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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Website Exposes Big Business' Influence Over MO Legislation

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011   

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Money's influence in politics is nothing new. However, a website called ALEC Exposed.org, revealing one group's influence over legislation in Missouri and elsewhere, is in fact new. 'ALEC' is short for the American Legislative Exchange Council, a powerful group funded by lawmakers and at least 300 corporations. The website shows hundreds of "model" bills that served as blueprints for the "Voter ID" bill and others.

Mary Bottari is director of the Real Economy Project for the Center for Media and Democracy, which created the website. She says citizens need to know more about ALEC, where lawmakers and corporations meet behind closed doors to discuss and vote on sample legislation.

"So, the public never knows that the bill was drafted by a corporation and approved by a corporation, because that process takes place behind the scenes at ALEC."

According to the ALEC Exposed website, more than 98 percent of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than lawmakers' dues, and each corporate member pays up to $25,000 a year, with additional amounts accepted. ALEC bills itself as the nation's largest nonpartisan, public-private membership association of state lawmakers.

Bottari says the site includes a list of legislators who are involved with ALEC, as well as the corporations.

"And those aren't just the Koch industries and the big tobacco companies, but it's mainstream corporations like Kraft Foods and Coca Cola, and UPS and AT&T. "

According to Bottari, her organization gained access to the "model bills" when a whistleblower with access turned them over.

The site is www.alecexposed.org




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