National Experts Say Disclosure Provisions in GOP Campaign Finance Bill Would Transform Wisconsin From Among Best to Worst in Nation

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For Release: Wednesday - October 28, 2015

The hyper-partisan, and – until recently – secret, Republican massive rewrite of Wisconsin's campaign finance laws would transform "Wisconsin's political system from one of the most open and transparent in the nation to one of the least. They are not required by any federal or state court case; in fact SB 292/AB 387 would leave Wisconsin with far weaker transparency protections that those upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC."

This, according to among the foremost legal experts on campaign finance law in the nation, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.

Here is their analysis of Senate Bill 292, still pending in the State Senate, and Assembly Bill 387, which passed last week in the State Assembly.

Wisconsin and Wisconsinites do not want to go into this literally dark and secret place!

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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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GAB "Destruction" and Campaign Finance "Deform" Stalled in State Senate, But Could Be Unleashed Any Time

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For Release: Tuesday - October 27, 2015

After being rammed through the Wisconsin Assembly last week, the assault on democracy could continue this week when the State Senate may take up the Government Accountability Destruction Act (Senate Bill 294) and the Campaign Finance Deform & Decrease Disclosure Act (Senate Bill 292). Rumors swirled around the Capitol Monday that the GAB legislation might be suddenly put on the calendar for today, Tuesday, but apparently State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald hasn't strong-armed enough reluctant GOP Senators to cinch the requisite number of votes.

Those Republicans who have dared to express unhappiness about the GAB evisceration legislation may include Rob Cowles of Green Bay, Luther Olsen of Ripon, Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls, Howard Marklein of Spring Green, and possibly Jerry Petrowski of Marathon and even Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls.

Fitzgerald understands that the longer Senate Bill 294 is exposed to sunlight and scrutiny, the more Wisconsinites scorn it and see it for the self-serving, hyper-partisan, hypocritical proposal that it really is. Three Republicans in the Assembly bucked Speaker Robin Vos and voted against the measure last week. There ought to be at least that many GOP State Senators who can resist pressure from their leadership and special interest groups to vote with their constituents and against this abomination.

Likewise, the secret, massive, hyper-partisan GOP rewrite and deform of Wisconsin's entire campaign finance law, (Senate Bill 292), is not moving through the State Senate either at the moment. Again, maybe enough Republican State Senators have come to their senses and realize that: legalizing coordination between candidates and outside issue ad groups (which is legal no where else in the nation), allowing unlimited money to flow to the legislative campaign committees (controlled by Fitzgerald on the GOP side), and all but eliminating meaningful disclosure and transparency of both, contributions to candidates and outside special interest money, are all horrible ideas that the vast majority of Wisconsin citizens abhor. And they should, too.

This is the time to contact, not only your own State Senator (and please do that), but also to contact Cowles, Olsen, Harsdorf, Marklein, Petrowski and Moulton and urge them to vote against both the GAB Destruction Measure (Senate Bill 294) and the Campaign Finance Deform Measure (Senate Bill 292).

To get contact information for your own State Senator and for the six GOP Senators who need to hear from you as well, go here. Please make these contacts in the several days as either or both measures could be scheduled for a vote at any time.

The unprecedented assault on democracy in Wisconsin is receiving national attention and concern. In just the past several days, CC/WI has been communicating with reporters and/or with editorial writers from many media outlets and here are some of those articles:

The New York Times
Wisconsin Governor Signs Bill Limiting Corruption Inquiries

Washington Post and numerous papers nationwide (Associated Press nationally)
Wisconsin GOP abolishes John Doe probes, seeks other changes

Washington Post
Off the campaign trail, Scott Walker is changing the way Wisconsin holds elections

The American Prospect
Walker and the Kochs Make Wisconsin Corruption-Friendly

For more information about recent developments in these and other critical democracy issues that CC/WI is involved in, please view these articles and stories from: Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Radio Network, Shepherd Express, Think Progress, Janesville Gazette, and The Joy Cardin Show (on WPR).

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In other news, our friends at the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin are holding a free public forum tomorrow night on the importance of ending partisan gerrymandering and enacting redistricting reform legislation in Wisconsin before the next redistricting process occurs in 2021.

The forum, entitled "Getting to Fair Voting Maps" will take place Wednesday, October 28th from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at UW-Eau Claire. Former State Senators Tim Cullen (who is now a CC/WI Board Member) and Dale Schultz will be the main speakers of the event, which CC/WI is proud to sponsor.

