We've seen the far right and conservative business interests attack some of the nation's most important organizations, from Planned Parenthood and Media Matters to public employee unions in Wisconsin. The latest target is the local group that helped create the living wage movement and defeated Wal-Mart at the ballot box: the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE).
LAANE is one of the country's leading advocates for good jobs and a healthy environment, and they have helped dozens of organizations across the U.S. enact policies to reduce poverty and pollution. As the late Ted Kennedy said, “LAANE's impressive efforts have changed the lives of countless working families.”
In May, LAANE became the subject of a series of broad Public Records Act (PRA) requests submitted to more than 70 public officials and governmental entities in Southern California by a Sacramento-based political consulting firm called MB Public Affairs. MB Public Affairs—a conservative public affairs firm with ties to Karl Rove and Sarah Palin — has refused to reveal the identities of the clients who are behind these requests or the reason these requests were made. Now LAANE needs our help. Click here to stand with LAANE and take a stand against the right-wing attack machine.
Founded in 1993, LAANE is a champion for good jobs, community development and a healthy environment. Since their inception, LAANE has confronted issues head on, resulting in the successful passage of the nation’s most comprehensive anti-pollution and anti-poverty measure—the Port of Los Angeles Clean Truck Program. Not only has LAANE served as a model for other municipalities across the country, it has helped pioneer the first Construction Careers and Green Jobs Policy—an initiative that ensures thousands of middle-class green jobs in the construction industry. LAANE is also the co-founder of the Partnership for Working Families, a burgeoning national alliance that advocates for quality jobs, affordable housing, and a healthy environment.
As an opposition research firm, MB Public Affairs' intention appears to be to undermine the significant gains and accomplishments LAANE has made to ensure good jobs, a healthy environment and thriving communities. Unfortunately, given this year’s assaults on collective bargaining and other progressive causes, this sort of ideologically-backed meddling has become commonplace in some activist circles.
LAANE is not backing down from the attacks by MB Public Affairs, and nor are their supporters. A host of national, regional and California based organizations have joined an open letter in support of LAANE. The signatories include: Alliance for Justice; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; American Rights At Work; Center on Policy Initiatives; Common Cause California; and more than a dozen others.
Individual activists from around the country have also rallied in support LAANE by joining an online petition launched and co-sponsored by Alliance for Justice, People for the American Way, UNITE HERE, the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, the Center for Policy Initiatives on Change.org. The petition states, “I stand with LAANE against these anonymous attacks and demand that the shadowy groups orchestrating this campaign step out into the light of day.” Petition signatories demand that MB Public Affairs reveal the names and intentions of the clients behind the public information requests, “If they truly believe that what they’re doing is right, they shouldn’t be afraid to stand up like the rest of us.”
Please show your support for LAANE by signing our petition and demand that the special interests behind the attack on LAANE reveal their identities.
