Vick made the following statement regarding his decision:
“When I joined ALEC eight
years ago, it was a very different organization. It was much more bipartisan
and reflected the Jeffersonian view of limited but effective government.
Over the years, ALEC has steadily drifted to the right and away from its
original purpose.
I have been very vocal to the
leaders of ALEC about my concerns. Last year, I walked out of a keynote speech
by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal during an ALEC convention in protest of his
outrageous attacks against President Obama and the Democratic Party.
I have found myself voting
against their legislation more and more. Just recently I voted against Voter ID
legislation ALEC was pushing because I feared it would disenfranchise voters.
Recent revelations concerning
ALEC’s funding sources from radical elements have proven to be the final straw
for me.
ALEC has become too partisan
and too extreme. I’m running for Congress because I believe that the extremes
on both sides are destroying the process. I believe we need more
bipartisanship, statesmanship, and less divisive political rhetoric.
ALEC has become part of the
problem and I can no longer be a member of this organization.”
Hopefully this will the first of many press releases on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) today.
Vick didn't do this on his own.
This follows action taken yesterday by a SC Democrat
A Democratic state representative is calling upon his
colleagues in the South Carolina State House to leave a Koch-funded special
interest group which pushes right-wing legislation through statehouses across
the country.
Rep. Boyd Brown (D-Fairfield) told fellow lawmakers that
the American Legislative Exchange Council wields too much power among South
Carolina legislators and lobbyists, and its members are neglecting their
constituents. “As we are all aware, money continues to be the cancer on the
body politic,” Brown wrote in a letter on Monday. “And with ALEC, it has taken
over.”
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