If you are in or near the greater Eau Claire area, we urge you to attend!

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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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GAB Destruction and Campaign Finance Deform Before Assembly Today

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For Release: Wednesday - October 21, 2015

Destruction of Independent, Non-Partisan GAB
&
Deregulation of Campaign Finance Law
Both Get a Vote in Assembly Today

On Wednesday, the Republican legislative leaders in the Assembly have scheduled for a vote, Assembly Bill 388, the completely unjustified legislation premised on a long sequence of unsubstantiated charges, false premises and fabricated events that would destroy the non-partisan Government Accountability Board, established in 2007.

Common Cause in Wisconsin has long opposed this legislation, which would replace six non-partisan, retired judges with 12 partisan hacks who will, instead, act at the bidding of partisan legislative leaders and the Governor. And the ability of the GAB to investigate corruption will be eviscerated. This legislation will ensure that Wisconsin's elections, campaign finance law, ethics and lobbying law will be enforced – not according to the law or for the public interest – but instead for narrow, partisan political advantage and to shield corruption.

Not a single daily newspaper in Wisconsin supports this measure. Not one. That is telling.

We have already said a lot about the need to preserve the GAB, as is, and you can review it here, here, here, and here.

Here is Jay Heck's testimony against AB 388 delivered on October 13th at the Capitol legislative hearing.

Also on Wednesday, the Assembly is scheduled to vote on Assembly Bill 387, the massive and secret hyper-partisan Republican re-write of Wisconsin's campaign finance law that was unveiled for the first time only 14 days ago and was made even worse than it was, as introduced, during a committee executive session on the legislation on October 15th.

In short, Assembly Bill 387 will allow much more secret money from outside of Wisconsin to influence our elections and dictate our public policy-making process. It will codify into law formerly illegal campaign coordination and allow legislative leaders to collect unlimited money for their legislative campaign committee "slush funds," which they control and which will guarantee virtual complete dictatorial power over rank and file members and allow far more secret money to influence everything that happens in the State Capitol. Scandal will likely follow in the not-too-distant future.

Again, not a single Wisconsin newspaper has endorsed this disgraceful measure. A sampling of those who oppose it are here and here.

To review why this legislation is so horrific for Wisconsin, go here, here, and here.

Here is Jay Heck's testimony against AB 387 delivered at the October 13th Capitol legislative hearing.

We must fight these measures and today is the last day to do it in the Assembly! Even if you have already done so, and particularly if you have not done so yet:

Call or email your State Representative TODAY and demand they oppose these two bills: AB 388 and AB 387. (If you don't know who your State Representatives are, go here.)

Never surrender!

---

CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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

Read More...

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Demolition of Democracy This Week (Tuesday) in Wisconsin Assembly

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For Release: Monday - October 19, 2015

Massive Assault on Democracy and Accountability
of Politicians to Citizens Begins Tuesday

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, hyper-partisan majority Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly are poised to attempt to ram through measures that would:

1) Cripple the ability to effectively investigate and prosecute political corruption by state legislators and state-wide elected officials, including the Governor.

2) Eviscerate and destroy the non-partisan state agency charged with enforcement of state elections, campaign finance law, ethics and lobbying law.

3) Deregulate, almost completely, campaign finance law so that formerly illegal campaign coordination between candidates with outside special interest groups will be permitted (encouraged) and codified into law, far more secret money from outside of Wisconsin will influence our elections, and much more money will flow into the coffers of legislative leaders in the Capitol to quash dissent and hasten the possibility of further corruption and scandal.

This massive, coordinated blitzkrieg on democracy and transparency commences on Tuesday, when the Assembly will debate Assembly Bill 68, partisan legislation that would exempt politicians from being able to be investigated for misconduct in public office, bribery of public officials, theft, all violations of campaign finance laws, all election law offenses, corrupt means to influence legislators, extortion, private interest in public contract, lobby law violations, criminal violations of state ethics rules, false swearing, and those additional crimes that may occur when a John Doe investigation is underway, such as perjury, bribery of a witness, and tampering with public records. It is astonishing that such legislation was even contemplated, let alone about to be rammed through the Wisconsin Assembly.

