FACTSHEET: ALEC - American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC
DETAILS
1129 20th St. NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-466-3800
Fax: 202-466-3801
ALEC provides state legisators with model legislation, including a continuing program trying to discredit state level legislation aimed at providing incentives to cut global warming pollution. Funded by conservative foundations and corporate grants, ALEC is a pivotal player between state and federal right-wing think tanks.
ALEC was founded in 1973 by Paul Weyrich, and is affiliated with the ALEC Foundation. ALEC maintains 15 task forces, including one targeting environmental issues.
ALEC has developed over 150 pieces of model legislation. Past and present membership includes 3,000 state legislators, 12 sitting governors, and 80 members of Congress. They also have at least 300 corporate members that pay annual membership fees. ALEC boasts that its Annual Meeting is "the largest gathering of conservatives held each year." Its 2003 Annual Meeting was attended by representatives of the CATO Institute, the US Sportsman's Alliance, Evergreen Freedom Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute, American Enterprise Institute, and the Heritage Foundation. Speakers included Vice President Dick Cheney, Tom Ridge, and David Horowitz.
ALEC is firmly opposed to the Kyoto protocol. Its 2002 Annual Report summarized, "though it is still unclear whether global warming is occurring or, even if it is occurring, whether it would have a major impact on our climate, environmental activists are pushing the states and our economy towards an energy starvation diet" (p.21). Domestically it says it has to "guard against proposed back-door Kyoto Protocol" regulations that would significantly increase energy costs but yield negligible environmental benefits (p.4).
ALEC is a former member of the Cooler Heads Coalition and a current member of the State Policy Network.
KEY QUOTES
21 January, 2004
"Carbon dioxide, the inescapable by-product of burning fossil fuels, is beneficial to plant and human life alike. The effort to regulate it as a greenhouse gas is an attempt to tax energy."
Source: sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04
21 January, 2004
"Carbon dioxide, the inescapable by-product of burning fossil fuels, is beneficial to plant and human life alike. The effort to regulate it as a greenhouse gas is an attempt to tax energy."
Source: sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04
KEY DEEDS
13 May, 1996
Supported legislation in Oklahoma that would grant "priviledged immunity" to companies that report problems to environmental agencies. Audits relating to these problems would then be kept from the public.
Source: "Environmental Audit Immunity Delayed," Daily Oklahoman, 5/14/96
21 January, 2004
Launched attack on "Son of Kyoto" legislation across the country. Press release subtitiled "States React to the Myth of Global Warming" Project includes maps of states with Greenhouse Gas Legislation, Renewable Portfolio Standards and Carbon Sequestration incentives.
Source: sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04
13 May, 1996
Supported legislation in Oklahoma that would grant "priviledged immunity" to companies that report problems to environmental agencies. Audits relating to these problems would then be kept from the public.
Source: "Environmental Audit Immunity Delayed," Daily Oklahoman, 5/14/96
21 January, 2004
Launched attack on "Son of Kyoto" legislation across the country. Press release subtitiled "States React to the Myth of Global Warming" Project includes maps of states with Greenhouse Gas Legislation, Renewable Portfolio Standards and Carbon Sequestration incentives.
Source: sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04
FUNDING
ALEC - American Legislative Exchange Council has received $1,410,200 from ExxonMobil since 1998.
