Key sponsor of the Democratic National Convention, Duke Energy, has strong connections to ALEC, including staff that work with the group and a history of large donations.
ALEC, while best known for its work on the infamous Stand Your Ground laws, is behind many of the current voter suppression laws. ALEC also promotes an array of anti-environmental policies, often to the benefit of the fossil fuel lobby.
“The DNC is shooting itself in the foot aligning itself with organizations that have such close ties to ALEC. ALEC is directly working to undermine the democratic process,” said Greenpeace spokesperson Monica Embrey.
ALEC is currently working to disenfranchise millions of voters in key states around the country. Thirty states have “voter identification” laws. Since ALEC’s “Voter ID Act” was finalized in August, 2009, at least 39 of the 62 voter suppression laws introduced at the state level have been attributed to ALEC. The primary function of such a law is to create a barrier to exercising the fundamental right to vote.
The Democratic Committee recently called these laws “unnecessary and suppressive“
ALEC regularly launches attacks on clean energy programs and regional climate agreements, efforts Duke claims to support in its corporate literature, but is clearly working to undermine behind closed doors.
“Duke Energy may be fronting up the money for the Democrats, but contrasting their work with ALEC clearly shows they are just playing political games to increase their own dirty influence at every turn. We encourage the DNC to end its relationship with Duke until it renounces its membership in radical front groups like ALEC,” Ms Embrey said.
Full text of the letter available here
For more information: Keiller MacDuff 202 679 2236
Monica Embrey 773 419 0963
