Just the facts

April 13, 2012

Yesterday, there was some news coverage of an exchange of ideas between ProgressVA and Virginia's Speaker of the House. The [Rachel] Maddow Blog shared, "The point of contention seemed to be over the taxpayer money Virginia spent to send lawmakers to ALEC events. ProgressVA's report [link] claimed that the trips cost the state roughly $230,000 over the last decade, while in reality, the trips cost the state ... roughly $230,000 over the last decade. Howell pointed to this as an inaccuracy, even though it's true, because Virginia also sent state lawmakers to a different conference that cost even more... That questions about ALEC are making its allies this uncomfortable suggests a shifting landscape for the organization."

Progressive Point: Virginians are frustrated with the economy and they are frustrated with out-of-touch politicians who would rather listen to corporate-front groups like ALEC than their own voters. We want a government that works for all of Virginia's families, not just those with the deepest pockets. But today, conservatives in Richmond are working for the 1% and their big business donors--and when they don't like the facts they get defensive, dishonest, and disheveled.

Virginia's Speaker of the house may not want to let the facts get in the way of a good story, but Virginians deserve and demand representatives who are honest and straightforward. Even though ALEC is getting nervous over the recent loss of several of its major corporate backers, it doesn't mean they and their mouthpieces can spin the facts to suit them. Virginia's voters want just the facts.

Get the Facts: Via ProgressVA:

• Between 2001 and 2010, the Commonwealth of Virginia spent over $230,000 to send legislators to ALEC conferences in order to meet with corporate lobbyists behind closed doors.


• ALEC has spent over $70,000 feting Virginia legislators.


• Over 50 bills drawn from ALEC sources have been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly in the past few years.


• At least 115 current or former Virginia legislators have ties to ALEC.


• Speaker William Howell is a member of ALEC's national leadership team. In 2009, he served as the group's national chairman. Howell's involvement with ALEC has transferred down to the state level: he has asked several of his colleagues to carry ALEC bills and approved the expenditure of taxpayer money to send his colleagues to ALEC conferences.

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