnson" title="Johnson & Johnson" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Johnson & Johnson</a></b>: A Johnson & Johnson spokesperson told CMD on June 12, "We have been in dialogue with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) for some time, and while we acknowledge ALEC’s recent decision to focus only on innovation and growth-supporting policies, we have decided to suspend our participation and membership.”<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[20]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Dell" title="Dell" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Dell</a> Computers</b>: Dell confirmed on June 21, 2012, that it would not be renewing its ALEC membership.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[21]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Deere" title="John Deere" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">John Deere</a> & Company</b> told ColorOfChange.org in July 2012 that it is leaving ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-COCrelease_22-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-COCrelease-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CVS_Caremark" title="CVS Caremark" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">CVS Caremark</a></b> told ColorOfChange.org in July 2012 that it had discontinued its ALEC membership.<sup id="cite_ref-COCrelease_22-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-COCrelease-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hewlett-Packard" title="Hewlett-Packard" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Hewlett-Packard</a> (HP)</b> told ColorOfChange.org in July 2012 that it is not currently an ALEC member.<sup id="cite_ref-COCrelease_22-3" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-COCrelease-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Best_Buy" title="Best Buy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Best Buy</a></b> told ColorOfChange.org in July 2012 that it had not renewed its ALEC membership in 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-COCrelease_22-4" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-COCrelease-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Express Scripts/<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Medco" title="Medco" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Medco</a></b> (two ALEC members that merged in April 2012) told the Center for Media and Democracy and ColorOfChange.org in July 2012 that it had dropped its ALEC membership.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-23" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[23]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[24]</a></sup> An August 2013 ALEC board document later suggested that it had not terminated its ALEC membership until January 14, 2013, "b/c of PBM issue."<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Connections_Academy" title="Connections Academy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Connections Academy</a></b>, which had been co-chair of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>, told CMD in July 2012 that it withdrew from ALEC's Education Task Force in mid-May 2012 in order to align "our affiliations with organizations whose central focus is education."<sup id="cite_ref-27.2F28_25-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-27.2F28-25" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[25]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/General_Motors" title="General Motors" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">General Motors</a> (GM)</b>, which had been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a> and its <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a>, told CMD in July 2012 that it had "decided to discontinue relations with ALEC at this time."<sup id="cite_ref-29.2F30_26-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-29.2F30-26" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Walgreens" title="Walgreens" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Walgreens</a></b>, which had been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>, told ColorOfChange.org in July 2012 that it "will not be renewing its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council."<sup id="cite_ref-29.2F30_26-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-29.2F30-26" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Louis Dreyfus</b>, which sponsored ALEC's 2012 annual meeting, told CMD it had decided not to fund ALEC this year.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Amgen" title="Amgen" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Amgen</a></b>, which was a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>, announced its determination not to renew its ALEC membership on August 3 in response to a letter from a group of concerned shareholders and advocates led by Walden Asset Management and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[28]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/General_Electric" title="General Electric" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">General Electric</a></b> </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(GE), which was a member of ALEC's </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> as of March 2011,</span><sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[29]</a></sup><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> told ColorOfChange.org (CoC) that it decided not to renew its ALEC membership in July 2012.</span><sup id="cite_ref-33-38_30-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-33-38-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Western Union</b>, which was a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,_Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a> as of June 2011,<sup id="cite_ref-CIEDNOLA_31-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-CIEDNOLA-31" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[31]</a></sup> told CoC that the company was only an ALEC member in 2011 and chose not to renew in May 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-33-38_30-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-33-38-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Sprint_Nextel" title="Sprint Nextel" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Sprint Nextel</a></b>, which was a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force" title="Communications and Technology Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Communications and Technology Task Force</a> in July 2011, told CoC in August 2012 that it did not renew its ALEC membership in 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-33-38_30-2" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-33-38-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Symantec" title="Symantec" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Symantec</a></b>, which was a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force" title="Communications and Technology Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Communications and Technology Task Force</a>, told CoC in August 2012 that the company's membership expired June 2010 and was not renewed.<sup id="cite_ref-33-38_30-3" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-33-38-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Reckitt_Benckiser_Group" title="Reckitt Benckiser Group" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Reckitt Benckiser Group</a></b>, which was a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a> as of June 2011,<sup id="cite_ref-HHSNOLA_32-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-HHSNOLA-32" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[32]</a></sup> told CoC in August 2012 that it is no longer an ALEC member.<sup id="cite_ref-33-38_30-4" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-33-38-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Entergy" title="Entergy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Entergy</a></b>, which was a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Civil_Justice_Task_Force" title="Civil Justice Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Civil Justice Task Force</a> as of June 2011, told Walden Asset Management in August 2012 that it did not renew its ALEC membership in 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-33-38_30-5" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-33-38-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Merck" title="Merck" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Merck</a></b>, which told the <i>New Jersey Star-Ledger</i> in September 2012 that it would not renew its ALEC membership after 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-39-40_33-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-39-40-33" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Sanofi" title="Sanofi" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Sanofi</a></b>, which confirmed to CMD that it was cutting ties to ALEC in October 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[34]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bank_of_America" title="Bank of America" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Bank of America</a></b>, which told Walden Asset Management that it was cutting ties to ALEC in November 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-35" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[35]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/WellPoint" title="WellPoint" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">WellPoint</a></b>, which announced on March 1, 2013 that it had not attended an ALEC meeting nor supported ALEC financially since the summer of 2011 and has "no current plans to support ALEC or attend any of their meetings,"<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-36" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[36]</a></sup> but according to an August 2013 ALEC board document, terminated April 22, 2013 and was then "considering giving funds outside of membership."<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-2" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bristol-Myers_Squibb" title="Bristol-Myers Squibb" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Bristol-Myers Squibb</a></b>, which confirmed in March 2013 that it had not renewed its ALEC membership at the end of 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[37]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Brown-Forman Company</b>, which confirmed in April 2013 that the company declined to renew its ALEC membership in 2012<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[38]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Publix Super Markets</b>, which announced on June 24, 2013, via social media that it had "not been a member of ALEC since 2011."<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[39]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/GlaxoSmithKline" title="GlaxoSmithKline" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">GlaxoSmithKline</a></b>, whose CEO, Sir Andrew Witty, said in a response to a shareholder's question at the company's annual meeting in May 2013 that the company had decided to sever its relationship with ALEC<sup id="cite_ref-shareholders_40-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-shareholders-40" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Unilever" title="Unilever" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Unilever</a></b>, </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">whose president, Kees Kruythoff, stated in a letter to shareholders sent earlier this year, "Unilever is not a member of ALEC following a review undertaken at the end of 2011. We took the decision that ALEC's agenda did not align with our business objectives and values focused on social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and withdrew as a member."</span><sup id="cite_ref-shareholders_40-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-shareholders-40" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ConocoPhillips" title="ConocoPhillips" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ConocoPhillips</a></b> spokesperson Daren Beaudo confirmed to CMD in June 2013 that the company is no longer a member of ALEC, did not fund ALEC in 2012, and has no plans to do so in 2013.<sup id="cite_ref-shareholders_40-2" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-shareholders-40" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Sallie_Mae" title="Sallie Mae" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Sallie Mae</a></b> announced quietly in September 2013 that it had cut ties with ALEC, after a student-led campaign demanded its exit, gathering nearly 15,000 petition signatures in August.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-41" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[41]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Visa" title="Visa" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Visa</a></b> told Boston Common Asset Management, which had been engaging with the company over the past year on lobbying disclosure, that it had dropped its ALEC membership in December 2013.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-42" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[42]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Xcel_Energy" title="Xcel Energy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Xcel Energy</a></b>, the ALEC corporate state chair of Wisconsin as of August 2011, told the <i>Boulder Weekly</i> in January 2014 that it was a member of ALEC until 2011<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-43" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[43]</a></sup> and that it hadn't funded ALEC since 2010.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-44" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[44]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Endo Pharmaceuticals</b>, a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a> as of April 2012, announced that it had cut ties with ALEC in January 2014 after engagement with Trillium Asset Management<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[45]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/AstraZeneca" title="AstraZeneca" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">AstraZeneca</a></b>, a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a> as well as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_State_Chairs" title="ALEC State Chairs" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">state corporate co-chair of Delaware</a>, confirmed in response to an April 2013 shareholder question that it decided not to renew its membership in ALEC's task force.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-46" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[46]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ameren" title="Ameren" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Ameren</a></b>, a sponsor of ALEC's 1998 annual meeting as well as of "Missouri Night" at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans during the 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting, told the <i>St. Louis Post-Dispatch</i> that the company is not a member of ALEC in April 2014.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-47" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[47]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/MidAmerican_Energy" title="MidAmerican Energy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Berkshire Hathaway Energy</a></b> (formerly MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company), which had a long history of involvement with ALEC, having sponsored ALEC's 1998 annual meeting, confirmed to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greenpeace" title="Greenpeace" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Greenpeace</a> in May 2014 that it had cut ties to ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-Greenpeace_48-0" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-Greenpeace-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/PacifiCorp" title="PacifiCorp" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">PacifiCorp</a></b>, a member of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Energy,_Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a>, confirmed to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greenpeace" title="Greenpeace" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Greenpeace</a> in May 2014 that it had cut ties to ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-Greenpeace_48-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-Greenpeace-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NV_Energy" title="NV Energy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">NV Energy</a></b>, a member of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Energy,_Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a> as well as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_State_Chairs" title="ALEC State Chairs" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ALEC corporate co-chair of Nevada</a>, confirmed to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greenpeace" title="Greenpeace" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Greenpeace</a> in May 2014 that it had cut ties to ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-Greenpeace_48-2" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-Greenpeace-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Alliant_Energy" title="Alliant Energy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Alliant Energy</a></b>, which sponsored ALEC's 1998 annual meeting, confirmed to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greenpeace" title="Greenpeace" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Greenpeace</a> in May 2014 that it had cut ties to ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-Greenpeace_48-3" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-Greenpeace-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/PG%26E" title="PG&E" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">The Pacific Gas and Electric Company</a></b> (PG&E), which funded ALEC in at least 2010 and earlier, confirmed to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greenpeace" title="Greenpeace" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Greenpeace</a> in May 2014 that it had cut ties to ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-Greenpeace_48-4" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-Greenpeace-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Microsoft" title="Microsoft" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Microsoft</a></b>, a member of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force" title="ALEC Communications and Technology Task Force" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">ALEC Communications and Technology Task Force</a>, confirmed that "in 2014 Microsoft decided to no longer participate in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Communications and Technology Task Force, which had been our only previous involvement with ALEC. With this decision, we no longer contribute any dues to ALEC" in an email to The Sustainability Group of Loring, Wolcott and Coolidge and Walden Asset Management, which had engaged Microsoft over its affiliation with ALEC.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-49" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[49]</a></sup></font></li>

