ALEC: What It Does and Why Three Major Corporations Cut Ties

When America’s corporate titans shift their weight, the tremors travel fast. Last week, Coca-Cola, Kraft and accounting software giant Intuit announced that they were ending their membership with a conservative non-profit group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The news sent reporters scrambling to explain what exactly the 39-year old organization does, why it matters and how ALEC’s role in spreading laws— governing everything from voter ID requirements to anti-illegal immigrations efforts—came to be a problem for some of America’s foremost corporate citizens.