Long-time (1968-2004) Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann, who investigated and prosecuted former Democratic State Senator Chuck Chvala of Madison during the infamous Legislative Caucus Scandal in 2002, has said he and other prosecutors would not have been able to uncover the corruption in the Capitol had this ill-advised and obviously self-serving legislation been the law at that time. McCann, a long-time member of the Common Cause in Wisconsin State Governing Board since retiring as D.A. in 2004, wrote this opinion-editorial against AB 68, which appears in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

For a more detailed explanation from McCann about what what is so wrong with this measure, how the John Doe process works, and why the Republicans are so intent on changing it, go here.

On Wednesday, the Republican legislative leaders in the Assembly have tentatively scheduled for a vote, Assembly Bill 388, the completely unjustified legislation premised on a long sequence of unsubstantiated charges, false premises and fabricated events, in order to destroy the non-partisan Government Accountability Board. Common Cause in Wisconsin has long opposed this legislation, which would replace six non-partisan, retired judges with 12 partisan hacks who will, instead, act at the bidding of partisan legislative leaders and the Governor. And the ability of the GAB to investigate corruption will be eviscerated. This legislation will ensure that Wisconsin's elections, campaign finance law, ethics and lobbying law will be enforced – not according to the law or for the public interest – but instead for narrow, partisan political advantage and to shield corruption.

We have already said a lot about the need to preserve the GAB, as is, and you can review it here, here, here, and here.

Here is Jay Heck's testimony against AB 388 delivered last week at the Capitol legislative hearing.

Also on Wednesday, the Assembly is scheduled to vote on Assembly Bill 387, the massive and secret hyper-partisan Republican re-write of Wisconsin's campaign finance law that was unveiled for the first time only 12 days ago and was made even worse that it was, as introduced, during a committee executive session on the legislation on October 15th. In short, Assembly Bill 387 will allow much more secret money from outside of Wisconsin to influence our elections and dictate our public policy-making process. It will codify into law formerly illegal campaign coordination and allow legislative leaders to collect unlimited money for their legislative campaign committee "slush funds," which they control and which will guarantee virtual complete dictatorial power over rank and file members and allow far more secret money to influence everything that happens in the State Capitol. Scandal should follow in the not-too-distant future.

To review why this legislation is so horrific for Wisconsin, go here, here, here, and here.

Here is Jay Heck's testimony against AB 387 delivered at the October 13th Capitol legislative hearing.

We must fight these measures now! Even if you have already done so, and particularly if you have not done so yet:

Call or email your State Senator AND State Representative TODAY and demand they oppose all three bills: AB 68, AB 388 and AB 387. (If you don't know who your state legislators are, go here.)

Spread this post far and wide. Act now!

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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

Read More...

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URGENT: WI GOP Fast-tracking Bills to Eviscerate nonpartisan GAB and "Deform" WI Campaign Finance Law

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URGENT CALL TO ACTION
Tuesday October 13, 2015

GOP Legislators Fast-Tracking Measures to
Eviscerate Non-Partisan GAB
&
Deregulate Campaign Finance Law and
Vastly Increase Secret Money

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) are fast-tracking several seriously damaging, partisan measures this week. One will destroy the non-partisan Government Accountability Board (GAB). Another will deregulate Wisconsin campaign finance law and allow unlimited money – most of it secret – to flood our elections.

The GOP scheduled a joint legislative public hearing for today – publishing the hearing notice just this past Friday night – for this hyper-partisan legislation. Two of the bills will dismantle and "partisanize" the GAB: Assembly Bill 388 and Senate Bill 294. Two other bills will deform campaign finance law by legalizing campaign coordination between candidates and issue advocacy groups, among other things: Assembly Bill 387 and Senate Bill 292.

Here is what you can do to help fight against this blatant assault on democracy:

Call or email your State Senator AND State Representative and demand they oppose all four bills. (If you don't know who your state legislators are, go here.)

Spread this post far and wide. Forward it to your friends and family, share the link on Facebook and Twitter!

To see a recent "debate" about the GOP's proposed changes to the GAB and Wisconsin campaign finance law between Jay Heck and a conservative blogger, go here.

To hear audio on why the campaign finance proposal is a bad idea, go here.

To read more on these issues and why they matter, go here, here, here and here.

Please take action today. Good government in Wisconsin depends on your active participation!

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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

Read More...

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Public Hearing This Tuesday, October 13th on Destruction of the GAB and Campaign Finance Deform Measures!