</ul>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">An August 2013 ALEC board document released by <i>The Guardian</i> in December 2013 listed the following additional corporations as "LAPSED Members" of ALEC, with the accompanying "termination date," and any notes added by ALEC:<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-3" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></p>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Freeport-McMoRan_Copper_%26_Gold" title="Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold</a>, 1/14/2013</font></span></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Roche" title="Roche" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Roche</a> Diagnostics Corporation, 1/14/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ryan, Inc. (a tax services firm, member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a>), 1/14/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SICPA Product Security LLC (supplier of security inks for banknotes and other documents, such as cigarette excise stamps), member of ALEC's now-defunct [[Public Safety and Elections Task Force; terminated its membership on January 14, 2013 while "waiting to see what issues emerge in JPP [ALEC's Justice Performance Project, which replaced the Public Safety and Elections Task Force]; cigarette" (?).</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Taser International (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Public_Safety_and_Elections_Task_Force" title="Public Safety and Elections Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Public Safety and Elections Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Civil_Justice_Task_Force" title="Civil Justice Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Civil Justice Task Force</a>), 1/14/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Home Depot, Inc. (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a>, 1/14/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">AGL Resources, Inc. (natural gas company, member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,_Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a>), "did not want to renew," 1/18/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Academic Partnerships (an online higher education company, member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>), 3/18/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Macquarie" title="Macquarie" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Macquarie</a> Capital USA (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,_Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a>), 3/17/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LoanMax (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,_Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a>), "told us they do not want to renew" 3/19/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/McKenna_Long_%26_Aldridge_LLP" title="McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP</a> (law firm), 3/19/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Coventry Health Care (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,_Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "joined for single issue," terminated 4/4/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Bridgepoint Education (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>), 4/16/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Cintra US (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,_Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a>), "will not renew" 4/16/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Dr_Pepper_Snapple_Group" title="Dr Pepper Snapple Group" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Dr Pepper Snapple Group</a>, 4/22/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">EMD Serono (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "budget cuts" 4/22/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Lowe's Companies</b>, Inc. (home improvement chain, member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a>), 4/22/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "contact difficult to get a hold of; possibly did not renew because only interested in diabetes related issue" 4/22/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/UnitedHealth_Group" title="UnitedHealth Group" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">UnitedHealth Group</a> (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "left along with BCBS" 4/22/2013</font></li>

