Wal-Mart withdrawing from conservative national political group, ALEC

Wal-Mart withdrawing from conservative national political group, ALEC

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has withdrawn its membership in a conservative political group that has come under fire locally for its influence in the Mississippi Legislature and nationally as part of the Trayvon Martin case, saying it has strayed from its core mission to advance free-market principles.

The group, the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, is made up of a group of lawmakers and private sector officials and has become a lightning rod for political debate in recent months. Wal-Mart has been a member since 1993.

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House Speaker Phillip Gunn, R-Clinton, is the only current member of ALEC’s board of directors from Mississippi. Past members include former Sen. Billy Hewes, R-Gulfport, who lost the Republican primary for lieutenant governor to Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves last year; and former Rep. Jim Ellington, D-Raymond, who was defeated for re-election last year by Rep. Brad Oberhousen, D-Raymond.

AP
5/31/12