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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida Republican Introduces ALEC Bill to Protect Dark Money in Politics
Link to tweet
https://readsludge.com/2022/02/25/florida-republican-introduces-alec-bill-to-protect-dark-money-in-politics/
In a state with a reputation for political scandal, Floridas 2020 elections saw a particularly brazen scheme to swing three state Senate races. A dark money group sent out mailers promoting the campaigns of three sham candidatesin one case, diverting enough votes to a candidate with the same last name as former Democratic Sen. José Javier Rodríguez to defeat him. Rodríguez lost by just 32 votes, and Democratic candidates in the other two districts were defeated as well.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that the group behind the misleading mailers, which has renamed itself as Grow United, received a $1.15 million donation from an organization closely tied to the business trade association Associated Industries of Florida. A Dec. 2 Sentinel investigation detailed the groups consultants close coordination with electric monopoly Florida Power & Light, as well as the power utilitys ties to state Republican leaders, who control the chamber and can block bills like one that would empower solar electricity generators.
Florida organizations supporting Democrats also donated $700,000 to Grow United to obscure the funding source behind expenses like election mailers, a revelation that led to the resignation of a senior House adviser.
Last month, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs launched an investigation into one of Grow Uniteds donors. The sham candidate in Rodriguezs race pled guilty last August and is cooperating in testimony against the consultant who allegedly put him up to it, former Republican state Sen. Frank Artiles. Artiles has pled not guilty in the case.
*snip*
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Florida Republican Introduces ALEC Bill to Protect Dark Money in Politics (Original Post)
Nevilledog
Mar 2022
OP
Yep. See reply 4 for a link to a very old DU topic with a lot of replies and info
highplainsdem
Mar 2022
#5
Yep. As I said in that OP 11 years ago, they've been around since 1973, doing a
highplainsdem
Mar 2022
#7
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)1. Treasonous and corrupt bastards.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)2. They don't even try to hide their dirty tricks.
I doubt much of that dark money makes it to their political funds, but to their pockets.
ALEC should not be allowed to write bills. What's the legislature for? Weren't they connected to the Koch bros?
highplainsdem
(48,730 posts)5. Yep. See reply 4 for a link to a very old DU topic with a lot of replies and info
on ALEC.
Response to Nevilledog (Original post)
Mary in S. Carolina This message was self-deleted by its author.
highplainsdem
(48,730 posts)4. ALEC, still up to their nasty old political tricks:
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)6. I didn't realize they were that old a group.
How sad for America.
highplainsdem
(48,730 posts)7. Yep. As I said in that OP 11 years ago, they've been around since 1973, doing a
lot of damage and unfortunately flying under the radar most of the time.
Baitball Blogger
(46,575 posts)8. This is what makes living in Florida so hard.
People are terrified to speak out because of so many laws that people are convinced support gag orders. These kind of laws should be suffocated before they have a chance to breathe.