</ul>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 19.2px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline" id="Trade_Associations_and_Non-Profits"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Trade Associations and Non-Profits</font></span></h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Gates_Foundation" title="Gates Foundation" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none rgb(255, 255, 102);">Gates Foundation</a></b><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">: Gates spokesman Chris Williams, while careful to note that Gates has never been a formal ALEC member, told </span><i style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Roll Call</i><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> on April 9, 2012 that it does not plan to renew its financial support for ALEC's education initiatives. "We have made a single grant, narrowly and specifically focused on providing information to ALEC-affiliated state legislators on teacher effectiveness and school finance," said Williams.</span><sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-50" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[50]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)</b>: In an official statement sent to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) on May 1, 2012, NBPTS spokesperson Brian Lewis said, "Given recent events, the new NBPTS President and CEO decided to discontinue engagement with ALEC. As a result, NBPTS terminated its membership as an Education Task Force Member of ALEC effective April 18, 2012, and also withdrew from participating in the upcoming ALEC conference. . . . The decision to participate in ALEC had been made by previous NBPTS leadership."<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-51" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[51]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Association_of_Charter_School_Authorizers" title="National Association of Charter School Authorizers" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">National Association of Charter School Authorizers</a> (NACSA)</b>: On May 14, 2012, NACSA issued a press release announcing that, "As part of our annual review processes, however, we determined that alternative strategies would be more effective in achieving these policy objectives. Thus we will not be renewing our membership in ALEC when it expires next month."<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-52" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[52]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lumina_Foundation_for_Education" title="Lumina Foundation for Education" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Lumina Foundation for Education</a></b>: A Lumina spokesperson told CMD on May 23, 2012, "Lumina Foundation last paid annual dues to ALEC on 10/08/10. No staff member was able to attend meetings in 2011. We decided not to renew our membership, because we were not participating."<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-53" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[53]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)</b>: In December 2012, SEIA said in an email to supporters that it had joined ALEC earlier in 2012 to promote bipartisan energy policies, but had decided not to renew its membership.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-54" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[54]</a></sup> An August 2013 ALEC document noted that SEIA "left because their bill did not pas the task force."<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-4" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)</b>: In January 2013, AWEA dropped out of ALEC and warned state lawmakers not to be taken in by ALEC's message, one that AWEA spokesperson Peter Kelley told <i>Greenwire</i> is driven by fossil fuel companies.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-55" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[55]</a></sup></font></li>

</ul>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">An August 2013 ALEC board document released by <i>The Guardian</i> in December 2013 listed the following additional trade groups and non-profits as "LAPSED Members" of ALEC, with the accompanying "termination date" listed in ALEC's spreadsheet, as well as any notes made by ALEC (NOTE: MANY OF THESE GROUPS SHARE IDEOLOGICAL AIMS WITH ALEC):<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-5" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></p>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">American Council of Trustees & Alumni (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>), 1/14/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Associated Builders and Contractors (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commerce,_Insurance_and_Economic_Development_Task_Force" title="Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force</a>), 1/14/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_Madison_Institute" title="James Madison Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">James Madison Institute</a> (a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_Members" title="SPN Members" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">member of the State Policy Network (SPN)</a> and member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a>), "former SPN members- SPN did not renew membership," 2/13/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Commonwealth_Institute" title="Commonwealth Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Commonwealth Institute</a> (an <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_member" title="SPN member" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN member</a> and member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,_Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a>), "former SPN members- would like to join again if can fit in budget," 3/9/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pioneer_Institute" title="Pioneer Institute" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pioneer Institute</a> (an <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_member" title="SPN member" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN member</a> and member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "kicked out of ALEC (?) because of education issue," 3/18/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Center_for_Competitive_Politics" title="Center for Competitive Politics" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Center for Competitive Politics</a> (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_Members" title="SPN Members" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN associate member</a> and member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Public_Safety_and_Elections_Task_Force" title="Public Safety and Elections Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Public Safety and Elections Task Force</a>), "JPP no longer works on issue," 3/19/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Citizens_Against_Government_Waste" title="Citizens Against Government Waste" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Citizens Against Government Waste</a> (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_Members" title="SPN Members" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN associate member</a> and member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force" title="Communications and Technology Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Communications and Technology Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a>), 4/12/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bill_of_Rights_Institute" title="Bill of Rights Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Bill of Rights Institute</a> (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>), 4/16/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Center_for_Policy_Analysis" title="National Center for Policy Analysis" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">National Center for Policy Analysis</a> (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_Members" title="SPN Members" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN associate member</a> and member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,_Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "Budget cutbacks," 4/16/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Doctor-Patient_Medical_Association&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Doctor-Patient Medical Association (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Doctor-Patient Medical Association</a> (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Health_and_Human_Services_Task_Force" title="Health and Human Services Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health and Human Services Task Force</a>), "unable to reach contact; history of being late on payments," 4/22/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Chamber_of_Commerce" title="U.S. Chamber of Commerce" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a> Campaign for Free Enterprise (member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>; NOTE: other U.S. Chamber of Commerce projects/subsidiaries remain members of ALEC), 4/22/2013</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Locke_Foundation" title="John Locke Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">John Locke Foundation</a> (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN_member" title="SPN member" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN member</a>, member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tax_and_Fiscal_Policy_Task_Force" title="Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Education_Task_Force" title="Education Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Education Task Force</a>), "Former SPN members- would like to join again if can fit in budget," 5/11/2013</font></li>

</ul>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 19.2px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline" id="Corporations_that_Claimed_They_Were_Cutting_Ties_but_Returned_to_ALEC"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Corporations that Claimed They Were Cutting Ties but Returned to ALEC</font></span></h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wells_Fargo" title="Wells Fargo" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Wells Fargo</a></b>, which was a member of ALEC in 2011, told CMD in September 2012 that it declined to renew its ALEC membership in 2012,<sup id="cite_ref-39-40_33-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-39-40-33" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a></sup> and then subsequently sponsored ALEC's 2013 Annual Meeting in Chicago.<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-56" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[56]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Arizona_Public_Service" title="Arizona Public Service" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Arizona Public Service</a></b> told the <i>Arizona Capitol Times</i> on April 12th that its membership expired that summer and they would not renew it,<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-57" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[57]</a></sup> then rejoined ALEC in November 2012, paying "$7,000 in membership fees and an additional $3,000 to have a seat on ALEC’s <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,_Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a>," again according to the <i>Arizona Capitol Times</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-58" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[58]</a></sup></font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/EnergySolutions" title="EnergySolutions" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">EnergySolutions</a></b>, which had been a member of ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a>, told CMD in July 2012 that it had been an ALEC member but was no longer "in a position to contribute at this time,"<sup id="cite_ref-27.2F28_25-1" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-27.2F28-25" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[25]</a></sup> but still listed as member of host committee in July 25-29, 2012 meeting brochure and rejoined ALEC's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Energy,Environment_and_Agriculture_Task_Force" title="Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force</a> on June 12, 2013.<sup id="cite_ref-ALECboard_12-6" class="reference" style=" line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC#cite_note-ALECboard-12" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a></sup></font></li>

