“I found it to be a really good group,” she told RI Future.

ALEC’s website lists Morgan as the state director in Rhode Island. Her 2016 financial disclosure form shows two trips to ALEC conferences – to San Diego, for $1,400 and to Phoenix for $1,100.  ALEC membership in Rhode Island was a hot button issue in 2012, when the group’s model Stand Your Ground bill became controversial after it helped exonerate George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin. That year 24 local legislators, half of whom were Democrats, were members. By 2013, there were only six ALEC members in the General Assembly (though on p. 39 ALEC lists 12 members in 2013). In February 2015, RI Future reported that the last legislative membership in ALEC had expired on the last day of 2014. Morgan said she has been an ALEC member since January of 2015, but she was unsure of the exact month.

Morgan said she does not know anything about ALEC’s involvement with Stand Your Ground laws, and did not know the group had been controversial in Rhode Island.

She also said she does not where ALEC’s funding comes from. When informed it comes from corporations, she said, “I’m just as much against corporate welfare as you are. My idea is to do what’s right for Rhode Islanders, not for corporations.”

Her campaign opponent, independent Vincent Marzulo, is raising Morgan’s involvement in ALEC as a reason to vote against her. (Democrat Anthony Paolino is also running against Morgan).

“Her advocacy for private profit at the public’s expense raises serious questions concerning her commitment to the public good,” said Marzulo. “The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a secretive, right-wing, Koch Brothers-funded corporate advocacy group that seeks private profit at the expense of public interest.”

Sam Bell, state director of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats, added, “A far-right group that takes uses a money hose of corporate money to influence state politics, ALEC has wreaked great damage all across our country. From stand your ground laws and voter ID to an ocean of bills to help corporate special interests, ALEC has been uniquely effective at pushing awful public policy on the American people. It is hardly surprising that ALEC would align itself with Pat Morgan, a Wall Street politician known for supporting nutty right wing policies. For instance, Pat Morgan actually signed onto a bill to privatize roads and put tolls on cars.”

Morgan said doesn’t think of ALEC as being “conservative or liberal”. She said her relationship with ALEC has already paid dividends for Rhode Island. She said at a conference she learned about the drug Vivitrol, used to help people ween off drug addiction. She said the product is now used at the Adult Correctional Institute, in part because of her.

She said she doesn’t agree with everything ALEC pushes – citing a “session on international relationships.” She said she did not remember the specifics of the session. She also said there was an ALEC session on legalizing marijuana, an issue she said she does not agree with.

When asked if she thinks ALEC cares more about its corporate sponsors or her constituents, Morgan said, “I believe they care more about good policy that helps average people lead good lives.”

17 minutes into our interview, Morgan asked if she was on or off the record. I told her I identified myself as the editor of RI Future when I first called. Morgan feels I should have also informed her that I was writing a story. She hung up on me, and called back a few minutes later yelling. She said she does not think I have integrity.

House spokesman Larry Berman said the legislature does not pay dues of any ALEC legislators, as was the practice in 2012.

For more on ALEC.

Vincent Marzullo has served in a variety of government positions – for the State of Rhode Island, Essex County, NJ – and for 31 years with the federal government as the RI Director of the Corporation for National & Community Service.

During the 70’s and early 80’s, Vin was the RI Employment & Training Director, trained thousands of Rhode Islanders for Electric Boat Co. and administered the largest public service employment (PSE) program in the state’s history (4000 workers in state/local government and non-profit agencies) – and served in a similar capacity for Essex County, NJ.

As the head of the federal volunteerism agency for RI, Vin had daily responsibility for AmeriCorps*VISTA – the domestic Peace Corps, working with hundreds of non-profits, community development groups & various government entities; and was responsible for more than 4,000 senior corps volunteers that participate in the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions.

Vin has served as Admissions Director at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, a 6th grade teacher at a parochial school in Riverhead, NY, and was a partner in a research & development solar energy company when alternate energy was a promising job generator during the early 1980’s. In the 1982 RI General Election, Vin was the Republican Candidate for Governor and in 1978 he was a Democratic Candidate for Lt. Governor. Vin was a delegate to the RI Constitutional Convention in 1986.

Vin currently serves on the Board of Directors of PGE Federal Credit Union – a non profit credit union for federal & postal workers (almost 3500 members). While in federal service, Vin chaired for 12 years the RI Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) for federal workers – the world’s largest workplace giving program – raising more than $8 million during that period. Vin’s local involvement has been as a member of the West Warwick Pension Board from 1995-99 and again during 2011-13, advocating for greater transparency, improved investment performance, and better scrutiny of disability pensions. In addition, Vin served as the President of the West Warwick Babe Ruth League from 1986-92.

A Brooklyn, NY native who has been living in West Warwick for the past 34 years, Vin graduated from Providence College and attended the Manpower Institute (1973) at Harvard University. Recently retired from federal service, Vin and his wife, Josephine (a MET Life retiree), are the proud parents of 2 children: Amanda Wilmouth and Michael Marzullo and the grandparent to a granddaughter: Reese Wilmouth.

[From a press release]