Iowa ALEC Politicians

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About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.

This is a list of Iowa ALEC Politicians -- Iowa state legislators who are known to be involved in, or previously involved in, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). For a broader list of politicians with known ALEC ties, please see ALEC Politicians. Legislators who have cut ties with ALEC publicly are also listed here.

According to a March 2013 report by Progress Iowa:

"In the Iowa State Senate, ALEC membership is voluntary, and each Senator has to proactively pay his or her own dues. However, during the 2011-2012 general assembly, the House of Representatives, under Republican leadership, made the decision to sign up every Representative as an ALEC member, paying their dues with tax dollars. . . . At the beginning of the 2013-2014 general assembly, House Democrats decided to pre-emptively "opt out" of ALEC membership, and sent [a] . . . communication . . . to the Chief Clerk of the House. They received no response, and have not been informed whether their caucus members have joined ALEC against their will[.]"[1]

Please see the report "ALEC Exposed in Iowa" for more information.

ALEC's August 2013 board documents made public by The Guardian in December 2013 listed all members of the Iowa House of Representatives as members of ALEC despite the Democratic members' January 2013 communication. In response, Iowa House Democratic Leader Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) sent a letter to ALEC in January 2014 saying in part, "ALEC is self-described as a 'voluntary membership organization of state legislators.' As we made clear to the Chief Clerk of the Iowa House on the opening day of session January 14, 2013, no House Democrats have applied to ALEC for membership nor do any of us wish to become members of ALEC. Since none of us have become a 'voluntary member,' I am concerned about how we came to be listed as members." Rep. Smith asked ALEC Executive Director Ron Scheberle to remove the names of Iowa House Democrats from the ALEC membership list, identify who paid their membership dues, and explain why payment of ALEC dues can be made on behalf of a legislator without the legislator’s knowledge or consent.[2]

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, for his part, responded in a statement saying, "No Democratic member of the Iowa Senate is a member of ALEC. ALEC's claims about all Iowa legislators being members of their organization are deceptive and deceitful."[3]

In response to Rep. Smith's letter, ALEC Executive Director Ron Scheberle provided a letter to The Des Moines Register, saying that the Legislative Services Agency -- the Legislature's nonpartisan administrative office -- pays ALEC dues on behalf of the entire General Assembly. But in an email to the paper, Secretary of the Senate Mike Marshall said that the Legislative Services Agency hadn't paid for any ALEC memberships in more than three years, and when it did in 2011, it had only done so on behalf of 64 House members (and no Senators). The Senate, according to Sen. Marshall, stopped participating in ALEC as a chamber in 2009.[4]

In a statement, Rep. Smith called Scheberle's response letter "just the latest in a pattern of misinformation" but "no surprise from a special interest group with no accountability beyond its corporate funders."[5]

Below is a partial list of Iowa state representatives that are known to be involved, or previously involved, specifically in ALEC task forces, as well as a list of Iowa state senators that are now to be involved in, or previously involved in, ALEC more generally. It is a partial list. (If you have additional names, please add them with a citation. The names in this original list were verified as of posting.)

Iowa Legislators with ALEC Ties

Prominent ALEC Alumni Still in Public Office

House of Representatives

Senate

  • Sen. Tom Shipley (R-11)[10]
  • Sen. Mark Costello (R-12)[10]
  • Sen. Jerry Behn (R-24), paid 2-year ALEC membership fee on October 4, 2009[21]
  • Sen. Bill Dix (R-25)[22]
  • Sen. Robert Dvorsky (R-37)[23]
  • Sen. Dennis Guth (R-4), paid 2-year ALEC membership fee on March 12, 2013[24]
  • Sen. Tim L. Kapucian (R-38), Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member [25]
  • Sen. Ken Rozenboom (R-40) paid $200 to ALEC on March 12, 2013; it is unclear if payments were for ALEC 2013 spring meeting or for two consecutive 2-year ALEC membership fees[26]
  • Sen. Charles Schneider (R-22), State Chair
  • Sen. Amy Sinclair (R-14),[13] paid 2-year ALEC membership fee on November 25, 2016.[27]
  • Sen. Brad Zaun (R-20) paid ALEC $575 on July 31, 2008[28][29]
  • Sen. Dan Zumbach (R-48) paid 2-year ALEC membership fee on March 7, 2013[30]

Former Representatives

Former Senators

  • Sen. David Johnson (R-1)[53]