</ul>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 19.2px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline" id="Resources"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Resources</font></span></h2>

<h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 19.2px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline" id="Related_SourceWatch_Articles"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Related SourceWatch Articles</font></span></h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council" title="American Legislative Exchange Council" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC)</font></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Corporations" title="ALEC Corporations" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Corporations</font></a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Non-Profits" title="ALEC Non-Profits" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Non-Profits</font></a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Trade_Groups" title="ALEC Trade Groups" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Trade Groups</font></a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Law_Firms" title="ALEC Law Firms" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Law Firms</font></a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Legislators_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" title="Legislators Who Have Cut Ties to ALEC" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Legislators Who Have Cut Ties to ALEC</font></a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Politicians" title="ALEC Politicians" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Politicians</font></a></li>

</ul>

</font></span></div>

<div><span style="line-height: 19.2px;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC</font></a></span></div>

<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/11/10/129239/pnc-mtr/" style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">PNC Bank Will No Longer Fund Mountain Top Removal</font></a></p>

<p class="timestamp" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.5em 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline; text-transform: uppercase;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">BY BRAD JOHNSON</span> <span class="posted-on" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">NOVEMBER 10, 2010</span></font></p>

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<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.4em 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PNC Bank, the top funder of mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining, has announced that it will end its support for the ecologically devastating practice. “This move makes PNC <a href="http://understory.ran.org/2010/11/02/another-big-bank-turns-away-from-mountaintop-removal/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">bank number seven</a> to issue a position on MTR,” the Rainforest Action Network’s Amanda Starbuck writes, “following in the footsteps of Bank of America, Citi, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Credit Suisse.” PNC’s decision leaves UBS and GE Capital the only major banks that support mountaintop removal. After the Bush administration <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/23/us/23coal.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">rewrote rules</a> to encourage the blowing up of mountains for their coal, the Appalachians were rapidly reshaped by rapacious coal companies. This year, the Obama administration once again<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/default/2010/03/27/88916/mountaintop-damage/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">began enforcing laws</a> against the total destruction of public waters and land, after scientists revealed the <a href="http://getenergysmartnow.com/2010/01/08/science-blows-the-top-off-mountaintop-removal-mining/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">full extent</a> of the immoral practice. Now, PNC Bank will <a href="https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Requester?resource=/wps/wcm/connect/0336ca0043c8b165986f994737af402a/2010_1025_v4_PNCCR_rev.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=0336ca0043c8b165986f994737af402a" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">neither fund MTR projects</a> nor make loans to companies like Massey Energy that specialize in MTR:</font></p>

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.4em 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MTR is the subject of increasing regulatory and legislative scrutiny, with a focus on the permitting of MTR mines. While this extraction method is permitted,<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">PNC will not provide funding to individual MTR projects, nor will PNC provide credit to coal producers whose primary extraction method is MTR</strong>. PNC will continue to monitor this industry while various regulatory issues are addressed through legislation and public policy.</font></p>

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<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.4em 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Before this decision, PNC <a href="http://ran.org/sites/default/files/MTR_reportcard.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">provided financing</a> for six of the biggest MTR coal mining companies — Massey, Arch Coal, Patriot Coal, Alpha, International Coal Group, and CONSOL — who were responsible for nearly half of all mountaintop removal mining in 2009.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/11/10/129239/pnc-mtr/</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://stoprush.net/rush_limbaugh_sponsor_list.php#current_a</font>

<div align="left"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a target="Disney on Ice A" href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/24/1225985/-Disney-on-Ice-Airing-Ads-on-Controversial-Rush-Limbaugh-Show">Disney on Ice Airing Ads on Controversial Rush Limbaugh Show (update: not any more!)</a>

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<div align="center"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Sponsors</font></div>

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<div align="left"><a target="Disney Removes " href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/24/1226230/-Disney-Removes-its-Ads-from-The-Rush-Limbaugh-Show"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Disney Removes its Ads from The Rush Limbaugh Show</font></a></div>

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<div><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">More Corporations Drop Off ALEC's Conference Brochure</font></b></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">by Lisa Graves [1] — August 15, 2013 </font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">An examination of the promotional brochure for the Chicago meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council [5] (ALEC) reveals that the meeting -- where corporate lobbyists secretly vote as equals with legislators on model bills at ALEC task force meetings -- has fewer corporate sponsors willing to tell the public they bankroll ALEC's operations. This news comes in the aftermath of 48 corporations and six non-profits leaving ALEC after the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) connected the dots [6] between "Stand Your Ground" legislation and ALEC, and coalition of organizations pressed for corporations to stop funding ALEC.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Two years ago, shortly after ALECexposed [5] was launched by CMD to help the public and the press track ALEC's extreme legislative agenda, ALEC's annual convention featured<b> three corporations</b> underwriting the convention at the highest fee level. Last year, the number dropped to two. This year, however, ALEC's summer meeting brochure indicates that only one corporation, a tobacco company, was willing to pay the one hundred thousand dollar asking price to be listed as a top ALEC sponsor for the event at the Palmer House hotel in Chicago.</font></div>

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<div><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Reynolds Tobacco Is ALEC's Sole "President" Level Sponsor in Chicago</font></b></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2013 ALEC Brochure lists Reynolds tobacco at the topOnly Reynolds American [7], the global purveyor of cancer-causing cigarettes, was willing to be listed as ALEC's top sponsor. According to an ALEC sponsorship guide, a $100,000 gift to ALEC buys a lot of access. Gold level sponsors get designated as "President" and receive: seven invitations to all of the ALEC VIP events (which are unnamed); seven complimentary registrations for corporate lobbyists, their spouses, or guests; VIP photo opportunities (plural) with lawmakers; advertising; and seating at the ALEC head table, of course.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALEC's love fest with Big Tobacco goes back decades with numerous documents that show the close ties between ALEC and Reynolds and similar companies. For years, ALEC has been fronting efforts by tobacco companies to escape liability for their dangerous products. The corporation's subsidiaries sell Camel and Winston Salem cigarettes as well as snuff.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALEC is not the only controversial group Reynolds American bankrolls. As noted in CMD's SourceWatch [7] profile of the company, the Center for Public Integrity has documented that Reynolds American gave $175,000 to Grover ("drown [the government] in a bathtub") Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform and also gave at least $50,000 to David Koch's "Americans for Prosperity" in 2012.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The total amount of money Reynolds American has given ALEC this year, beyond helping to underwrite the annual gathering of lobbyists and lawmakers at Chicago's posh Palmer House hotel, is unknown.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Downgrading its level of conference sponsorship from the highest level last year is Tracie Sharp's "State Policy Network,</span>" (SPN [8]), which includes [9] 59 affiliated think tanks that help peddle ALEC's corporate-fueled agenda as good policy. As CMD has documented, a number of SPN special interest groups are funded by the Koch family, other Big Oil companies, Big Tobacco, and/or Big Insurance.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Also gone from the presidential designation of ALEC from 2011 are Takeda [10] (the Japanese drug maker), even though it was named one of the two ALEC Private Sector Members of the Year, and BP (British Petroleum [11]). In fact, BP is no where to be found in ALEC's 40th Anniversary list of conference underwriters.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Controversial Peabody</b> Energy Stands Firm as an ALEC "Chairman"</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The next level of funding, dubbed "Chairman," comes with a $50,000 price tag. ALEC's funding brochure notes that giving this amount to ALEC for the conference gets four invitations to all VIP events, four conference registrations, a VIP photo opportunity, and advertising. At this fee level, donors can get the opportunity to have a "workshop" with legislators or the introduction to one of its luncheons.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The only repeat donor at this level from 2012 is Peabody Energy, more widely known as Peabody Coal, which was immortalized in song for its strip mining: "And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County down by the Green River where paradise lay? Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking... Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away."</font></div>