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IMMEDIATE ACTION ALERT
Saturday October 10, 2015

Very late Friday, when few people were paying attention, state legislative Republicans posted this notice for a public hearing on Tuesday, October 13th in the Capitol for measures to eviscerate the non-partisan GAB, and to destroy any meaningful contribution limits or limits on special interest money in WI elections, while effectively ending most disclosure and transparency of that money.

Because they have so little regard for you or for the public interest, the GOP has scheduled a "joint" hearing for Tuesday so they only have to hear from citizens opposed to these horrible measures just once and they will likely limit testimony. The two hyper-partisan bills that will destroy the GAB are Assembly Bill 388 and Senate Bill 294. The two that will deform campaign finance law are Assembly Bill 387 and Senate Bill 292.

Note: the hearing notice only mentions the Assembly bills. But the Senate bills are also the subject of the public hearing. Therefore, register to oppose both the Assembly and the Senate bills.

Here is what you must do to fight this assault on democracy:

1.) Show up, if you can, at the Capitol on Tuesday morning and register against all four bills (and testify against them if you can).

2.) Call or contact your State Senator & State Representative and demand they oppose all four bills. (If you don't know who your state legislators are, go here.)

3.) Spread this post far and wide. Hearing details are on the notice. Act now!

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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

Read More...

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Partisan GOP Campaign Finance Plan Released Yesterday Effectively Ends Contribution Limits, Disclosure and Transparency in WI Elections

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For Release: Thursday - October 8, 2015

GOP Campaign Finance Plan Essentially Deregulates
Campaign Finance Law in Wisconsin

Contribution Limits, Disclosure of Outside Spending and Illegal
Campaign Coordination – All Effectively Eviscerated

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), without notice or discussion with anyone other than his partisan allies, announced yesterday, the outline of the Republican campaign finance rewrite of the Wisconsin statutes, on the heels of announcing the destruction of the nonpartisan Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.

Vos talked a lot about requiring more campaign finance reporting by candidates and his intention to double 40-year old contribution limits to candidates. That's relatively minor stuff. But what he glossed over, and was nevertheless forced to admit, was that the GOP plan will open up Wisconsin elections to permit campaign coordination between candidates and outside special interest spending groups. This has been prohibited for decades in Wisconsin, until the State Supreme Court in July said such coordination was permissible. That court decision, which is likely to be successfully appealed, is an outlier in the nation.

No other federal or state court has ever gone as far as to say that such coordination was legal – not even the U.S. Supreme Court in the Citizens United decision of 2010.

The practical effect of that decision and of this measure put forward yesterday is that contribution limits to candidates, even if doubled, become meaningless under the law. If you can now contribute $2,000 to a State Senate candidate and you can coordinate with that candidate's campaign by contributing or spending unlimited money on a phony issue ad communication (by just carefully avoiding the use of the so-called "magic words" such as "vote for" or "defeat" or "support"), then the $2,000 contribution becomes meaningless. And besides, why would you even make such a contribution, when it has to be disclosed, while the unlimited money you spend on a campaign communication masquerading as "issue advocacy" does not have to be disclosed under current law?

The GOP "rewrite' further codifies into Wisconsin law that the source of funding for only express advocacy (magic words) communications must be disclosed. Phony issue ads can and will continue to escape reporting and disclosure requirements.

And this measure apparently will allow unlimited contributions from a political party or a legislative campaign committee to a candidate for any state office.

The other elements of the GOP plan are minor and of little or no consequence. The net effect of this plan is effectively the complete deregulation of campaign finance law in Wisconsin, including any meaningful transparency or disclosure. Much more money, in much larger amounts will flow.

If this measure becomes law, Wisconsin elections will be inundated by unlimited outside money, likely most of it from outside of Wisconsin, and the vast majority of that money will be secret, with the source unknown. Wisconsin voters will be relegated to the sidelines and democracy will be further diminished.

For more about this, go here, here and here.

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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

Read More...

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Hyper-Partisan Bomb to Destroy Nonpartisan GAB to be Dropped Today

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For Release: Wednesday - October 7, 2015

Hyper-Partisan Legislation Would Destroy the Nonpartisan
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board

Would Replace it With a Toothless Agency
Controlled by Partisan Legislative Leaders

The long, expected hyper-partisan measure to eviscerate the non-partisan Government Accountability Board (GAB) will be unleashed today in the State Capitol. It was concocted completely in secret, with no input from anyone other than other hyper-partisans and, if enacted into law, would fundamentally transform what was a nationally-admired model of effectiveness, efficiency and impartiality into a partisan, toothless backwater state agency completely under the control of partisan politicians.

This severe mockery of good public policy is being inflicted on Wisconsin for one reason – to destroy and then assert control over an agency that did what it was designed to do: oversee Wisconsin's election, campaign finance, ethics and lobbying laws impartially and with a degree of independence from micromanagement by partisan legislative leaders and their lackeys.

We haven't been invited to view the legislation yet, but reportedly:

Their measure "divides and conquers" the GAB by splitting it apart into two divisions: Elections and Ethics.

It eliminates the central feature of what made the GAB so impartial, effective and respected: the very board itself, comprised of six retired state judges chosen specifically for their impartiality and nonpartisan adherence to the rule of law. It replaces the judges with six partisan appointments – three Republicans and three Democrats for each division. Four of these appointments will be from the four partisan legislative leaders.

This is modeled after the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), arguably the most ineffective agency in the federal government. This is by design. 3 to 3 decisions by the FEC result in no action, compliance, or enforcement.

This measure also eliminates the most critical element of the GAB – the one that was absolutely the essential bedrock of the legislation in 2007 – its sum-sufficient stream of funding for GAB investigations for things like political corruption committed by legislators or governors. This measure would now make such funding subject to the approval of legislators. That would include legislators who might need to be investigated! Obviously, without this independence, the GAB becomes a partisan-controlled pawn. It won't be worth the office space it will occupy.

The GAB was the brainchild of a Republican State Senator, Michael G. Ellis of Neenah, the former State Senate Majority Leader, who worked closely with Common Cause in Wisconsin (CC/WI) and a number of other legislators of both political parties in the aftermath of the most serious political scandal in Wisconsin in the last hundred years – the Legislative Caucus Scandal. That scandal disgraced both major political parties and toppled from power the Republican Assembly Speaker (Scott Jensen), Majority Leader (Steve Foti), and Assistant Majority Leader (Bonnie Ladwig), as well as the Democratic State Senate Majority Leader (Chuck Chvala) and Senate Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee (Brian Burke), who was also a leading candidate for Wisconsin Attorney General in 2002.

The solution had to be a bipartisan one, given the nature of the Caucus Scandal and the fact that the Wisconsin Legislature in 2007 was under split control. Both sides agreed that the old State Elections Board and State Ethics Board had to go because they utterly failed to uncover and investigate the burgeoning corruption that was occurring under the Capitol dome during the late 1990's.

In a special session in January, 2007, the Republican-controlled Assembly created the GAB on a 97 to 2 vote and the Democratic-controlled State Senate did the same, unanimously, 33 to 0. Democratic Governor Jim Doyle signed the GAB measure into law. Every Republican legislator voted for it. It was considered and passed only after months of painstaking negotiation and compromise by legislative leaders of both parties, including then Republican Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, Republican Assistant Majority Leader Mark Gundrum, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, Republican Senator Mike Ellis, CC/WI and others. Neither side got all that it wanted. But in a moment of clarity and bipartisan cooperation, Republicans and Democrats created something very good for all of the citizens of Wisconsin – a strong, effective, impartial state agency with integrity.

The GAB did everything it was asked to do and more, including skillfully overseeing more than a dozen State Senate recall elections and a Gubernatorial recall election. Conservative hyper-partisans launched a number of unsubstantiated charges against the GAB – all of which have been refuted and proven to be without foundation. But that doesn't seem to matter to the authors of this monstrosity, led by Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester). Control and partisan advantage is all that matters to them.

There are currently 24 Republican legislators (12 State Senators and 12 State Representatives) who were in office in 2007 and who voted to create the non-partisan GAB. They will have to flip-flop and change their vote to support this hyper-partisan reincarnation of a completely impotent, toothless agency that the citizens of Wisconsin will have every reason to be ashamed of. Legislators are usually reluctant to reverse their position on any issue. But these 24 will have to do so to vote for this legislation. And they must be held accountable if they do. They will say "things changed" and that the GAB is "too partisan," and is a "rogue agency." None of these charges are the least bit true and all have been addressed and refuted.

It is absolutely essential that you contact both your State Senator and your State Representative and demand that they oppose this legislation and support the preservation of the non-partisan GAB "as is." If you are not sure who your legislators are, go here.

