FollowUp 27: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Another followup on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's complaint about big money pouring into the recall election from out of state.  Channel 3000 has a short article about some of Mr. Walker's big donors, many from out of state.

They've come up big for the embattled governor as he faces recall this spring, helping him shatter Wisconsin's political fundraising record. Campaign finance reports filed Monday show Walker raised a record $13.1 million between Jan. 18 and last week.

Among his chief benefactors were Diane M. Hendricks, founder of Beloit-based American Builders and Contractors Supply Co.; Sheldon Adelson, chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands casino; and Richard DeVos, owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team and co-founder of the Amway Corp., a direct-sales company.

Five others handed him $100,000 each.

The first one, Ms. Hendricks, is in private equity (same profession that Mitt Romney was prior to being a politician) and is based in Wisconsin.  The rest of those listed are from outside of Wisconsin.  Mr. Adelson, famous for funding much of Newt Gingrich's SuperPAC from Nevada, jumps out as notable.  This is a lot of out of state money.



The hypocrisy from the Governor is fairly blatant at the start of this clip from Channel 3000. Whether the Democrats choose Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett or former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk to run in June, the money is distinctly lopsided.

In terms of the Republican Primary, Arthur Kohl-Riggs has raised about two thousand dollars to go up against the Governor's millions.

Of course, the attention in Wisconsin will be on the Democratic Primary on 8 May for another week.  Then the spotlight can return to the lies from Governor Walker and a state in crisis that Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, campaigning for Governor Walker, is blaming on "a narrow group of citizens."

Sorry, Mr. Christie, but the labor movement is not a narrow group of citizens.  The labor movement is at the heart of society and the core of the middle class.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.

6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 26: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

About a week ago, I wrote about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker complaining about big money being spent against him in the recall effort.  With the recall primary just one week away, a couple of news articles are germane.

The Duluth News Tribune reports that unions are about to spend $1 million in ads on behalf of Kathleen Falk, who is currently polling behind Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in the Democratic primary race.

A group supported by the statewide teachers union, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, as well as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced it was buying $1 million of television, cable and online advertising time beginning Friday and running through May 7, the day before the primary.

The teachers' union is having an internal debate over this because while Mr. Barrett has not been a union friendly in his role as Mayor of Milwaukee as the unions would like he is polling considerably better than Ms. Falk.  The union wants to back a winner and wants to defeat Governor Walker.

Falk won union support after promising to veto any state budget that doesn't restore collective bargaining rights. Barrett refused to make such a pledge.

Barrett spokesman Phil Walzak said despite the barrage of negative ads, “the polls show Tom is the consensus favorite of the people to take on Scott Walker.”

Falk and representatives of numerous unions — including WEAC, AFSCME, the Sierra Club, Emily's List and the American Federation of Teachers — said they would get out the vote through phone banks, mailings and word of mouth to deliver a victory. Wisconsin For Falk said it was using its 18 field offices across the state to drive voter turnout.

It should be noted that Mayor Barrett lost to then Milwaukee County Executive Walker in the last gubernatorial race.  So, big money is being spent as Mr. Walker claimed.  But, based on a report in the Republic, an Indiana newspaper, there appears to be more money flowing toward the Governor than his opponents.

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's leading business lobbying group says it has purchased $2 million worth of television air time to run a spot in support of Republican Gov. Scott Walker starting Monday.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce vice president James Buchen says the spot running statewide does not mention any of the Democrats seeking to take on Walker. Instead, Buchen says the spot is designed to make the case that Walker's policies are improving the state.

The ads from Scott Walker, against Tom Barrett and against Kathleen Falk, are decidedly not what WMC is going to run.  It is likely that the WMC will run something like what the Stop the Recall folks did previously.

So, where is the money?  Everywhere it seems.  Despite his whining about money on the other side, Mr. Walker seems to be more than well funded.  We'll really see things heat up after 8 May (the primary).

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.

2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.

FollowUp 23: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

graphic from Dane101.com

And the Republicans in Wisconsin are running fake (zombie?) candidates to forces primary elections again.  Here is the current ballot information for the 8 May 2012 Recall Primary.

In the 13th State Senate District, Democratic Party member Lori Compas of Fort Atkinson is making her first run for office.  Ms. Compas organized the recall of Scott Fitzgerald, who she now hopes to replace on 5 June.  She is running in the 8 May primary against Gary Ellerman, a supporter of Governor Walker and of Senator Fitzgerald who bills himself as a protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

In the 21st State Senate District, Democratic Party member and former State Senator John Lehman of Racine is running to replace Van Wanggaard, who replaced him in 2011.  He is running in the 8 May primary against Tamra Varebrook, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

In the 23rd State Senate District, Democratic Party member and former Assembly Member Kristen Dexter of Eau Claire is running to replace Terry Moulton.  She is running in the 8 May primary against James Engel, the president of the Wisconsin Ski Industry Associations, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

In the 29th State Senate District, Democratic Party member, former police officer, and current Assembly Member Donna Seidel of Wausau is running to replace Pam Galloway (who recently resigned rather than face a recall election to take care of family matters).  She is running in the 8 May primary against James Buckley, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

Working now toward the top of the ticket, the position of Lieutenant Governor, currently Rebecca Kleefisch, has three contenders in the 8 May primary.  The solid member of the Democratic Party is Mahlon Mitchell of Fitchburg (a small city just outside of Madison).  Mr. Mitchell is the President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin and was frequently on television to offer a union perspective regarding the Republican push to end collective bargaining.  His first challenger for the Democratic slot in June is a largely unknown private investigator from Milwaukee, Ira Robins.  The second challenger is Isaac Weix, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

The highest office in Wisconsin is up to seven contenders, five in the Democratic Primary and two in the Republican Primary.  The pattern continues, sort of.

Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk are the top contenders on the Democratic side.  Mayor Barrett. of Milwaukee, has had some awkward stands that have upset some union members, but is the most liked in polling.  Former County Executive Falk is preferred by unions, but many consider her to be too shrill (I know that this sounds like I am being sexist, but the language used privately against Ms. Falk is far worse and often comes back to the pitch of her voice).  Current Democratic Secretary of State, Doug LaFollette (whose name may sound familiar to those outside of Wisconsin because of Fighting Bob LaFollette of a century ago; Fighting Bob was Doug LaFollette's great-great-uncle), is considered to be a long shot but is still possible.  Democratic State Senator Kathleen Vinehout is on the ballot.  Gladys Huber is the gubernatorial protest candidate, another fake Democrat.

Scott Walker is defending his seat as Governor of Wisconsin.  But, he has an almost fake primary candidate in Arthur Kohl-Riggs, a pizza server who describes himself as a "progressive Republican" (an oxymoron these days) and says that he is not a fake Republican.

So the big question is Is this legal?  By Wisconsin Statutes, perhaps not.

(3) Prohibited acts. No person may:

(a) Falsify any information in respect to or fraudulently deface or destroy a certificate of nomination, nomination paper, declaration of candidacy or petition for an election, including a recall petition or petition for a referendum; or file or receive for filing a certificate of nomination, nomination paper, declaration of candidacy or any such petition, knowing any part is falsely made.

Declaring one is of a party that one knows is not so would be such a falsification.  On the other hand, this might be hard to prove.  An article on Dane101 has an extended discussion of the legality or lack thereof.  Democrats have asked that the "Zombie Candidates" be kept off the primary ballots.  That didn't work last year.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.

17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.