The fact that Kraft Foods and Coca-Cola resigned their memberships in ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council — the push group behind the voter suppression movement, Stand Your Ground Laws and similar right-wing efforts — this week is perhaps an even more significant blow to the group than was first reported.
Dozens of mainstream, otherwise respectable corporations — like Microsoft, Sara Lee and even Mary Kay Cosmetics — are members of ALEC, but representatives for Kraft and Coke sat on the ALEC board.
ALEC has two boards of directors. One board is made up of Republican elected officials from state legislatures; the other is comprised of representatives from the corporate members. According to Right Wing Watch, members of ALEC’s Private Enterprise Board include:
Sano Blocker, Energy Future Holdings; Don Bohn, Johnson & Johnson; Jeff Bond, PhRMA; Bill Carmichael, American Bail Coalition; Derek Crawford, Kraft Foods, Inc.; John Del Giorno, GlaxoSmithKline; Matt Echols, Coca-Cola Company; Jim Epperson, Jr., AT&T Services, Inc.; Michael Hubert, Pfizer Inc; Teresa Jennings, Reed Elsevier, Inc.; Ken Lane, DIAGEO; Kelly Mader, Peabody Energy; Bernie McKay, Intuit, Inc.; Mike Morgan, Koch Industries, Inc.; Kevin Murphy, ExxonMobil Corp.; Sandra Oliver, Bayer Corporation; David Powers, Reynolds American Inc.;Maggie Sans, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Russell Smoldon, Salt River Project; Toby Spangler, Altria Client Services, Inc.; Roland Spies, State Farm Insurance Co.; Pat Thomas, United Parcel Service; Jerry Watson, Chairman Emeritus
Source: Right Wing Watch, People for the American Way.
Michlle Malkin, who is suggesting a boycott of companies that have left ALEC, is incapable of telling the truth on most issues. She refuses to acknowledge that ALEC via Wal Mart’s leadership on the ALEC board that drafted the model stand your ground language. And Wal-Mart is the leading seller of rifles and ammo. Wal Mart thinks that it can ham hand its will around the country. I am sure the Walton kids are all supporting Rove’s pac and ALEC as well as the company itself. Mars candy just left ALEC, maybe Wal Mart will be standing alone with this corporate front. How can minority voters shop at a Wal Mart store with a straight face?