To the editor:

I first read about ALEC in The Nation magazine. A day or two later, I read the excellent article in the Lawrence Journal-World by Scott Rothschild. I anticipated a response of letters to the editor, TV news, a general outpouring of alarm and rage; to date, nothing, at least locally.

ALEC, which enjoys tax-exempt status as a nonprofit organization is actually a front for corporate interests and is strongly supported by the Koch brothers in Topeka along with Exxon Mobil and other powerful interests. A group of Kansas legislators are members of the group and attend its annual meetings.

One of the most frightening of ALEC’s activities is its sending of model legislative bills to legislators all across the country. Public watchdog groups have viewed this mixture of corporate interests and legislation as unethical and have asked for investigations.

The resolution opposing the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (think Exxon Mobil’s oil spills in Alaska and Yellowstone Park) was passed 100 to 22 in the Kansas House. Appalling, but not surprising.