We have a chance to defeat this abomination, particularly in the State Senate, where we are within three votes of stopping it. But only if we act!

To watch why this attack on the GAB is so misguided, go here.

To read more about this issue and why it matters so much, go here, here, here, and here.

And please make your voice heard!

---

CONTACT:

Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)



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

Read More...

Intro only...

In the News - October 2015

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Scott Walker Signs Bill to Protect Corrupt Politicians
October 31, 2015 - Joshua De Leon, Ring of Fire
State's New Recipe For Ethics
October 30, 2015 - Matt Pommer, Waupaca County News
Wisconsin GOP abolishes John Doe probes, seeks other changes
October 30, 2015 - Scott Bauer, Associated Press
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Signs Law Limiting Investigations of Bribery and Political Misconduct
October 30, 2015 - All Gov
Kochs Hit the Airwaves in Support of WI Corruption Measures
October 29, 2015 - Brendan Fischer, PR Watch
Senate Republicans take cautious tack on GAB, campaign finance bills
October 29, 2015 - Mark Sommerhauser, Wisconsin State Journal
Tinkering with GAB a blatant act of manipulation
October 28, 2015 - Matt Johnson, La Crosse Tribune
Pommer: Shifting gears
October 28, 2015 - Matt Pommer, Lodi Enterprise
Scott Walker Passes Law to Prevent Political Corruption Investigations in Wisconsin
October 28, 2015 - K.J. McElrath, Ring of Fire
Changes from the State Capitol
October 27, 2015 - "Public Affair" Program WORT 89.9 FM, Madison
Groups decry Gov. Scott Walker’s rollback of watchdog laws
October 27, 2015 - Aliyah Frumin and Amanda Sakuma, MSNBC
Government watchdog group still hopeful GAB can be saved
October 26, 2015 - "Between the Lines" Program, Radio Plus
Walker and the Kochs Make Wisconsin Corruption-Friendly
October 26, 2015 - Justin Miller, The American Prospect
Wisconsin GOP abolishes John Doe probes, seeks other changes
October 24, 2015 - Washington Post
Reapportionment Reform Highlighted In Recent Florida Case
October 24, 2015 - Tim Kowols, Door County Daily News
Highlights of campaign finance, elections board bills
October 24, 2015 - Dispatch Times
Wisconsin Governor Signs Bill Limiting Political Corruption Inquiries
October 23, 2015 - Julie Bosman, The New York Times
10-23 Common Cause in Wisconsin Director Jay Heck
October 23, 2015 - "Between the Lines" Program, Radio Plus
State Assembly passes bill dissolving nonpartisan elections board
October 23, 2015 - Darrin Jackson, Huewire
Walker Signs Bill Blocking John Doe Investigations
October 23, 2015 - Shawn Johnson, Wisconsin Public Radio
Senate committee advances elections bills, but future remains uncertain
October 22, 2015 - Andrew Beckett, Wisconsin Radio Network
Off the campaign trail, Scott Walker is changing the way Wisconsin holds elections
October 22, 2015 - David Weigel, The Washington Post
Got Corruption?
October 21, 2015 - Lisa Kaiser, Shepherd Express
Scott Walker Is Ready To Turn Back The Clock On Ethics And Campaign Finance In Wisconsin
October 20, 2015 - Alice Ollstein, Think Progress
Matt Pommer: Shifting gears on Wisconsin elections
October 20, 2015 - Janesville Gazette
Four Perspectives On John Doe, GAB And Campaign Finance Bills (CC/WI Dir. Jay Heck's comments begin at 0:30:48)
October 20, 2015 - The Joy Cardin Show, Wisconsin Public Radio
Assembly set to take up campaign finance overhaul
October 20, 2015 - Bob Hague, Wisconsin Radio Network
OUR VIEW: Campaign bill helps the rich, powerful
October 20, 2015 - Editorial, Kenosha News
Jay Heck joins the guys to discuss new legislation brought on by the GOP.
October 19, 2015 - The Devils Advocates Radio Show, 92.1 The Mic, Madison
Major campaign finance reforms to be debated
October 19, 2015 - Jessie Arp, WISC TV Channel 3 News, Madison
Transparency Advocates At Odds With Wisconsin GOP Over Election Law Changes
October 19, 2015 - Shawn Johnson, Wisconsin Public Radio