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<div><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Peabody is the world's largest privately held coal company.</font></b></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It has mines in Wyoming and other states (Illinois, Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona), and it is a major exporter of American coal to other countries.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">One of the workshops for ALEC legislators at the conference was entitled "The Economic Benefits and Political Challenges to<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Coal Exports</span>." That workshop touted the benefits of expanded export terminals on the West Coast for selling coal to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Peabody Energy has contracts to export at least 24 million tons of coal through the SSA Marine terminals in California. Other ALEC seminars and sessions in Chicago touted how to bust unions and push so-called "right-to-work" laws that undermine union organizing and the power of labor in the private sector.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Workers Rally to Expose<b> Peabody's Efforts to Avoid Paying Their Pensions</b></font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Since January of this year, thousands of miners [12] and their families have protested Peabody spinning off its eastern United States coal mining operations -- where many workers were represented by the United Mine Workers of America -- in order to get rid of what its CEO Gregory Boyce called "legacy liabilities [13]," a fancy word for the earned retirement pensions and health care obligations of the men and women who toiled in underground mines for decades building Peabody's wealth. The operations that were spun off were dubbed "Patriot Coal," a corporation that has sought to escape its obligations to miners through federal bankruptcy proceedings.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">At the first of several rallies near Peabody's headquarters and a federal courthouse in St. Louis that is considering the bankruptcy petition, numerous miners -- including the president of United Mine Workers of America, Cecil Roberts -- have been arrested for civil disobedience.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The UMWA's Roberts decried Peabody for its role in what he called a "scam" to deprive hardworking miners of their retirement futures and access to life-saving health care benefits, claiming that the corporations may "have $1,000 an hour lawyers, but they've got $1 an hour morals," according to a report on that rally. The local leader of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists called the effort to discharge the pension obligations "despicable and criminal."</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Peabody Makes Billions; Peabody's CEO Paid Nearly $15,000 a Day in Total Compensation</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">According to Forbes magazine,<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Boyce (Peabody's CEO) is one of the top 25 highest paid CEOs in America</span> this year, with a total annual compensation package of $30.7 million [14] (or the equivalent of $14,759 per day in total compensation). When Boyce created Patriot Coal, he boasted [13] that his maneuver would reduce Peabody's "legacy liabilities by roughly $1 billion," and his Chief Financial Officer bragged that Peabody's "retiree health care liability and related expense will be reduced by 40%..."</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Peabody's revenue in 2012 was more than $7 billion. While the U.S. and global economies have staggered since the Wall Street meltdown in late 2008, Peabody's income has risen by nearly 33% in the past three years (which is roughly the same period since it loaded up Patriot Coal with its pension debt). Over the past decade, Peabody has spent millions on lobbying as well as more than a million on campaign contributions to politicians, in addition to untold sums on its legal and PR teams.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Peabody is one of nine private sector funders of ALEC's conference at the "Chairman" level, down from eleven last</font></div>

<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">year and down from the nineteen special interests funding ALEC at this level at its 2011 conference in New Orleans.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Peabody Joins Other Climate Change Deniers as Top Funders of ALEC</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">An industry front group, which Peabody has invested in, is also funding ALEC at the $50,000 silver rate for the conference: the "American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity" (<b>ACCCE)</b>, which was previously known as the "Center for Energy and Economic Development" (CEED).</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">According to a memo leaked [15] to DeSmog Blog in 2009, CEED reported to its investor, Peabody, on the execution of ongoing plans to counter efforts to regulate coal and address climate change. That PR plan included opposing any government control of "greenhouse gases," orchestrating efforts to block the Environmental Protection Agency from new efforts to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, opposing regional climate change agreements that mandate carbon trading rules, and blocking efforts to regulate mercury, the neurotoxin released from the burning of coal which has poisoned lakes and oceans restricting the level of safe consumption of seafood by pregnant women, children and others. One of the key parts of the coal industry strategy was to "sow discord."</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">These policies are echoed in the ALEC playbook, which includes numerous bills or resolutions that would make it harder to regulate carbon [16] or address global climate changes [17], as well as efforts to limit [18] regional climate change agreements and to block [19] the regulation of coal ash.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Industry Cash Reserves in the Billions</font></div>

<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Industry Reserves Totalled $17 billion, as of 2010</font></div>

