South Dakota ALEC Politicians

From SourceWatch
Jump to navigation Jump to search

{{#badges:AEX}}

About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our ExposedbyCMD.org site.

2013 South Dakota Legislature Uses Taxpayer Dollars to Fund ALEC Membership

In March of 2013, urged by House Speaker Brian Gosch (R-Rapid City) and Senate Majority Leader Russell Olson (R-Wentworth), the South Dakota Legislature voted on a $5,000 per legislator increase in the yearly budget amounting to $500,000 additional dollars for salaries, travel, and other reimbursements for South Dakota Representatives.[1] In addition to this large budgetary increase for the benefit of State Legislators (as compared to the cuts to education and healthcare in South Dakota) the Republican Majority of the Legislature's Executive Board adopted two policies in its April 23rd Meeting that would become effective May 1, 2013.[2]

First, the Executive Board voted to pay membership fees of $100 per Legislator for each of the 105 South Dakota Legislators to be members of American Legislative Exchange Council, coming to a total of $10,500 of taxpayer money that would be used to fund membership to the corporate-cronyism organization.[3] Next, the Executive Board expanded the eligible travel fund reimbursement options to include travel to out-of-state ALEC meetings and events. Some claim that this expansion of the travel policy was conveniently rushed to the floor to accommodate the 9 Republican legislators who attended the ALEC Spring Task Force meeting in Oklahoma City on May 3-4 (rather than waiting for the appropriate budget timing on July 1. [4]

These policies use taxpayer dollars to funnel money "up to corporate ladder" and into ALEC, where the exchange may as well mean "exchange your local grass-roots democracy for crony-capitalism" according to the Madville Times.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag

Senate

U.S. Representative

Former Representatives

Former Senators

References

  1. GOP Spends Tax Dollars on ALEC Dues, Trips; Dems Reject Koch Brothers Influence, South Dakota, Madville Times, April 23, 2013.
  2. Who's Paying for Republicans at ALEC Convention this Weekend?, Press Release, South Dakota Democratic Party, May 3, 2013.
  3. Our Voice: Sate Should Not Pay Lawmakers' Dues to ALEC, American News Editorial Board, Aberdeen News, April 27, 2013.
  4. Spending your Tax Dollars on Partisan ALEC Meetings, South Dakota,Madville Times, May 14,2013.
  5. Jump up to: 5.0 5.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, organizational task force membership directory, March 31st, 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
  6. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Civil Justice Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  7. organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  8. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  9. organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  10. Jump up to: 10.0 10.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, Public Safety & Elections Task Force 2011 Spring Task Force Summit April 29, 2011 Minutes, organizational document, June 30, 2011, p. 5, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
  11. Jump up to: 11.0 11.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Robert C. Byrd and Nancy Pelosi RE: Federal health reform efforts, June 24, 2009
  12. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  13. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  14. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  15. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  16. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  17. American Legislative Exchange Council, organizational task force membership directory, June 30, 2011, p. 31, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
  18. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  19. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  20. American Legislative Exchange Council, [http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/tax_35-daymailing_stfs2011_updated%20Ohio.pdf – Full Name and Address], Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  21. Jump up to: 21.0 21.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, "ALEC State Chairmen, organization website, accessed April 2012
  22. Jump up to: 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 American Legislative Exchange Council, International and Federal Relations Task Force meeting and Federal Relations Working Group, meeting agenda and materials, August 4, 2011, on file with CMD
  23. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  24. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  25. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  26. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  27. ALEC 1995 SB
  28. ALEC 1995 SB
  29. ALEC 1995 SB
  30. American Legislative Exchange Council, Director – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  31. organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  32. ALEC 1995 SB
  33. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  34. American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Senate Majority Leader Reid, RE: the EPA’s plan to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, March 10, 2010
  35. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  36. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  37. American Legislative Exchange Council, [http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/tax_35-daymailing_stfs2011_updated%20Ohio.pdf – Full Name and Address], Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  38. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  39. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  40. American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause