Common Cause in Wisconsin Reform Update
Wednesday - March 26, 2014
CONTACT:
Jay Heck – 608/256-2686
1. Enhanced Lobbyist Contribution Measure and Early Voting Restrictions Ought to be Vetoed by the Governor This Week
2. Attempts by Far Right Wing, Out-of-State Special Interest Group to Quash Second Jon Doe Investigation is Manufactured Outrage
3. Koch Brothers/Americans for Prosperity Out-of-State Money Seeks to Influence School Board Elections in Kenosha
1. Last Thursday's all night session – the last, mercifully, of the Wisconsin State Assembly – produced a number of very bad measures that passed along
partisan lines and were sent to Governor
Scott Walker after having earlier cleared the State Senate. The two that are particularly onerous would, when taken together, make it easier for lobbyists to make campaign contributions to legislators and candidates earlier, while making it much more difficult for all Wisconsinites to be able to cast early ballots before election day. Both measures appeared out of nowhere in early March and were fast-tracked through the Legislature.
Both ought to be vetoed by the Governor without hesitation.
The first – Senate Bill 655 – would eliminate the current date of June 1st in an election year when lobbyists can first make a campaign contribution to a candidate up for election that year. The June 1st date has been in place for decades. SB 655 allows lobbyists to make a campaign contribution as early as April 15th of an election year. No one but lobbyists and greedy candidates called for or desired this change in the law – which is of no benefit to a single non-lobbyist or non-candidate for state office. CC/WI testified against this measure both before the State Senate and the State Assembly Committees on Elections – and made the case against it here, here, here and here.
The other horrific measure – Senate Bill 324 – further restricts in-person-absentee voting by eliminating all weekend voting before the election and capping the number of hours a week any county, regardless of its population, can offer early voting. Thousands of citizens would likely be unable to cast their votes because they would not be able to get to the polls on election day and would only be able to vote on weekends because of work, family or for many other reasons. That's democracy?
To paraphrase the late President Ronald Reagan, this Governor's inspiration and hero, "Governor Walker, Veto These Bills."
Contact Governor Walker now and urge him to veto both SB 655 and SB 324 – in the name of sanity and fairness for all of the citizens of Wisconsin. Lobbyists, legislators and those interested in suppressing the vote ought not to prevail now – or ever.
2. In 2012, a secret "John Doe" investigation by the Milwaukee County District Attorney into wrongdoing by employees of then-Milwaukee County Executive 
Scott Walker – when he was running for Governor in 2010 – resulted in criminal convictions of five Walker employees and one campaign donor. In 2012, a second John Doe investigation was launched looking into possible illegal coordination between Walker's campaign in the 2012 recall election with outside special interest groups supporting Walker. These outside groups have moved aggressively to try to discredit the Milwaukee County D.A., as well as to allege that Walker political opponents have engaged in possible illegal coordination themselves. This very thorough analysis of the bogus charges and false attacks being made by the Walker allies is revealing in how it shows what lengths the far right will go to assert its power. Brendan Fischer of the Center for Media and Democracy has written a number of in-depth pieces on this developing story and includes commentary from CC/WI.
3. The infamous Koch Brothers of New York have long been involved in American politics and, in recent years, very prominently in Wisconsin politics. The 
infamous "fake Koch" call that Governor Walker took during the turmoil of 2011 – as well as the millions of dollars spent by the Kochs and their proxy outside special interest groups such as "Americans for Prosperity" for Walker and for Republican legislative candidates in 2010, 2011, 2012 – have currently become the "norm" in Wisconsin. Last week it was revealed that AFP was trying to influence the outcome of local elections for county supervisor in Iron County. And this week, the Kenosha News reported that AFP is spending money in Kenosha in an attempt to influence the outcome of school board elections. The Kochs are literally trying to have it all in Wisconsin – at every level of government. CC/WI comments in the article.
Jay Heck, Executive Director
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
608/256-2686
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CONTACT:
Jay Heck – 608/256-2686
For Release: Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Restrictions on Absentee Voting/Enhanced Lobbyist Contributions Pass Narrowly in State Senate This Morning
The Wisconsin State Senate just voted 17-16 for
Senate Bill 324 to restrict absentee voting,
including eliminating weekend voting and capping the hours that polling places can be open for in person absentee voting.
State Senator
Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) joined all 15 Democratic State Senators in opposition to SB 324.
Yesterday, the State Senate voted to make it more difficult to register to vote and more difficult for people in nursing homes to vote.
Also today, the State Senate just passed Senate Bill 655 on a 17-16 vote. Senator Mike Elllis (R-Neenah), who opposed the measure last week according to WHBY Radio in Appleton, flipped and voted with the majority. Senator Dale Schultz joined the Democrats in opposing the legislation. This outcome was preordained apparently because yesterday, Senate Bill 655 was scheduled for a public hearing today before the Assembly Committee on Campaigns & Elections so that it could be rammed through and then passed in the Assembly and sent to Governor Scott Walker and signed into law. Had SB 655 not had the votes to pass, it would not have been sent to the Assembly or likely even have been scheduled for a vote in the State Senate today.
So we knew something was "up." Now we know what.
No one outside of the Capitol Square in Madison has been clamoring for increasing the ability of lobbyists to make campaign contributions to legislators. But who cares what the public wants. This benefits lobbyists and the legislators who take their campaign contributions.
A giant step backwards for Wisconsin today.
Jay Heck, Executive Director
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
608/256-2686
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www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org
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Redistricting Reform
Disclosure of Money in Politics
The Citizens United Decision
Public Financing of Elections
Voter Photo ID
"What Ever Happened to Good Government in Wisconsin?
And How Can We Fix It?"
Monday, April 7, 2014
6:30 – 8:00 PM
University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire
Hibbard Humanities Hall - Room 102
Garfield and Park Avenue
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
** Event is Free... and so are the cookies! **
Panelists: State Representative Dana Wachs (D-Eau Claire)
State Representative Chris Danou (D-Trempealeau)
State Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma)
and CC/WI Executive Director Jay Heck
Moderator: Political Science Professor
Rodd Freitag of UW-Eau Claire
** Other invited panelists: Sen. Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls), Rep. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls), Rep. Tom Larson (R-Colfax), Rep. Warren Petryk (R-Eleva) **
Please come join in the discussion and learn more about:
- Redistricting/Gerrymandering reform in Wisconsin – how do we do it?
- Disclosure of interest-group “phony issue ads” and other “outside” spending – is this necessary or would it stifle “free speech”?
- How is the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Citizens United vs F.E.C affecting Wisconsin?
- Would a Voter Photo ID law suppress voter fraud or voters?
- Is Public Financing of our state elections needed?
- Should we Elect or Appoint Wisconsin's Supreme Court Justices?
Presented by:
Underwritten by:
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CONTACT:
Jay Heck – 608/256-2686
For Release: Friday, March 7, 2014
Fate of Anti-Election Disclosure Bill Rests With
Six Pro-Election Disclosure Republican State Senators
Senator Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) Announces Opposition on Thursday
Terrible Legislation that would hinder electioneering disclosure of outside special interest dark money (
Senate Bill 654) and increase the ability of lobbyists to make campaign contributions (
Senate Bill 655) – both proposed and pushed by special interest group lobbyists – was introduced late Monday, rushed to a public hearing on Wednesday and SB 655 was reported out of committee yesterday for scheduling and a possible vote by the full State Senate.
The fate of both of these misguided measures – but particularly that of Senate Bill 654 – rests in the hands of six current Republican State Senators – who, in 2010, voted in support of a
strong electioneering disclosure measure that would have required disclosure of the donors to widely-disseminated communications (including phony issue ads) in the period 60 days or less prior to an election. Senate Bill 654 seeks to codify into law the ability of the purveyors of campaign communications masquerading as issue advocacy to
not have to disclose the source of this dark money so that the voters of Wisconsin would
not be able to know who is trying to influence their vote.
The six Republican State Senators who would have to change their position 180 degrees and do a full fledged "flip flop" to vote in favor of Senate Bill 654 are: Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay), Mike Ellis (R-Neenah), Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls), Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) and Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center).
On Thursday, Senator Ellis announced on Radio Station WHBY in Appleton, that he opposes both Senate Bill 654 and Senate Bill 655.
The State Senate Committee on Elections and Urban affairs, chaired by State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) and the author – together with State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) – of both SB 654 and SB 655, yesterday reported out Senate Bill 655 with a few minor changes and it is now available for scheduling for a vote by the full State Senate.
However, Senate Bill 654 – the anti-disclosure measure – did not receive a vote and apparently lacks sufficient votes in the committee to be reported out at this time. Senator Lazich did not even mention the legislation during the executive session.
But State Senate Majority Leader Fitzgerald could still bring the measure to the floor of the full Senate for a vote – even if Lazich's committee lacks a majority of votes to approve SB 654. The measure is not "dead" until the session ends.
CC/WI has aggressively opposed both measures and CC/WI director Jay Heck testified at Wednesday's hearing in the Capitol. You can access the hearing here. (Heck's testimony begins at 1:35:43)
The Wisconsin State Journal strongly editorialized against both of these measures (and cited CC/WI) in Thursday's issue.
The Capital Times published Jay Heck's opinion-editorial railing against both measures on Wednesday.
For other coverage of these fast moving developments go here, here, and here.
Jay Heck will debate these issues further on Capitol City Sunday on Channel 27 - WKOW in Madison, this Sunday - March 9th at 9:00 AM.
And please, if you have not yet done so, contact your State Senator ASAP and urge her or him to oppose both Senate Bill 654 and Senate Bill 655. If you are not sure who your State Senator is, go here.
Revised 3/7/2014 - 7:06 AM.
Jay Heck, Executive Director
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
608/256-2686
Want Good Government?
Join Common Cause in Wisconsin!
www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org
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CONTACT:
Jay Heck – 608/256-2686
For Release: Tuesday, March 4, 2014
A sudden, surprise attack on the ability of Wisconsin citizens to know who is trying to influence their vote at election time was launched without notice yesterday, when State Senator
Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) and State Senate Majority Leader
Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) introduced
Senate Bill 654. They also introduced another horrible measure –
Senate Bill 655 – that would lift the current limitations on a lobbyist's ability to make campaign contributions and allow them to contribute more frequently.
And they are rushing both of these awful measures to a
public hearing in the Capitol on Wednesday with the intention of trying to get them passed and enacted into law during the few remaining days the Wisconsin Legislature is in session this year.
They should be opposed and stopped cold. An executive session on the measures could occur as early as this Thursday.
Senate Bill 654 would take Wisconsin in exactly the opposite direction that the rest of the nation is headed in the wake of the 2010 Citizens United vs. F.E.C. decision. It would codify into Wisconsin law "protection" from disclosure of phony issue ads. It does not take a genius to see that all outside groups would head in that direction in order to influence elections and escape disclosure of their donors.
The end result would be that Wisconsinites will have no idea who is behind almost all of the money from outside special interest groups seeking to influence their vote in elections in Wisconsin. The money could come from anywhere inside or outside of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin voters would not know it's origin.
No other state is headed in this direction.
All other states are headed toward more disclosure of outside money. Eight of nine U.S. Supreme Court Justices in the Citizens United decision urged Congress and the States to enact stronger disclosure laws. Senate Bill 654 would cause less disclosure and make it much more difficult to know who is funding elections in Wisconsin.
For years, Wisconsin has needed more disclosure of communications of campaign communications masquerading as "issue advocacy." Outside special interest groups have escaped disclosure by avoiding engaging in what is called express advocacy which has been defined as utilizing "magic words" such as "support" or "defeat" or "vote for" or "vote against" and the like. Instead, they have utilized phony issue ads which are really campaign ads that are trying to influence the outcome of elections, but, because they do not utilize the "magic words," they are not considered express advocacy and therefore not subject to disclosure.
Obviously they should be disclosed, and the Wisconsin Legislature has come close several times to passing effective electioneering disclosure. Senate Bill 654 would take Wisconsin in the opposite direction and enshrine into election law that unless a campaign communication utilized one or more of the "magic words" it cannot be considered express advocacy and is not subject to registration and disclosure.
The result would be more undisclosed campaign communications (masquerading as phony issue advocacy) and much more dark money in Wisconsin.
