Wisconsin Lawmakers Exploit Loophole to Hide ALEC Ties
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/09/11738/wisconsin-lawmakers-exploit-loophole-hide-alec-ties
Wisconsin state legislators are routinely deleting emails concerning their involvement with the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), exploiting a loophole that exempts the Legislature from records retention rules that apply to all other state and local government officials.
For more than a year, we at the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), a nonpartisan watchdog and reporting group, have been tracking ALEC, which lets private corporations and think tanks vote with state legislators to approve model legislation for introduction in statehouses across the country.
ALECs influence on Wisconsin politics is profound. At least 49 current Wisconsin legislators are known ALEC members, and at least 32 bills or budget provisions introduced in Wisconsins 2011-2012 session include language from ALEC.
But some legislators would prefer that Wisconsinites not see documents revealing the extent to which they are working hand-in-hand with ALEC.
Last December, the CMD submitted requests under the states open records law to ALEC member legislators seeking emails and other records related to the group. Their responses revealed that legislators are either not complying with the records law or are actively deleting ALEC-related records....