Letter to the editor: Outside hands are turning legislation to the right in Missouri
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Missouri lawmakers often use outside entities to craft legislation. Two that frequently present model legislation are the Foundation for Government Accountability, or FGA, and the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.
Both describe themselves as nonpartisan, but each has close ties to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Donors Trust, whose mission is safeguarding the interests of libertarian and conservative donors and is supported by the Koch family and the Bradley Foundation.
Industry and legislators often cite the FGA as experts on topics such as health care and the economy, but even conservative and academic economists have labeled its reporting as “junk science,” cherry-picking data and failing to establish direct relationships in its conclusions. It has also been criticized for lack of credible evidence and attention to details in promoting policy at odds with scientific literature.
The ALEC operational model uses corporate representatives who sit as equals with legislators (including in Missouri) on task forces to create model legislation without the transparency of public scrutiny. Although ALEC likens itself to the National Conference of State Legislators, there are significant differences. NCSL has no corporate members, is funded by state appropriations, has bipartisan governance and does not vote for or promote model legislation.
Others have raised questions about the legality and ethical ramifications for legislators who attend conferences where lobbyists are present — especially if they use taxpayer money to go.
Missourians certainly need to be watchful of the forces that direct our legislative process. But it is imperative that our elected officials, endowed with the public trust, resist overreliance on the natural bias of stakeholder input. In writing effective legislation, they must also seek confirming or contradicting data and facts from impartial and reliable sources.
- Shavonne L. Danner, Kansas City