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CMD/Progress Now Special Reports EXPOSED: The State Policy Network The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government In twelve reports released on November 13, 2013, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) and Progress Now state groups expose the State Policy Network (SPN), an $83 million web of right-wing "think tanks" in every state across the country. Although SPN's member organizations claim to be nonpartisan and independent, an in-depth investigation reveals that SPN and its state affiliates are major drivers of the ALEC-backed corporate agenda in state houses nationwide, with deep ties to the Koch brothers and the national right-wing network of funders. The reports show how these groups masquerade as "think tanks," and describe how some of them may be skirting tax laws while really orchestrating extensive lobbying and political operations to peddle their legislative agenda to state legislators, all while reporting little or no lobbying activities. For key findings of CMD's report on the national SPN group, see the press release here. Read the national report here and the 11 state reports at StinkTanks.org here.

ALEC Open Records Lawsuit Wisconsin Attorney General Seeks to Vitiate Open Records Law to Protect ALEC’s National Treasurer Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen asserted in court filings that Wisconsin Senator -- and American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) national treasurer -- Leah Vukmir cannot be served with a court order demanding that she comply with her legal responsibilities under the open records law. This novel legal argument reverses the policy and practice of prior Attorneys General and would make any state legislator immune from enforcement of the state open records law and any other civil matter. Read the full article here.