Guest Column: E. Michael McCann: Don't exempt political corruption from effective prosecution
October 19, 2015 - E. Michael McCann, Wisconsin State Journal
Assembly To Vote On New Campaign Finance Bill This Week
October 19, 2015 - Tim Kowols, Door County Daily News
10-19 Common Cause in Wisconsin Director Jay Heck
October 19, 2015 - "Between the Lines" Program, Radio Plus
OP ED: Gutting John Doe law would hurt Wisconsin
October 18, 2015 - E. Michael McCann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
How Guns on Campus Became a Live Issue in Wisconsin
October 15, 2015 - Eric Kelderman, The Chronicle of Higher Education
GOP Fast-tracking Assembly Bill 388 and Other Partisan Measures
October 14, 2015 - Jan Miyasaki, 8 O'Clock Buzz - WORT 89.9 FM, Madison
Legislative hearing mulls dissolving state election board
October 14, 2015 - Scott Bauer, Associated Press
VIDEO: Joint Committees on Campaigns and Elections Public Hearing on Measures to Overhaul GAB and Campaign Finance, Voter Registration Law
CC/WI Dir. Jay Heck's testimony on GAB measure (A 388/SB 294) begins at 03:54:06; Heck's testimony on Campaign Finance measure (AB 387/SB 292) begins at 10:39:18. (Heck's full written testimony on AB 388/SB 292 is here and on AB 387/SB 292 is here)
October 13, 2015 - Wisconsin Eye
Matt Pommer: New recipe for elections oversight
October 13, 2015 - Janesville Gazette
Critics say campaign finance overhaul empowers outside groups, legislative leaders
October 13, 2015 - Mark Sommerhauser, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison
Budget co-chairs rake in big bucks
October 12, 2015 - Keegan Kyle, Appleton Post Crescent, Madison
Proposed GAB/campaign finance changes featured topic on Capitol City Sunday
October 12, 2015 - Greg Neumann, WKOW Channel 27, Madison
Wis. bill allows online voter registration
October 12, 2015 - Jason Smathers, Sheboygan Press
Plain Talk: GOP seeks to 'get even' with attack on GAB
October 12, 2015 - Dave Zweifel, The Capital Times
WI GOP Begins Retroactive Decriminalization of Scott Walker Fundraising
October 11, 2015 - Mary Bottari, Huffington Post
Watchdog wary of Wisconsin campaign finance law changes (AUDIO)
October 9, 2015 - Andrew Beckett, Wisconsin Radio Network
UPDATE: Walker appoints Bradley to Wisconsin Supreme Court, changes election landscape
October 9, 2015 - Wisconsin Gazette
Don't flood elections with secret money
October 9, 2015 - Editorial, Wisconsin State Journal
GOP proposal rewrites state's campaign finance laws
October 8, 2015 - Racine Journal Times
Republicans propose splitting Government Accountability Board into elections, ethics commissions
October 8, 2015 - La Crosse Tribune
Republican bill would significantly reshape Wisconsin's campaign finance law
October 8, 2015 - Jessie Opoien, The Capital Times
GOP proposal rewrites state's campaign finance laws
October 8, 2015 - Matthew DeFour, Wisconsin State Journal
OP-ED: Bill Would Kill Nonpartisan Accountability Board
October 7, 2015 - Jay Heck, Urban Milwaukee
Republicans propose splitting Government Accountability Board into elections, ethics commissions
October 7, 2015 - Mark Sommerhauser, Wisconsin State Journal
Republicans propose rewrite of state campaign finance law
October 7, 2015 - Greg Neumann, WKOW Channel 27, Madison
GOP seeks return to partisan ethics, election boards -
October 7, 2015 - Bill Lueders, Isthmus
Assembly Republicans propose campaign finance changes
October 7, 2015 - Andrew Beckett, Wisconsin Radio Network
Republicans To Reveal Plan To Break Up Government Accountability Board
October 7, 2015 - Shawn Johnson, Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin Supreme Court race could be referendum on Walker
October 5, 2015 - Scott Bauer, Associated Press
VIDEO: "We the People Saving Democracy" Public Forum - Oconomowoc, WI
October 3, 2015
Chris Rickert: Hope for Scott Walker's opponents, if not for Supreme Court elections
October 1, 2015 - Chris Rickert, Wisconsin State Journal

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