1992
$unknown Exxon Corporation
Source: ALEC literature, 1992
1992
$unknown Mobil Corporation
Source: ALEC literature, 1992
1998
$15,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
conference for freshman legislators
Source: Exxon Education Foundation Dimensions 1998 report
2000
$70,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
general support
Source: ExxonMobil Foundation 2000 IRS 990
2001
$10,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Source: ExxonMobil 2001 Worldwide Giving Report
2001
$70,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Source: ExxonMobil 2001 Worldwide Giving Report
2002
$163,200 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
50K conference, 80K general support, 5K membership, 25K project support, 3,200 'other'
Source: ExxonMobil 2002 Worldwide Giving Report
2002
$30,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
general operating support
Source: ExxonMobil 2002 Worldwide Giving Report
2003
$78,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual Conference
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Worldwide Giving Report
2003
$50,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Energy and Climate Change
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Worldwide Giving Report
2003
$100,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
General Operating Support
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Worldwide Giving Report
2003
$140,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Global Climate Change
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Worldwide Giving Report
2004
$55,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual Conference
Source: ExxonMobil 2004 Worldwide Giving Report
2004
$62,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Energy and Climate Change
Source: ExxonMobil 2004 Worldwide Giving Report
2004
$75,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Climate Change
Source: ExxonMobil 2004 Worldwide Giving Report
2004
$30,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
General Operating Support
Source: ExxonMobil 2004 Worldwide Giving Report
2005
$151,500 ExxonMobil Foundation
DISCREPANCY: 2005 Giving Report: $151,000 for: Energy Sustainability Project (80,000), General Operating Support (71,500). iRS 990 2005: Energy Sustainability Project (Climate Change)($80,000); Climate Change Environmental Outreach ($21,500)
Source: ExxonMobil 2005 Worldwide Giving Report
2005
$90,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual Conference
Source: ExxonMobil 2005 Worldwide Giving Report
2006
$15,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual meeting host committee sponsorship
Source: ExxonMobil 2006 Worldwide Giving Report
2006
$31,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual meetings sponsorship
Source: ExxonMobil 2006 Worldwide Giving Report
2006
$10,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
general support
Source: ExxonMobil 2006 Worldwide Giving Report
2006
$30,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
none given
Source: ExxonMobil 2006 Worldwide Giving Report
2007
$31000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Source: ExxonMobil 2007 Worldwide Giving Report
2008
$56,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Source: ExxonMobil 2008 Worlwide Giving Report
2009
$47,500 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Source: ExxonMobil 2009 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments
PEOPLE
Lily Pascucci
Legislative Assistant to the Health and Human Services, and the Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Forces
Source: ALEC Website 5-06
Andrew Schauder
Director of Federal Affairs
Source: ALEC Website 5-06
Nick Nichols
Featured Speaker
Source: CDFE website 2007
SOURCES
ExxonMobil 2001 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4388
ExxonMobil 2001 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4388
ExxonMobil 2002 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4386
ExxonMobil 2002 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4386
ExxonMobil Foundation 2000 IRS 990
ExxonMobil Foundation 2000 IRS 990
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4390
ExxonMobil Foundation 2000 IRS 990
ExxonMobil Foundation 2000 IRS 990
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4390
Exxon Education Foundation Dimensions 1998 report
Exxon Dimensions report 1998- Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4385
Exxon Education Foundation Dimensions 1998 report
Exxon Dimensions report 1998- Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4385
ALEC literature, 1992
ALEC literature, 1992
ALEC literature, 1992
ALEC literature, 1992
sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04
Subhead: States React to the Myth of Global Warming
sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04
Subhead: States React to the Myth of Global Warming
"Environmental Audit Immunity Delayed," Daily Oklahoman, 5/14/96
Article by Mick Hinton
"Environmental Audit Immunity Delayed," Daily Oklahoman, 5/14/96
Article by Mick Hinton
ExxonMobil 2003 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4389
ExxonMobil 2003 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4389
ExxonMobil 2004 Worldwide Giving Report
2004 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4380
ExxonMobil 2004 Worldwide Giving Report
2004 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4380
ALEC Website 5-06
http://www.alec.org/about
ALEC Website 5-06
http://www.alec.org/about
ExxonMobil 2005 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4387
ExxonMobil 2005 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4387
CDFE website 2007
http://www.cdfe.org/staff.htm
ExxonMobil 2006 Worldwide Giving Report
Public Information and Policy Research
downloaded from Exxon website
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=view&d=4381
ExxonMobil 2007 Worldwide Giving Report
http://research.greenpeaceusa.org/?a=download&d=4586
ExxonMobil 2008 Worlwide Giving Report
ExxonMobil 2009 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments
Exxon Mobil Corporation
2009 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments
http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/files/gcr_contributions_pub-policy09.pdf