<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As noted [20] by the Center for American Progress, ACCCE's own documents reveal that the industry it represents has at least $17 billion in cash reserves on their books that could be deployed to help address these problems, if they were required to do so. Meanwhile, ALEC's model legislation includes a measure to bar taxes on windfall profits of energy companies [21], like the corporate benefactors of ACCCE.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ACCCE was designated by ALEC as one of its Private Sector Members of the Year, like Peabody was the year before.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Also underwriting ALEC's Chicago meeting at the $50,000 level is ExxonMobil [22], whose long-time funding of climate change denial is extensively documented [23] by Greenpeace.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">New ALEC "Chairmen" Emerge; Old Funders Drop Off or Fade Away</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Others funders at the "Chairman" level include K12 [24] (the "virtual school" company largely funded by taxpayer dollars, which paid its CEO nearly $4 million in total compensation last year) and ALEC's allies at SPN [8], the network of state think tanks that have promoted ALEC's efforts to privatize America's public school system through vouchers and other legislative measures, as noted in CMD's special report on ALEC's education agenda.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Also paying ALEC at that level: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (which has fought [25] paid sick leave and worked to make it harder for Americans killed or injured by corporations to sue and win full damages) and the Cigar Association of America (a trade group funded by tobacco companies), which often co-hosts the cigar party at the ALEC convention.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Rounding out the list of Chairman-level funders are a group called "Citizens for Self Governance" (which was created by Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler) and a book called "How Money Walks," by Travis Brown, the founder of a lobbying firm called Pelopidas, LLC, who also spoke at one of the lunches at the ALEC meeting.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Here is the list of corporations, other than Peabody, which funded ALEC's summer convention at the Chairman level in 2012: Big Oil (Chevron), Big Tobacco (Altria), Big Drugs (PhRMA, Bayer, Alkermes, and GlaxoSmithKline), for-profit schools (Imagine Learning); two SPN special interest groups: the Heartland Institute and the Texas Public Policy Foundation; and the German global software company, SAP. <b>None of these, besides Peabody, funded ALEC's summer convention at the same level as last year. </b>In fact, only two (SAP and PhRMA) are listed in this year's brochure as sponsors.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Missing</b> from this donor level from 2011 are: Mega Retail: Wal-Mart [26] and the Walton Family Foundation; Big Oil (Shell, American Electric Power, and AmericasPower.org): Big Drugs (Allergan); Big Insurance (UnitedHealthCare and State Farm [27]): and Big Telecomm (AT&T), as well as the Lumina Foundation and Big Credit (VISA and EZCorp, a huge payday loan company).</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Some of these corporations left ALEC last year in the wake of the widespread outcry over ALEC's role in pushing "Stand Your Ground" legislation, including Wal-Mart, GlaxoSmithKline, and the Lumina Foundation. However, the family fortune behind Wal-Mart, the Walton Foundation, has not announced that it has stopped funding ALEC.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Fewer "Vice Chairman" Level Funders Publicized, Too</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">UPS as ALEC Sponsor 2013At this summer's ALEC meeting, five corporations funded ALEC at the "Vice Chairman" level -- which includes three VIP tickets and three conference registrations (but no special VIP photo ops) -- drugmaker Celgene [28], PhRMA [29], UPS, BNSF Railway, and the Illinois Policy Institute [30] (which is part of SPN).</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Last year, eight corporations underwrote ALEC's Salt Lake City convention at this level of funding:<b> State Farm [27], AT&T [31], UPS, American Electric Power, the Sutherland Institute </b>(which is part of SPN), and two Utah companies Zions Bank and Micron; in addition to ExxonMobil [22], which increased its level of sponsorship this year -- to Chairman.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2011, 16 corporations were listed as Vice Chairmen. Not listed this year, but by no means gone are Koch Industries [32] (which sits on ALEC's corporate board) and the Franklin Center [33]. Also not listed at this level for 2013 and among the corporations that announced that they stopped funding ALEC: Johnson & Johnson [34], Intuit [35], and Louis Dreyfus Commodities. Also missing from this level of funding, compared with 2011, and not apparently underwriting this year's ALEC's convention: Pfizer [36], FedEx [37], Sanofi, and Together RX Access, plus three Louisiana companies that helped sponsor ALEC's New Orleans convention in 2011.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Fewer "Director" Level Funders of ALEC's Convention</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">At the "Director" level of sponsorship, for which corporations received two invitations to VIP events and two registrations plus discounted ads for paying $15,000 for general sponsorship (or for paying $15,000 to be listed on hotel room keys, $15,000 to have a logo on a tote bag, or $10,000 to sponsor internet in conventioneers' rooms), ALEC also had fewer companies listed.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>This year, there were 12, which is down from 15 last year.</b> This year's sponsors at the Director level include stalwart ALEC funders like Takeda and <span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Crown [38] (which is pushing legislation to escape responsibility for people injured or dying from asbestos</span>), plus TransCanada [39] (which has been pushing the controversial Keystone XL pipeline), Cloud Peak Energy, Century Link (formerly Qwest), U.S. Steel, Progressive Solutions, Boehringer Ingelheim, SAP, Uline, Monarch Beverage Company, and the Oklahoma-based Liberty Foundation of America.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">More "Trustee" Level Underwriters of ALEC Refreshments, like David Koch's Americans for Prosperity</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">David Koch's Americans for Prosperity</font></div>

<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALEC's lowest level of convention underwriting, the "Trustee," is the only level of sponsorship that showed an increase in the number of funders this year over the last. This year, 14 companies or groups were willing to shell out the $5,000 per reception break sponsored to get one VIP invitation and one registration.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">David Koch's Americans for Prosperity is listed in the ALEC brochure at this lowest level of donation, but Koch Industries remains on ALEC's board (through its lobbying arm, Koch Companies Public Sector). Others giving to ALEC at the lowest level for the Chicago meeting include: Betsy<b> DeVos</b>' American Federation of Children [40] (public school privatizers), drug company Lilly, Caterpillar, Norfolk Southern and also Union Pacific railways, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Opportunity Ohio, and five Illinois home-state entities: Ameren Illinois, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Credit Union League, Prairie State, and Exelon Generation.</font></div>

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<div><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Notably, one of the $5,000 level ALEC sponsors is Wells Fargo, one of the Wall Street banks that announced last year that it had declined to renew its membership in ALEC in 2012.</font></span></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Missing </b>from the lowest level of ALEC convention funding compared with 2011 are some of the companies that have publicly left ALEC, such as: <b>Amazon, BlueCross BlueShield, Kraft, HP, and Walgreens.</b></font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Corporations Pay up for Other Sponsorship Opportunities, too</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Five railway companies (BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, CSX, and Watco Companies) ponied up cash to sponsor ALEC's invitation-only "Leadership Dinner," which featured former British Member of Parliament Conor Burns (a long-time ally of ALEC hero Margaret Thatcher). Before that event, a software company called "Progressive Solutions," sponsored ALEC's "Leadership Reception." The price tag for these sponsorships is not known.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">According to ALEC's sponsorship brochure, the price for sponsoring its reception for its incoming chairmen was $50,000. UPS was the sole sponsor of that event for the top leaders of ALEC.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">There were also receptions for various ALEC task forces. The Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force reception, for example, was sponsored by Ameren Illinois, Commonwealth Edison, Dynergy, Inc., Exelon Generation, MidAmerican Energy, Midwest Generation, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, the Illinois Energy Association, and the Edison Electric Institute.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Similarly, the private sector entities listed as ALEC's host committee were: Reynolds American (tobacco), Peabody, ACCCE, Exxon Mobil, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, the Cigar Association of America, K12, the Illinois POlicy Institute, SPN, Citizens for Self-Governance, and the book "How Money Walks."</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The <b>National Rifle Association</b> Is Still There</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Despite ALEC's efforts to try to distance itself from its legacy of gun laws that it pushed for years alongside its long-time partner, the National Rifle Association, the NRA has not kept its distance from ALEC.</font></div>

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<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Like last year, the NRA was no longer listed on ALEC's brochure as a sponsor, but that did not stop the NRA from having a booth in the ALEC</font></div>

