Citizens Urge Rep. Lund To Drop ALEC Voter Suppression Bills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Contact: Zack Pohl, (517) 980-6190, zack@progressmichigan.org 

Thousands of Michiganders demanding elected officials cut off ALEC influence

LANSING – Michigan citizens are urging state Rep. Pete Lund (R-Shelby Township) to drop his membership with the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and reject a package of voter suppression bills. Engulfed in controversy and quickly losing corporate sponsors, ALEC recently announced they would be shutting down their Public Safety and Elections task force, the subcommittee that for years has quietly pushed voter suppression laws around the country. ALEC member and Chair of the House Redistricting and Elections Committee, Rep. Pete Lund, has nonetheless been holding hearings on imposing these unnecessary and burdensome new restrictions on the voting process, which would make it harder for thousands of Michiganders to vote. Suppressing voter turnout has been a stated goal of ALEC’s founding members since 1980.

“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy, and these voter suppression bills will make it harder for citizens to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Zack Pohl, Executive Director of Progress Michigan. “It’s time for Rep. Lund to reject ALEC’s extreme agenda by canceling his membership and withdrawing his support for this package of voter suppression bills.”

Thousands of Michiganders have signed a petition calling on Michigan lawmakers to terminate their ALEC memberships and stop taking orders from this corporate front group. Rep. Lund should prove he is listening to his constituents by immediately dropping his ALEC membership and rejecting these voter suppression bills.

When asked why his committee didn’t do something to address Michigan’s “F” ranking for risk of corruption and lack of transparency in a recent report from the State Integrity Project, Rep. Lund responded by saying that his constituents don’t care about ethical lawmakers, they care about jobs. It’s now evident that Rep. Lund sets his agenda according to the desires of his corporate sponsors, not those of his constituents. 

Below is a list of current and former Michigan lawmakers who have participated in ALEC, along with whether they’ve paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds and the leadership they have taken on through the task forces where politicians and corporate lobbyists vote behind closed doors on model legislation. The list contains research conducted by the Center for Media & Democracy.

Michiganders can still add their names to the petition at progressmichigan.org/ALEC. 

 

Michigan House of Representatives

• Rep. Dave Agema (R-74) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2008. Sponsored House Bill 4305 (2011). Compare to ALEC’s model “No Sanctuary Cities for Illegal Immigrants Act.”
• Rep. Judson Gilbert (R-81) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005 while a state senator.
• Rep. Gail Haines (R-43) – Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force.
• Rep. Ken Horn (R-94) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2011.
• Rep. Eileen Kowall (R-44) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2011.
• Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R-58) – Health and Human Services Task Force.
• Rep. Matthew Lori (R-59) – Health and Human Services Task Force.
• Rep. Pete Lund (R-36) – Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force.
• Rep. Tom McMillin – sponsored House Bill 4050 (2011) and House Bill 4453 (2011). Compare to ALEC’s model “Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act” and “Competitive Contracting of Public Services Act.”
• Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-80) – Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force.
• Rep. Amanda Price (R-89) – Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force.
• Rep. Mike Shirkey – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2011.

 

Michigan Senate

• Former Sen. Jason Allen (R-37) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2006. Former ALEC State Chairman for Michigan. Currently is the Senior Deputy Director for Veterans Affairs at the Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs.
• Former Sen. Patricia Birkholz (R-24) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005. Currently is the director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes.
• Sen. Darwin Booher (R-35) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005, 2007 and 2009 while a state representative.
• Sen. Bruce Caswell (R-16) – Health and Human Services Task Force.
• Sen. Mike Green (R-31) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2011.
• Sen. Goeff Hansen (R-34) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005, 2007 and 2009 while a state representative.
• Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R-29) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005, 2007 and 2009 while a state representative, and in 2011 while a state senator.
• Sen. Rick Jones (R-24) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005 while a state representative.
• Sen. Mike Kowall (R-15) – paid ALEC membership dues with taxpayer funds in 2009 while a state representative, and in 2011 while a state senator.
• Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R-30) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2009 while a state representative.
• Sen. John Moolenar (R-36) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005 and 2007 while a state representative.
• Sen. Mike Nofs (R-19) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2008 while a state representative.
• Sen. David Robertson (R-26) – paid ALEC dues with taxpayer funds in 2005.
• Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-20) – ALEC State Chairman for Michigan, Civil Justice Task Force.