The other bad measure, Senate Bill 655 would, among other things, allow lobbyists to make campaign contributions with far fewer timing restrictions than they can now under Wisconsin law. Currently, lobbyists can only make campaign contributions after June 1st of an election year in which a candidate is running for election. SB 655 allows them to make campaign contributions more frequently.
Is there a single Wisconsin citizen outside of the Capitol who has ever said we need more campaign contributions from lobbyists in our elections? Does anyone seriously believe we need lobbyists influencing public policy with campaign contributions more than they already do?
With this secretive, sudden maneuver, Senators Lazich and Fitzgerald are hoping not many Wisconsinites will notice what they are trying to ram through Lazich's committee this week. Both of these horrendous measures were contained in Assembly Bill 225 last year and were yanked out when CC/WI and other concerned citizens raised hell about these and other onerous provisions in that legislation. But now they are back.
Please contact your State Senator immediately and tell her or him that you oppose Senate Bill 654 and Senate Bill 655! If you are not sure who your State Senator is, go here.
Jay Heck, Executive Director
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
608/256-2686
Want Good Government?
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www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org
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Common Cause in Wisconsin Reform Update
Tuesday - March 4, 2014
CONTACT:
Jay Heck – 608/256-2686
1. Bill Kraus: The Invasion of the Super PACs
2. Video of February "Reform Forum" with Senators Schultz and Risser Posted Online
3. Redistricting Reform Event in Madison on Wednesday Evening
4. Wisconsin's Restrictive Voter Photo ID Law is Criticized by Conservative Justices
1. The unprecedented flood of money – most of it from special interest groups who want something for it, and much of it undisclosed – has become a rapidly-spreading
cancer in our elections and public policy-making. Someone who knows very well what Wisconsin politics was like years ago, and how that compares with what we have to endure today is
Bill Kraus, the Chair of CC/WI since 1995 and a long-time Republican political strategist who served as the top assistant and press secretary to former Republican Governor
Lee Sherman Dreyfus (1979-83) and as a key adviser and strategist for former Republican Governor
Warren Knowles (1965-71).
Read his insightful column on the subject of this onslaught of money in our politics
here.
2. Our
February 17th "Reform Forum" at Edgewood College in
Madison, with State Senators
Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) and
Fred Risser (D-Madison), and moderated by
Wisconsin State Journal editorial page editor
Scott Milfred, attracted a sizable and lively audience despite polar temperatures and a nasty snow storm. Many who wanted to attend, but could not because of the bad weather, have asked to see a video of the forum – we filmed and posted it on YouTube
here in four parts so that they (and you) could view the event its entirety.
3. This coming Wednesday evening, March 5th, CC/WI Director Jay Heck will participate in a forum solely devoted to non-partisan redistricting reform, which has been our top reform priority for the past year.
This event is being conducted by the League of Women Voters of Dane County and will be held in downtown Madison beginning at 7:00 PM. You are cordially invited to attend.
4. In case you missed it, the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard arguments last week in a lawsuit against Wisconsin's extreme and restrictive voter photo ID law which 
was enacted in 2011 and became Act 23. With the exception of one primary election in 2012, the law had not been in effect because it was enjoined by lower courts as being too restrictive and in violation of Wisconsin's Constitution and of Federal Voting Rights law.
Two years ago, CC/WI filed an amicus brief in support of a suit based on the law's violation of the Voting Rights Act, and a decision is still pending in federal court in Milwaukee. News accounts of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court last week were surprisingly "promising" in that several of the members of the Court's conservative block expressed concerns about the burden Act 23 places on some voters in Wisconsin. You can read about these promising developments here.
In a related development, State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said recently he may try to push through in April a revised voter photo ID measure (Assembly Bill 493), that passed in the Assembly last Fall, before the Legislature adjourns for the year. But he may not have the votes to do so. At our February 17th "Reform Forum" in Madison, Senator Schultz announced he would not support any further attempts to restrict the ability of Wisconsin voters to cast a ballot as AB 493 would do. That brings to 16 the number of votes against the measure, one shy of a majority. So this battle is not over. Stay tuned.
Jay Heck, Executive Director
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
608/256-2686
Want Good Government?
Join Common Cause in Wisconsin!
www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org
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