<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">convention hall and pushing its agenda with its buddies within ALEC. Curiously, ALEC's membership brochure with its map of booths omits any reference to the NRA while describing 40 of the other organizations with booths in the ALEC convention hall.</font></div>

</font></div>

<div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The NRA's rep was also observed at special VIP events, that were purportedly reserved for members of ALEC. No flyers were observed touting the NRA's annual event at a shooting range for ALEC legislators and lobbyists, however.</font></div>

<b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">To date, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=R42Oc02zPXOJgjyAI6kuBJ77jLWJVtaF" style="text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">49 major American corporations have dumped ALEC</a>, including some of the largest firms in the world.</font></b>

<i style="line-height: 14.3906px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="line-height: 14.3906px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZmucbiBeX5S41NCgV5XKUJ77jLWJVtaF" style="text-decoration: none; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Read the full report here.</font></a></span></i>

<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Scores of investors working together through <a href="http://www.ceres.org/" target="blank">Ceres</a> and the <a href="http://www.iccr.org/" target="blank">Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility</a> are challenging companies that fund the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), reminding them that such support backs ALEC's anti-environmental agenda. In response, four corporations have confirmed that they have cut or are cutting ties with ALEC:</font></span></p>

<ul>

<li style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/GlaxoSmithKline" target="blank">GlaxoSmithKline</a> (GSK), a British pharmaceutical company with <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=GSK:LN" target="blank">£26.4 billion</a> in annual revenue;</font></li>

<li style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Brown-Forman, a Louisville, Kentucky alcohol company with <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=BF/A" target="_blank">$2.8 billion</a> in annual revenue;</font></li>

<li style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Unilever" target="blank">Unilever</a>, a food, home, and personal care products corporation based in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom with a combined <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=UN" target="blank">€51.3 billion</a> in annual revenue;</font></li>

<li><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ConocoPhillips" target="blank">ConocoPhillips</a>, </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">a Houston oil company with </span><a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=COP" target="blank" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">$58 billion</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> in annual revenue.</span></font></li>

</ul>

<p style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In addition, Publix Super Markets <a href="https://twitter.com/Publix/status/349151279764889601" target="_blank">announced</a> via social media in response to a customer challenge this week that it "has not been a member of ALEC since 2011."</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This brings the tally to at least <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC" target="_blank">49 corporations</a> that have cut ties to ALEC since 2011.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">mountaintop removal

 </font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Of interest because effective against tall odds, divestment strategy?</b>  Banks are being peeled off? each DEFECTOR win increases pressure on holdouts? THEY ARE EXPOSED AND NO LONGER HAVE BUFFER COVER</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Why are they winning when other green efforts stalled or losing ground?</font></p>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;">alliance between poor (wht?) ppl/workers and greens?  Worst of worst: coal cooking the planet, coal vulnerable b/c BO and EPA GHG regs, fracking makes coal less economically viable.  Perfect storm is systemic? </font>

</font><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: italic;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">==</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">. The withdrawal of Apple from the <b>Chamber’s </b>membership roster was the result of a particularly clumsy campaign. It began last summer, when a senior vice president of the<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 0);"> </span><b><span style=" background-color: #FFF200;">Chamber wrote a petition to the EPA calling for a public hearing on the science of climate change in order to present a “credible weighing” of the evidence. The author of the petition, William Kovacs, a vice president of the Chamber, told the Los Angeles Times</span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 242, 0);"> that it “would be the science of climate change on trial” and referred it as “the Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century.</span>”</b></font>

<b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Not only did Apple drop its membership in response; so did the utilities </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Exelon, Pacific Gas and Electric, and PNM </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Resources. Among those who stayed in the fold, several companies, such as Nike and Johnson & Johnson, wrote stern letters of rebuke to Donohue. Donohue upbraided Kovacs but has done little else to address the concerns of the angered companies. “We may have gotten a phone call,” said Brian Herzog, director of government affairs for PG&E. “Within the universe of Chamber members some are more equal than others.”</span></font></b>

 </font>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">pols defect: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Legislators_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Legislators_Who_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC</a>

 </font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>--

</b> </font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Six more companies have indicated that they are cutting, or have<b> cut, ties to ALEC</b>:<b> </b><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=General_Electric" title="reference on General Electric" target="self">General Electric</a> (GE), Western Union, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Sprint_Nextel" title="reference on Sprint Nextel" target="self">Sprint Nextel</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Symantec" title="reference on Symantec" target="self">Symantec</a></b> (maker of Norton antivirus software), <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Reckitt_Benckiser_Group" title="reference on Reckitt Benckiser Group" target="self">Reckitt Benckiser Group</a> (a British consumer goods company that makes such brands as French's mustard, Woolite, Lysol, Clearasil, Durex, and D-Con), and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Entergy" title="reference on Entergy" target="_self">Entergy</a> (a power plant company headquartered in New Orleans).</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">===

 </font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">alec notes 8.1</font></i>

<p><i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Last year, 16 corporations were listed as Vice Chairmen; this year it's eight. Not listed but by no means gone are <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Industries" title="reference on Koch Industries" target="self">Koch Industries</a> <span class="print-footnote">[13]</span> and the<b> Franklin Center. </b>Not listed at this level and among the corporations that have dumped <b>ALEC:</b> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Johnson%26_Johnson" title="reference on Johnson & Johnson" target="self">Johnson & Johnson</a> <span class="print-footnote">[14]</span> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Intuit" title="reference on Intuit" target="self">Intuit</a> <span class="print-footnote">[15]</span>. Missing from this level of funding, compared with last year, and not apparently underwriting ALEC's convention: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pfizer," title="reference on Pfizer," target="self">Pfizer,</a> <span class="print-footnote">[16]</span> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=FedEx" title="reference on FedEx" target="self">FedEx</a> <span class="print-footnote">[17]</span>, Sanofi, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, and Together RX Access. Not unexpectedly, three Louisiana companies that helped sponsor ALEC's New Orleans convention last year are also not listed. A round of calls revealed that Louis Dreyfus is no longer a member, but FedEx is standing strong. Pfizer refused to respond to requests for clarification of their ALEC status.</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The next two levels of ALEC convention underwriting are similarly diminished, with 23 corporations at the lowest levels of sponsorship this year compared with 45 last year. Companies no longer listed that have publicly <b>left ALEC include: Amazon, BlueCross BlueShield, Kraft, HP, and Walgreens.</b></font></i></p>

