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Progressives Call For Lawmakers To Quit Group

 

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A progressive advocacy group has called on both Republican and Democratic Texas lawmakers to quit a council that pushes conservative legislation.

Progress Texas said 82 Texas legislators from both parties took $16.2 million from members of the American Legislative Exchange Council over the last 10 years. Better known as ALEC, the corporate-funded group produces model laws and asks legislators to introduce them in their states. But the group has run into trouble recently for supporting voter identification, immigration and self-defense laws that some say represent a social conservative agenda beyond its pro-business focus.

Corporations including Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Kraft and Intuit have canceled their membership in ALEC in recent weeks to distance themselves from ALEC. The group says it advocates for free market policies and is needed now more than ever.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.