ACCESSING CLASSIFIED FILES
Decrypting documents...
Your connection is being monitored
Back to Individuals
high risk
Lisa Nelson
CEO of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
Leads ALEC; the organization through which corporations draft model legislation adopted by state legislatures across the country; advancing corporate interests through the democratic process
Overview
Lisa B. Nelson serves as CEO of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC); a nonprofit organization that brings together state legislators and corporate representatives to draft "model legislation" that is then introduced in state legislatures across the United States. ALEC has been described by critics as a corporate bill mill that allows corporations to effectively write laws that are introduced by legislators who sometimes submit the ALEC model bills word-for-word without disclosing their corporate origins. Under Nelson's leadership; ALEC has continued to promote model legislation favorable to corporate interests across a wide range of policy areas including: "Stand Your Ground" gun laws (which gained national attention after the Trayvon Martin shooting); voter ID laws that restrict ballot access (which disproportionately affect minority; elderly; and low-income voters); anti-union "right-to-work" legislation; deregulation of environmental protections; privatization of public education through school voucher programs; preemption laws that block cities from raising minimum wages or enacting local regulations; and opposition to renewable energy mandates that compete with fossil fuels. ALEC's corporate members have included ExxonMobil; Koch Industries; Altria (Philip Morris); Pfizer; AT&T; and hundreds of other major corporations. After the Trayvon Martin shooting and public backlash over ALEC's role in promoting Stand Your Ground laws; several major corporations; including Coca-Cola; PepsiCo; Amazon; and Google; publicly left ALEC. However; the organization continues to operate with significant corporate funding. ALEC's annual meetings allow legislators and corporate lobbyists to meet behind closed doors to draft legislation that serves corporate interests; often without public disclosure of the corporate role in the drafting process.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
ALEC model legislation promoted Stand Your Ground laws; which gained notoriety after the Trayvon Martin shooting
Promoted voter ID laws restricting ballot access; disproportionately affecting minority; elderly; and low-income voters
Corporate members draft model bills adopted word-for-word by state legislators without disclosing corporate origin
Corporate members have included ExxonMobil; Koch Industries; Altria (Philip Morris); Pfizer; and AT&T
Several major corporations publicly departed ALEC after backlash over Stand Your Ground and voter suppression efforts
ALEC meetings allow corporate lobbyists and legislators to draft legislation behind closed doors without public disclosure
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
Paul Weyrich
ALEC co-founder whose organization Nelson now leads
Charles Koch
Koch Industries; one of ALEC's most influential corporate members
Sources & Documentation
2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Also Known As
- Lisa B. Nelson
Education
Key Timeline
1973
ALEC founded by conservative activist Paul Weyrich and others
2014
Lisa Nelson becomes CEO of ALEC
2012-2013
Multiple corporations leave ALEC after Trayvon Martin shooting backlash over Stand Your Ground model legislation