</div>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Kraft, kfc, taco bell</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Miller High Life, and buy sunscreen from CVS without fear that their consumer dollars will be used to fund policies like voter suppression and climate change denial, now that Deere & Co., MillerCoors, and CVS have dropped their membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Also cutting ties with ALEC are top computer maker Hewlett-Packard (HP) and electronics retailer Best Buy.</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">still in Phrma, am bail coalition, anyone ~ epa</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The <b>Chamber of Commerce civil war </b>continues: the latest news is discontent from another significant player,<b> General Electric.</b></font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">GE spokesman Peter O’Toole <a href="http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=07BD264E-18FE-70B2-A8094AB18C2A87D3">told Politico</a> that the company remains a member—though one clearly unhappy about the group's climate position.</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"We’re a member of the Chamber because a lot of our customers are there, a lot of our competitors, so we get a good perspective on issues of national import," he said. "The Chamber does not speak for us on climate legislation, but we are still a member."</font></i>

<i><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">GE is the latest in a growing list of companies unhappy with the Chamber's position on climate. Yesterday, <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/nike-resigns-chamber-board">Nike announced</a> that they are resigning from the board of directors, though they plan to maintain membership. The country's largest electric utility, <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/largest-electric-utility-us-drops-out-chamber-commerce">Exelon</a>, announced on Monday that they are leaving the group, joining <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/pge-quits-chamber-commerce-over-its-extreme-position-climate-change">California utility PG&E</a> and <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/new-mexico-utility-quits-chamber-commerce-over-climate-position">New Mexico utility PNM</a> in secession.</font></i></p>

</div>

<i style="line-height: 14.3906px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The group's opposition to the legislation has caused a rift among its corporate members. A number of companies have announced they are leaving the organization as a result of its stance on climate change regulations<b style=" mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. Energy companies <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Exelon" title="Exelon">Exelon</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=PG%26E" title="PG&E">PG&E</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=PNM_Resources" title="PNM Resources">PNM Resources</a> all announced in September 2009 that they were quitting the Chamber</b>. <sup><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-20" title="">[21]</a></sup> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Apple_Inc" title="Apple Inc">Apple Inc</a> also resigned from the Chamber, saying in a statement, "We would prefer that the chamber take a more progressive stance on this critical issue and play a constructive role in addressing the climate crisis"<sup><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-21" title="">[22]</a></sup> Sportswear company <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nike" title="Nike">Nike</a> also criticized the Chamber's challenge of the U.S. EPA's authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions as air pollution.<sup><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-sciam-19" title="">[20]</a></sup> Nike said it would resign from the Chambers's board of directors, but that it would retain its membership to the organization in order to work for climate change legislation from inside the organization.<sup><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-22" title="">[</a></sup></font></i>

<i style="line-height: 14.3906px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><sup><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MT top Removal:  </font></sup></i></p>

<h2><i style="line-height: 14.3906px; outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Banks move to restrict MTR financing</font></span></i></h2>

<h3><span class="mw-headline"><span style=" background-color: #FFF200;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Bank of America announces phase out of MTR financing</font></span></span></h3>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In December 2008, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bank_of_America" title="Bank of America" class="mw-redirect">Bank of America</a> announced that it would "phase out financing of companies whose predominant method of extracting coal is through mountain top removal. While we acknowledge that surface mining is economically efficient and creates jobs, it can be conducted in a way that minimizes environmental impacts in certain geographies."<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mountaintop_removal#cite_note-26" title="">[27]</a></sup> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rainforest_Action_Network" title="Rainforest Action Network">Rainforest Action Network</a>, which has pressed Bank of America to halt financing of mountaintop removal mining and coal-fired power plants, lauded the decision as a "giant leap forward...We hope that <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Citigroup" title="Citigroup">Citi</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=JP_Morgan_Chase" title="JP Morgan Chase" class="mw-redirect">JP Morgan Chase</a>, and other banks follow Bank of America's lead."<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mountaintop_removal#cite_note-27" title="">[28]</a></sup></font>

<h3><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PNC ends MTR funding</font></span></h3>

<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In the summer of 2010 <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=PNC_Financial_Services_Group,_Inc." title="PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.">PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.</a> published a <a href="https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Requester?resource=/wps/wcm/connect/0336ca0043c8b165986f994737af402a/2010_1025_v4_PNCCR_rev.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=0336ca0043c8b165986f994737af402a" class="external text" title="https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Requester?resource=/wps/wcm/connect/0336ca0043c8b165986f994737af402a/2010_1025_v4_PNCCR_rev.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=0336ca0043c8b165986f994737af402a" rel="nofollow">2010 Corporate Responsibility Report</a> saying PNC would be moving away from funding MTR. The report read: "MTR is the subject of increasing regulatory and legislative scrutiny, with a focus on the permitting of MTR mines. While this extraction method is permitted, PNC will not provide funding to individual MTR projects, nor will PNC provide credit to coal producers whose primary extraction method is MTR. PNC will continue to monitor this industry while various regulatory issues are addressed through legislation and public policy" (p. 4).</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Then in November 2010 PNC announced that it would no longer fund projects associated with mountaintop removal coal mining. “This move makes PNC bank number seven to issue a position on MTR,” the Rainforest Action Network’s Amanda Starbuck wrote of the decision, “following in the footsteps of <b>Bank of America, Citi, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Credit Suisse.”</b></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>PNC’s decision leaves UBS and GE Capital the only major banks that support mountaintop removal.</b><sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mountaintop_removal#cite_note-28" title=""><b>[29</b>]</a></sup></font>

<h3><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MTR policies of other banks</font></span></h3>

<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The following banks have policies restricting financing for MTR:</font></p>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://environment.bankofamerica.com/assets/pdf/COAL_POLICY.pdf" class="external text" title="http://environment.bankofamerica.com/assets/pdf/COAL_POLICY.pdf" rel="nofollow"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Bank of America policy statement</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://citizenship.citigroup.com/citi/citizen/finance/environment/mrcm.htm" class="external text" title="http://citizenship.citigroup.com/citi/citizen/finance/environment/mrcm.htm" rel="nofollow"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Citi policy statement</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://ran.org/content/correspondence-banks-relating-rans-mtr-report-card" class="external text" title="http://ran.org/content/correspondence-banks-relating-rans-mtr-report-card" rel="nofollow"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Credit Suisse policy statement</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.msdw.org/global/Environmental_Policy.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.msdw.org/global/Environmental_Policy.pdf" rel="nofollow"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Morgan Stanley policy statement</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.jpmorganchase.com/corporate/Corporate-Responsibility/document/cr_full_report_05-14_01_noblurb.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.jpmorganchase.com/corporate/Corporate-Responsibility/document/cr_full_report_05-14_01_noblurb.pdf" rel="nofollow"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">JPMorgan Chase policy statement</font></a></li>

<li><a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/downloads/pdf/about/csr/reports/environmental_lending_practices.pdf" class="external text" title="https://www.wellsfargo.com/downloads/pdf/about/csr/reports/environmental_lending_practices.pdf" rel="nofollow"><font size="4" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Wells Fargo policy statement</font></a></li>

</ul>