Over the last two weeks I’ve written a couple of columns about ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, their activities, and the effects they are having on our people and our country.
When my second column came out last week a couple of Daily Kos readers commented that the Department of Justice should at least investigate them if not indict them for racketeering, for violating the RICO Act.
One of several definitions of racketeering and liability under the RICO Act is illegal activities across state lines.
ALEC falls under 501(c)3, a nonprofit organization, in the IRS tax code. According to the IRS a 501(c)3 organization may NOT attempt to influence legislation.
I don’t know of any organization that tries to influence as much legislation in an many states as does ALEC violating their nonprofit tax status in multiple states — clearly a violation of the RICO Act.
ALEC is the reason there has been a tightly coordinated state legislative effort to suppress the vote and to disenfranchise voting constituencies who tend to vote for Democrats like our elders, students, and voters of color. Now public officials have been forced to vote by provisional ballot from Texas to North Carolina.
ALEC is the reason that we had such tightly coordinated anti-worker and anti-union legislation — some bills using the same language — all across the upper Midwest to weaken labor and make the union vote politically irrelevant.
Clearly ALEC is trying to and succeeding at influencing legislation in state after state — at least 19 states.
Right now, everyone of us can and should call or write or both our Senators and Member of Congress and tell them that ALEC — the American Legislative Exchange Council — should be investigated by the Department of Justice for violations of RICO.
The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121.
At the least we can raise hell about ALEC and shine a light!
Tomorrow’s column will show more of why we need to fight these puppets of plutocrats.
Photo source: aisletwentytwo via Flickr