Johnson & Johnson Becomes 19th Company to Withdraw Support From ALEC

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson announced Tuesday that it would no longer fund the American Legislative Exchange Council.

By Jorge Rivas Jun 13, 2012

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson announced Tuesday that it would no longer fund the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The announcement comes a week after ColorOfChange launched radio ads across the country exposing the connection between Johnson & Johnson and the policy group, which has pushed legislation that hurts black communities such as voter suppression bills and so-called Stand your Ground laws. "As Americans learn more about ALEC’s extreme agenda, companies understand that their brands suffer through association with a group that has weakened our democracy and made it harder to earn a living wage," said ColorOfChange Executive Director Rashad Robinson. "The ColorOfChange community commends Johnson & Johnson for acting in the best interest of consumers and cutting ties with this shadowy organization." "The extreme ALEC agenda harms all of us on a daily basis," said Michael Keegan, President of People For the American Way Foundation in a statement. "It’s disturbing that so many American companies still have a hand in advancing legislation that suppresses the right to vote, impedes access to health care, weakens public education and jeopardizes public safety. I commend the persistence of the hundreds of thousands of activists who have demanded accountability from corporations supporting the ALEC agenda. Johnson & Johnson’s departure from ALEC is a big victory, and the other corporate funders who have yet to leave ALEC should take note."