References

  1. ↑ Progress Iowa, ALEC Exposed in Iowa: How Corporate Influence Subverts Our Democratic Process," organizational report, March 12, 2013.
  2. ↑ Iowa House Democrats, Iowa Lawmakers to ALEC: We are not Members, state Democratic legislative caucus news release, January 9, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, Statement from Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, state senate news release, January 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ Jason Noble, ALEC's Iowa ties challenged again, The Des Moines Register, January 15, 2014.
  5. ↑ Iowa House Democrats, Iowa Lawmakers: No Dues Have Been Paid to ALEC, state legislative caucus press release, January 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC Leaders in the States, organizational publication, archived by the Wayback Machine on May 13, 2005.
  7. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC Federal Relations: ALEC Alumni in U.S. House of Representatives, organizational website, accessed January 2014.
  8. ↑ Ernst for State Senate, Schedule B: Expenditures, campaign expenditures, May 19, 2011.
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Docu2019
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named docu
  11. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #2215 Terry Baxter for Iowa House, Check #1028
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Nick Surgey ALEC 2019 ANNUAL MEETING ATTENDEE LIST Documented Aug 2019
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 American Legislative Exchange Council, Durbin Response Letter, signatory letter to Senator Richard Durbin, August 8, 2013.
  14. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  15. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  16. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Robert C. Byrd and Nancy Pelosi RE: Federal health reform efforts, June 24, 2009
  18. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  19. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  20. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #1334 Watts for House, Check #1544
  21. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #1854 Behn for Senate, Check #1121
  22. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, State Chairs, organizational website, accessed March 25, 2014.
  23. ↑ Progress Iowa, ALEC Exposed in Iowa: How Corporate Influence Subverts Our Democratic Process," organizational report, March 12, 2013.
  24. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #2003 Rozenboom for Senate, Check #1161
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, Public Safety & Elections Task Force 2011 Spring Task Force Summit April 29, 2011 Minutes, organizational document, June 30, 2011, p. 5, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
  26. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, #1963 Guth for Senate, Check #1204
  27. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #2002 Sinclair for Iowa, Check #1664
  28. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #1521 Zaun for Iowa Senate, Check #1125
  29. ↑ Progress Iowa, ALEC Exposed in Iowa: How Corporate Influence Subverts Our Democratic Process," organizational report, March 12, 2013.
  30. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #1972 Dan Zumbach for Senate, Check #1182
  31. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  32. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  33. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Database, Disclosed by #2164 Citizens for Branhagen, Check #1031
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 34.5 34.6 34.7 American Legislative Exchange Council, ’99 ALEC Leaders in the States, organizational document, archived by the Wayback Machine December 8, 2000, accessed November 2012
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Senate Majority Leader Reid, RE: the EPA’s plan to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, March 10, 2010
  36. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  37. ↑ ALEC Task Force Packet August 2010, Common Cause, August 2010
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 American Legislative Exchange Council, Sourcebook, annual organizational publication, 1995
  39. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Education Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  40. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, organizational task force membership directory, March 31st, 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause April 2012
  41. ↑ Iowa legislature records
  42. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, International Relations Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  43. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, "Solutions for the States," 38th Annual Meeting agenda, on file with CMD, August 3-6, 2011
  44. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  45. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, "ALEC State Chairmen, organization website, accessed April 2012
  46. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Health and Human Services Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  47. ↑ Progress Iowa, ALEC Exposed in Iowa: How Corporate Influence Subverts Our Democratic Process," organizational report, March 12, 2013.
  48. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Membership Directory, December 2010, obtained and released by Common Cause
  49. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, Communications and Technology Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  50. ↑ Jason Noble, Iowa Democrat drops membership in conservative legislative advocacy group, DesMoines Register, May 16, 2012
  51. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, [http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/tax_35-daymailing_stfs2011_updated%20Ohio.pdf – Full Name and Address], Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Membership Directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  52. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Directory – Full Name and Address, organizational task force membership directory, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  53. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Letter to Google, organizational letter with legislative member signatories, September 24, 2014.
  54. ↑ Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, $100 payment disclosed by #890 Nancy Boettger for State Senate Committee, Check #1058, paid February 8, 2011.
  55. ↑ Progress Iowa, ALEC Exposed in Iowa: How Corporate Influence Subverts Our Democratic Process," organizational report, March 12, 2013.
  56. ↑ organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
  57. ↑ organizational member spreadsheet, August 2011, obtained and released by Common Cause
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