Rep. Jon Brien is the local co-chair of ALEC, the pro-business political group that drafts model legislation that supporters, often elected members of state legislatures like Brien, propose at the local level. ALEC has come under fire as of late for authoring the Stand your Ground law in Florida that initially protected George Zimmerman from prosecution.
Common Cause filed a complaint with the IRS today saying the ALEC is violating its status as a non-profit by engaging in lobbying efforts.
Here’s the exchange on Twitter today between Brien and John Marion, the executive director of the local chapter of Common Cause:
How is it that Rep. Brien can’t see a perception of impropriety by the casual observer? ALEC drafts model legislation and then lobbies for it to be enacted? Looks fairly cut and dried to me. Then again, Rep. Brien won’t even admit that he’s really a Republican. Come out of the closet and admit who and what you really are, Rep. Brien. Oh right, if you took that (D) out from beside your name, you’d never get re-elected.
Nice to know our state has devolved to where a “prominent” legislator feel free to defend this:
Its bylaws state that its purpose is to “formulate legislative action programs,” “disseminate model legislation and promote the introduction of companion bills in Congress and state legislatures,” and “[e]establish a clearinghouse for bills at the state level, and provide for a bill exchange program.” 1 As recently as April 11, 2012, ALEC boasted that “for years, ALEC has partnered with legislators to research and develop better, more effective … legislation. 2Notwithstanding these claims, however, ALEC has reported ”for years“ to the IRS that it has not spent a single penny on lobbying or attempting to influence legislation.
It’s a stupid man who act with his fellow men believing they are ignorant also. I have been involved with originating a 501 C3 group. We will know how connected and “blessed” ALEC is when we see the results of the IRS. The law is clear and so is ALEC’s activities.