Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Issue of the Week: When Money Talks
The national media got part of the story right. Last week's recall election was highly influenced by the $80 million spent on campaign ads, mailers, robocalls and ongoing fundraising efforts.
But while national reporters pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial Citizens United for the historic influx of cash, Wisconsin's campaign finance and recall statutes are the root of the problem.
Wisconsin's recall provision in the state constitution allows the targeted official to raise unlimited sums of money to mount a defense of that recall until the election is certified. That enabled Gov. Scott Walker to raise $30 million from around the country, far more than he or any other candidate could raise under regular campaign finance laws.
Walker exploited the laws to create a big advantage. One of his supporters filed recall papers early, so that Walker could start collecting contributions before the organized, official recall committee could launch its signature-collection efforts. Walker continued raising funds from out of state and blanketed the airwaves with ads long before the almost 1 million signatures were turned in to the Government Accountability Board (GAB) and his opponents could begin their campaigns.
Technically, Walker's unlimited donations were supposed to be used for the defense of the recall, and could only be collected until the GAB certified the recall election. But, again, Walker was able to exploit loopholes in the law. According to One Wisconsin Now, he collected the “unlimited” sums even after the GAB called the election because he allegedly incurred so many expenses related to the recall.
At the same time, Walker transferred more than $160,000 from his campaign account to his criminal defense fund for legal expenses resulting from the ongoing John Doe investigation. Here, too, Walker exploited some loopholes. While state law requires him to get the permission of his donors to transfer campaign contributions to his defense fund, he didn't need to get that permission in writing or itemize those transfers on his campaign finance statement. As a result, Wisconsin voters may never know who is paying for his criminal defense attorneys.
So while Citizens United may be an issue when it comes to the influence of money in campaigns, another big problem is much closer to home. While we don't anticipate that legislators are going to trip over themselves to fix a campaign finance system that ultimately benefits them, it would be the right thing to do. Wisconsin voters deserve more transparency and accountability from our elected officials. We need to know who is paying for campaign expenses and underwriting criminal defense attorneys so that we know who our elected officials are beholden to. A clean, fair campaign finance system will ultimately lead to a cleaner, fairer government.
Heroes of the Week: Good Neighbor Project Volunteers
One of several efforts organized by Interfaith Older Adult Programs (600 W. Virginia St.), the Good Neighbor Project matches volunteers with nearby older adults who need assistance with maintaining their properties. Volunteers help with shoveling snow in winter and cutting grass and doing general yard chores in the spring, summer and fall.
The Good Neighbor Project welcomes long- and short-term commitments from both individuals and groups. There is a waiting list of seniors requesting assistance. Readers interested in helping older adults in their area are encouraged to call 414-220-8648 or visit www.interfaithmilw.org for more information.
But while national reporters pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial Citizens United for the historic influx of cash, Wisconsin's campaign finance and recall statutes are the root of the problem.
Wisconsin's recall provision in the state constitution allows the targeted official to raise unlimited sums of money to mount a defense of that recall until the election is certified. That enabled Gov. Scott Walker to raise $30 million from around the country, far more than he or any other candidate could raise under regular campaign finance laws.
Walker exploited the laws to create a big advantage. One of his supporters filed recall papers early, so that Walker could start collecting contributions before the organized, official recall committee could launch its signature-collection efforts. Walker continued raising funds from out of state and blanketed the airwaves with ads long before the almost 1 million signatures were turned in to the Government Accountability Board (GAB) and his opponents could begin their campaigns.
Technically, Walker's unlimited donations were supposed to be used for the defense of the recall, and could only be collected until the GAB certified the recall election. But, again, Walker was able to exploit loopholes in the law. According to One Wisconsin Now, he collected the “unlimited” sums even after the GAB called the election because he allegedly incurred so many expenses related to the recall.
At the same time, Walker transferred more than $160,000 from his campaign account to his criminal defense fund for legal expenses resulting from the ongoing John Doe investigation. Here, too, Walker exploited some loopholes. While state law requires him to get the permission of his donors to transfer campaign contributions to his defense fund, he didn't need to get that permission in writing or itemize those transfers on his campaign finance statement. As a result, Wisconsin voters may never know who is paying for his criminal defense attorneys.
So while Citizens United may be an issue when it comes to the influence of money in campaigns, another big problem is much closer to home. While we don't anticipate that legislators are going to trip over themselves to fix a campaign finance system that ultimately benefits them, it would be the right thing to do. Wisconsin voters deserve more transparency and accountability from our elected officials. We need to know who is paying for campaign expenses and underwriting criminal defense attorneys so that we know who our elected officials are beholden to. A clean, fair campaign finance system will ultimately lead to a cleaner, fairer government.
Heroes of the Week: Good Neighbor Project Volunteers
One of several efforts organized by Interfaith Older Adult Programs (600 W. Virginia St.), the Good Neighbor Project matches volunteers with nearby older adults who need assistance with maintaining their properties. Volunteers help with shoveling snow in winter and cutting grass and doing general yard chores in the spring, summer and fall.
The Good Neighbor Project welcomes long- and short-term commitments from both individuals and groups. There is a waiting list of seniors requesting assistance. Readers interested in helping older adults in their area are encouraged to call 414-220-8648 or visit www.interfaithmilw.org for more information.
Your still an Idiot. the walker Money is Dirty and you know it and so does the special prosicution. What are you T.E.A. (haters of the America/Wisconsin) going to do when scotty goes to jail? I know you will wate foe Clown wtmj and Clown sykes and Clown wagner to mislead you into using real bullets.
Organized corporations will always concentrate their "invested political outcome" money behind the candidate of their choice. Unorganized labor will always divide their money among many competing and diverse and narrow issue candidates, they will not stand a chance.
You say there are plenty of non-union companies that treat their workers well, no more Unions needed? I got news for you... these companies treat their workers well ONLY because of their FEAR of their workers organizing. Also because of Federal regulations like OSHA and the EPA. Business owners would like to see those agencies killed off as well, but they aren't going to broadcast that loud and clear to the public, (who still has a right to Vote, whether they use it or not). They also FEAR the working class vote than can come back and over-rule their top 0.1%.
Realize that when the Unions are all killed off, and the states are all converted to "Right To Work" states, the next step is to change laws so that Unions cannot even get a foothold in a business, will no longer be able to organize. When the employers have no fear of workers organizing, then watch the benefits fall by the wayside. No more Health Insurance, no more paid vacation or sick days. No more internal memos to let you know what's going on in your company.
When all the Unions have been cut off from their source of working class money, then their will be no more workers money going to PACs -- The working class needs to find a way to spend some on candidate support and lobbying, it's the only way to get their lawmakers to listen to what they have to say.
WaukeshaGuy,
The left is spinning this completely wrong. They would be much smarter to point out what a waste it was to spend all that money and only gain a percentage point in the recall. The working class still has a voice and until a dollar actually equals a vote then it's much ado about nothing. The dems are trying to pin the loss on the money infiltrating politics while the president is raising 2 mil by hanging out with Sarah Jessica Parker. Give it a rest.