Johnson and Johnson Drop ALEC

NJ Star-Ledger

TRENTON — Johnson & Johnson has parted ways with the American Legislative Exchange Council, the first New Jersey company to do so following public pressure from liberal groups across the country.

ALEC is a Washington-based conservative nonprofit that writes and distributes pro-business model bills for use in the states. Its members are nearly 2,000 state lawmakers and close to 300 think tanks and corporations, which provide most of its funding.

Liberal groups since April have criticized ALEC’s role promoting controversial bills toughening voter identification requirements — which some say disenfranchise the poor and the elderly — and "Stand Your Ground" laws that allow more instances of deadly force in self-defense, such as the Florida law at the center of the Trayvon Martin shooting case.

"We have been in dialogue with ALEC for some time, and while we acknowledge ALEC’s recent decision to focus only on innovation and growth-supporting policies, we have decided to suspend our participation and membership," Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich, said in a statement today.

Johnson & Johnson, based in New Brunswick, was one of ALEC’s top corporate members and had a seat on its private enterprise board.

More than a dozen other companies including Coca-Cola, Kraft, Pepsi and Wal-Mart Stores have also ended their memberships during the last few months.

Last week, ColorOfChange, a civil rights group, announced a $10,000 radio ad buy blasting the voter identification and "Stand Your Ground" bills and spotlighting Johnson & Johnson’s connection to ALEC. The ads ran in New Brunswick, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Sanford, Fla., where Martin was shot.