Microsoft has cut its ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative public-policy lobbying group, CNET reports.
The group’s lobbying efforts to block the development of renewable energy apparently was the last straw for Microsoft, which noted in a statement that the company had been involved in ALEC’s Communication and Technology Task Force, but had cut all ties to the group and would no longer pay dues to it.
Microsoft last year announced it was building a wind-powered data center and has otherwise invested in renewable energy, the Guardian reported.
Coca Cola, General Motors, Bank of America and Proctor & Gamble have also cut ties to ALEC. CNET notes that Bill Gates hasn’t supported ALEC financially since 2012.
“According to advocacy organization Common Cause, all of these companies pulled membership with ALEC after it was revealed in 2011 that the lobbying group had secretly pushed legislation for restrictive voter ID requirements, anti-union measures, and proposals to block renewable energy development,” CNET reported.
Greenpeace lauded Microsoft’s move.
[Photo by Michael Kappel via Flickr/Creative Commons.]
