Pocan statement on ALEC involvement with redistricting

MADISON – Today, the Center for Media and Democracy’s PR Watch exposed the American Legislative Exchange Council’s secret connection to Wisconsin’s redistricting plan. According to the organization, an open records request uncovered a January 20, 2011 email from ALEC inviting Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader and last session’s ALEC State Chairman Scott Fitzgerald to an ALEC conference call about potential legal issues with redistricting.

Below is Rep. Mark Pocan’s (D-Madison) statement about ALEC’s involvement with the GOP redistricting plan:

“ALEC pretends to be a nonpartisan organization, yet they are more entrenched in the Republican Party than almost any other group. Not only have we learned that ALEC’s corporate partners write the bills that become law in Wisconsin, but now we know they were involved in the partisan redistricting process as well.

Make no mistake about it; ALEC’s corporate partners pull the strings in Fitzwalkerstan. At every turn, every secret deal, every fast tracked bill, ALEC seems to have some sort of hidden connection. As we learn more, it becomes even more apparent that Wisconsin should pass the ALEC Accountability Act (AB-621). If they talk like lobbyists and act like lobbyists, they should be regulated as lobbyists.”