Brien: Lawmakers' Break With ALEC Is A Misunderstanding
Woonsocket Rep. says organization is misunderstood.
Woonsocket Rep. Jon Brien (Dist. 50, Woonsocket), recently named a board member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), said two legislators' departure from the RI chapter is a result of a misunderstanding of the organization.
On April 24, RIFuture.org reported Brien had been named to ALEC's board. The news coincided with ALEC recieving attention for authoring the Stand Your Ground Law in Florida, which is being debated in the Trayvon Martin shooting case.
The Stand Your Ground law and efforts like it are a small part of ALEC's operations, Brien said. He said the organization is a bipartisan group that puts lawmakers together with businesses to come up with ideas (ultimately, legislation) "That will foster a free-market society."
ALEC has recently recieved criticism from Common Cause, the New York Times reports. Common Cause attests the organization's practices amount to lobbying, violating its tax-exempt status.
On May 1, Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Smithfield) asked to have his name removed from the list of state legislators enrolled as members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The Providence Journal has reported that state Sen. Walter Felag is also quitting the group.
In a press release, Tassoni notes ALEC is under attack by "a number of national liberal organizations, which have accused the organization of being a corporate lobbying group masquerading as a public charity."
The release continues: "Critics say it is a front for corporations, allowing powerful interests to hand state legislators the changes to the law they desire that directly benefit their bottom line. Corporate representatives sit on the various ALEC task forces and have equal votes with legislators to approve “model” bills.
Tassoni said he is supportive of organizations – such as the National Conference on State Legislatures – that facilitate the legislative process through meetings and conferences and a robust exchange of ideas. “ALEC, it seems, is not about an exchange of ideas but rather about pushing the self-serving ideas of corporations and rich, powerful interests. I have no desire to be associated with that kind of organization.”
Brien, who said he had a lot of respect for Tassoni, defended ALEC's cooperation with corporations, saying there is nothing sinister about the partnerships. "The fact that left-wing groups have turned the word corporation into a four-letter word shows you how far left they've gone," he said.
Brien said his co-chair of the RI chapter of ALEC, Senator Frank Maher, leads the RI Senators affiliated with ALEC. No house members of ALEC, the group he leads, have left, he said. He said he wished the senators had spoken to him first. "It's unfortunate that they've chose to do so, but that's their right."
He said legislators citing the attacks on ALEC when leaving the group are examples of organizations bullying people to change their minds. Stories painting ALEC as a hyper conservative organization are false, he said.
"It's just not true," Brien said.
Glee Violette
7:34 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
ALEC, another one of the Oil Baron Koch brothers' efforts, pushes extreme conservative programs - not only gun laws like Stand your Ground, but legislation mandating teaching creationism and denying climate change in the schools. It's policies are far to the right of the GOP. A person who styles himself a Democrat has no business having anything to do with this. I will be voting against Jon Brien, even if his only opponent is Republican.
Maxin
7:58 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
Well It's looks to me like Brien should be voted out so he can spend more time defending ALEC. If you believe in ALEC you should not be a member of the general assembly. So resign Brien and go work with ALEC and quit wasting our Taxes on yours and ALEC agenda.
Rob Borkowski
11:04 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
Hey, Maxin - Had to delete one of your comments for an obscenity - feel free to re-post it in terms you'd use in front of mom, or grandma.
SDE
12:56 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
What's wrong with laws like "stand your ground"? Or denying climate change that's not proven? Hey I have an idea Glee and Maxim, if ALEC is so bad, maybe you should stop worshipping at the altar of Tides Foundation, or the Council on Foreign Relations, since all they are are extremist liberal/ communist organizations.
theodora
1:17 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
ALEC has created a Banana Republic disguised as a Democratic USA
Are the legislators not smart enough to draft legislation or just lazy!
The conservative contingency never takes responsibility for their bad behavoir
it is easier to blame the left.
English first
3:06 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
What is wrong with Stand your Ground is the Zimmermans of the world.
Ray
4:56 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
What's that saying? If it walks like a duck, if it looks like a duck, if it sound like a duck. Its a "Republican". Be a man John and stop hiding behind your Democrat card.
James Thomas
5:07 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
You know what the real misunderstanding is, Rep. Brien? That the people of Woonsocket really think you're a Democrat.
SDE
5:58 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
Maxin you're real American you say? A real American that wants to silence anothers speech in public forum? Sounds to me like you need a reality check about your real American status. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, and Chavez all have things in common with you, are you proud? Secondly your debate skills have lead you straight to the point of irrelevance in this conversation, but hey you say your a leader, why not take the lead, and take a long walk off a short pier. But I'll give you another chance here. What is so bad about ALEC, and why is it so bad with Brien' affiliations with the group? Lead the discussing with facts, Sparky!
Mew
7:10 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
As far as im concerned Mr. Brien proved to me he is a Republican in Democratic clothing!!! I personally think it's time to vote Mr. Brien out of office, not because of Alec, hats not a big deal to me, I just don't like his attitude in the General Asemblay.
it's time the Briens Stella & Jon go back to their law practice full time!!! Im laughing as I write this, why am I saying full time???? The reason they stay in politics is they get this lovely heath care $ 16,00 dollars worth for part time work. so, Don't vote him out for ALEX vote him out because he is useless to Woonsocket in the General Assemblay!!!!! I think that none of out Reps are doing the work to help us right here in Woonsocket.
John
7:29 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I agree Mew, in it only for himself. Next election cycle he is in will also be time to expand the law firms budget to need to include health care, maybe tree care too let's not forget that at election time. ALEC is same as BAPF (bought and paid for) just a bunch of folks selling their office to the republican corporate big wigs, and we all saw how that turned out a few years back didn't we.
SDE
10:44 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Well well, mew you have forgotten so quickly, what has happened in Woonsockets past, or more who has happened in Woonsockets past. Since the root of this article is a local legislator and his relationship with ALEC, maybe another legislator from another state can shed some light on our problem right here. Oklahoma governor writes here. http://www.alec.org/publications/rich-states-poor-states/ . Maybe your blindly devoted democrat party vote needs to be revaluated. Do not take my comments ad a endorsement of the Republican.
Ray
12:07 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Everyone should google "Koch Brothers Exposed" This is who Jon Brien represents not district 50.
russell archambault
6:57 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Woonsocket Rep. Jon Brien (Dist. 50, Woonsocket) what exactly has he proposed for woonsocket, or done for the benefit of woonsocket ? If any informed folks out there that could answer, it would be appreciated. then we can vote on his record !
tempest
10:11 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Rep Brien has represented his district with honor and integrity. The likes of John Marion and Bob Plain who carry the water for the FAR liberal left ought to look at others in the assembly that drink the kool-aid of unions who continue to work against e-verify and support illegals.
russell archambault
1:37 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
TEMPEST; a lot words said but said nothing worth anything except ??. still dont know what he has done for woonsocket. does anybody know? I hear about illegals not that i support them, but they are the least problem in the north east. lets stop hiding behind nothing.