Yahoo, Facebook, Yelp join Google and leave ALEC

September 25, 2014 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

On the heels of Google's chairman announcing that the organization no longer supports the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), more technology companies are following suit. Yahoo, Facebook and Yelp are the latest to report that they are leaving the council. Microsoft left the group in late August this year, citing concerns with the Council's position on renewable energy.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Sebastian Bergmann

Yelp, which specializes in helping consumers find products and services in their communities, is not a member of ALEC and, when Yelp's membership expired several months ago, it decided to sever ties with ALEC, Luther Lowe, Yelp's public policy director has confirmed.

"Yelp's departure confirms what we've known for some time: It's not good business to be involved with ALEC," said Arn Pearson, Common Cause's vice president for policy and litigation. "State legislators and the officers and directors of every company involved with this organization need to take a hard look at their participation; their involvement is in neither their shareholders' interest, nor the public interest."

Common Cause is pursuing a tax "whistleblower" complaint against ALEC with the Internal Revenue Service, accusing the organization of corporations and state legislators of masquerading as a charity while functioning as a corporate lobby that has acted as the force behind state laws weakening clean air and clean water regulations, among others.

Facebook has also raised the likelihood of severing ties with ALEC.

"We re-evaluate our memberships on an annual basis and are in that process now," a Facebook representative wrote in an email to the San Francisco Chronicle. "While we have tried to work within ALEC to bring that organization closer to our view on some key issues, it seems unlikely that we will make sufficient progress, so we are not likely to renew our membership in 2015."

In response to Google's departure, 156 state legislators sent a letter to the Internet giant, expressing concern that Google's decision to leave ALEC was based on misinformation.

The letter read, in part:

"Many of us have worked side-by-side with Google at ALEC and in our states to ensure the continued growth and innovation of the technology sector and the American economy. It is a shame that you would harm this working relationship by falsely attacking ALEC…

…Mr. Schmidt emphasized a need for an environment that provides vigorous debate and disagreement without negative consequences. ALEC is exactly the venue called for by your Chairman. Daily, ALEC members and staff are challenged to stick to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism while engaging in debate and finding common ground on cutting-edge issues. While we understand how hard it can be to stick to principles, we are disappointed that contrary to your chairman's statement, there have been negative consequences for an organization that provides just such a forum for debate and exchange.

…your calculated departure from ALEC is based on misinformation from climate activists who intentionally confuse free makret policy perspectives for climate change denial…

ALEC is often the subject of attention because our unique public-private partnersip is so effective at sharing and ebating policy perspectives and educating legislators…."

Organizations like Forecast the Facts and the Sierra Club are now calling on eBay to join these companies in leaving ALEC and suspending campaign contributions to politicians that support ALEC and its denial of global warming. Since 2011, some 90 corporations have left with ALEC.

For more:
- read the letter

Related Article:
Google caves to climate pressure

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/yahoo-facebook-yelp-join-google-and-leave-alec/2014-09-25