The Hill News

The American Legislative Exchange Council, a controversial corporate-sponsored lobbying group that began shedding members after signaling support for controversial "stand your ground" gun laws and voter ID legislation, announced Tuesday it would stop considering non-economic activities.

Several high-profile companies â€" including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald's, Wedny's, and the Gates Foundation â€" pulled out of the group under threat of boycott from civil rights groups who said that Florida's "stand your ground" law had prevented the initial arrest of Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman.

“Today we are redoubling our efforts on the economic front, a priority that has been the hallmark of our organization for decades. Fostering the exchange of pro-growth, solutions-oriented ideas is precisely why ALEC exists," said ALEC national chairman David Frizzell in a statement. “To that end, our legislative board last week unanimously agreed to furthe! r our work on policies that will help spur innovation and competitiveness across the country."

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