Victory: AT&T finally drops right-wing lobbying organization ALEC

Thanks in part to the activism of more than 67,000 CREDO members, AT&T finally dropped its membership in the secretive right-wing lobbying organization the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

After progressives ramped up incredible pressure, the telecom giant left after it was reported that ALEC and its funders invited notorious hatemonger David Horowitz as a featured speaker at ALEC’s annual conference this year.

Horowitz has long history of hate and bigotry. He’s attacked marriage equality and made hateful references to the LGBTQ community, people of color, public education, feminism and gender equality, and women’s access to reproductive health care. He even downplayed the tragedy and the legacy of slavery in America. The Southern Poverty Law Center has called David Horowitz one of “America’s most dangerous hatemongers.”

It’s not really surprising that it took so long for AT&T to leave ALEC, though.

The extreme right-wing lobbying organization is notorious for promoting policies that limit voting rights, block climate action, expand the detention of immigrants and prevent localities from creating gun safety laws.

Likewise, AT&T has a long history funding right-wing causes and fighting progressive change. The company donated more than $2 million to Donald Trump’s inaugural slush fund to buy influence and stop net neutrality and gave $600,000 to Trump’s now-convicted personal lawyer Michael Cohen. AT&T helped re-elect white supremacist Rep. Steve King to another term in Congress. They even donated to racist Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith, before asking for their money back when progressives called them out.

AT&T and ALEC were like two peas in a pod, but we’re glad to see at least one more corporation dump ALEC after progressive outcry – but there are many more to go. You can keep up the pressure on other companies by signing our petition here: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/alec-hate