Hijacking Campaign 2008
Independent Expenditures
Posted: November 9, 2009
Updated: July 1, 2010
Listed below are the PACs that filed oaths with the Government Accountability Board indicating they intended to make independent expenditures in the 2008 fall elections. Links to information on past independent spending since 2000 are provided when available. Where applicable, issue ad, conduit and PAC contribution activity is provided.
Advancing Wisconsin
Total Independent Spending: $242,993
Independent Spending Rank: 2
Advancing Wisconsin, Inc. is organized to advocate and lobby on progressive issues in the coming legislative session as well as conduct an extensive door-to-door literature drop and canvassing operation in the 2008 elections. Advancing Wisconsin employs a number of Democratic Party stategists in Wisconsin, including Mike Tate and former Democratic Party of Wisconsin executive director, Meagan Mahaffey. It was active in a number of legislative districts as well as the presidential election. The targeted efforts included the hotly contested 42nd, 43rd, 47th, 49th, 57th, 80th and 90th Assembly Districts.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 21 | $10,643 | Assembly District 68 | $13,036 | |
| Assembly District 29 | $2,156 | Assembly District 80 | $1,991 | |
| Assembly District 30 | $1,314 | Assembly District 86 | $2,459 | |
| Assembly District 35 | $1,964 | Assembly District 88 | $22,158 | |
| Assembly District 37 | $11,872 | Assembly District 90 | $19,909 | |
| Assembly District 42 | $5,595 | Assembly District 92 | $1,610 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $8,038 | Assembly District 93 | $9,605 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $5,736 | Assembly District 94 | $2,527 | |
| Assembly District 49 | $3,473 | Assembly District 96 | $2,058 | |
| Assembly District 50 | $1,909 | Senate District 8 | $39,630 | |
| Assembly District 51 | $3,300 | Senate District 12 | $2,204 | |
| Assembly District 55 | $9,304 | Senate District 18 | $28,464 | |
| Assembly District 57 | $16,676 | Senate District 32 | $15,361 |
Club for Growth Wisconsin
Total Independent Spending: $13,500
Independent Spending Rank: 11
This PAC is sponsored by the state arm of the national Club for Growth, an organization that raises and spends millions of dollars to support Republican candidates for federal office. Like other national Republican- and Democratic-leaning groups, Club for Growth uses negative ads and other outside electioneering activities to influence elections.
In 2007 Club for Growth Wisconsin kicked off its first electioneering activities ever in a state political race with a phony issue ad campaign in that year’s state Supreme Court contest followed by another such campaign in the 2008 Supreme Court race. It was also involved in issue ads in the fall 2008 general election.
The Club for Growth reported independent expenditures for the first time in 2008.
Spending on:
Assembly District 42 $13,500
Issue Ad Activity: 2008 • 2008 Supreme Court • 2007 Supreme Court
Fair Wisconsin
Total Independent Spending: $1,875
Independent Spending Rank: 18
This political action committee of Action Wisconsin in Madison and Center Advocates in Milwaukee first formed to do independent expenditures in the 2007 Supreme Court Elections in support of Linda Clifford. Fair Wisconsin was previously registered as a referendum group in 2006 to campaign against a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions in Wisconsin. In the 2008 election it supported Democrats in nine hotly contested legislative races.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 29 | $192 | Assembly District 88 | $158 | |
| Assembly District 30 | $306 | Assembly District 93 | $260 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $280 | Senate District 18 | $114 | |
| Assembly District 49 | $304 | Senate District 32 | $128 | |
| Assembly District 57 | $134 |
Past Independent Expenditures: 2007
Fond du Lac PAC
Total Independent Spending: $0
Independent Spending Rank: Not Applicable
This is the political action committee of the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce which claims to represent more than 900 businesses. The PAC filed oaths in support of two Fond du Lac area Republican candidates, Representative John Townsend, the incumbent in Assembly District 52, and Randy Hopper, candidate in Senate District 18, the seat vacated by Senator Carol Roessler in spring 2008. Randy Hopper is also a member of the association’s board of directors.
No reported independent spending
Past Independent Spending: 2000
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $500
Greater Wisconsin Committee PAC
Total Independent Spending: $83,497
Independent Spending Rank: 4
This is the political action committee of a Milwaukee-based group formed in mid-2004 that uses negative radio, television and newspaper advertising and mailings to support Democratic candidates and oppose Republican candidates. The group draws its cash from labor, lawyer, tribal and business interests.
The PAC reported spending over $16,000 in advertising related expenses supporting Nick Milroy’s bid for the Democratic nomination in Assembly District 73.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 42 | $1,311 | Assembly District 73 | $16,083 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $48,707 | Assembly District 80 | $17,397 |
Past Independent Spending: 2008 • 2007 • 2006
Issue Ad Activity: 2008 • 2008 Supreme Court • 2007 • 2006 • 2004
Keep Our North Strong
Total Independent Spending: $65,255
Independent Spending Rank: 5
This is a new Madison-based group that reported expenditures against Republican candidate Tom Tiffany in the 12th Senate District. In 2004 Tiffany ran against incumbent Roger Breske who recently left the seat after eighteen years to take accept a gubernatorial appointment. In the 2008 race Tiffany faced Democrat Jim Holperin, a former state legislator and more recently Governor Doyle’s tourism secretary.
The Committee to Elect a Republican Senate (CERS) accused Keep Our North Strong of illegal coordination of electioneering activities with Holperin on the basis of a complaint filed with the Government Accountability Board (GAB) on October 21. The complaint claimed the group illegally made campaign disbursements on behalf of Holperin before filing an oath with the GAB. In fact the GAB only received the group’s oath on October 21, the same day the complaint was filed, while the group reported it spent more than $65,000 on television ads on October 13.
In June 2009, responding to the complaint filed by CERS, the GAB found insufficent evidence to support a claim of illegal collusion between the two committees, but the GAB did fine Keep Our North Strong $500 for failing to fine a timely oath.
Spending on:
Senate District 12 $65,255
Milwaukee Police Association PAC
Total Independent Spending: $525
Independent Spending Rank: 19
The Milwaukee Police Association is the union for the City of Milwaukee police officers. In 2006 the association’s PAC spent $1,683 on behalf of Milwaukee area candidates from both parties. It favored the Republican candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general in 2006 as it did in 2002. No expenditures were reported in 2000 or 2004. In the spring 2008 Supreme Court race the PAC made independent expenditures on a newspaper ad supporting then-incumbent Justice Louis Butler, who is from Milwaukee.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 7 | $44 | Assembly District 19 | $44 | |
| Assembly District 9 | $44 | Assembly District 20 | $44 | |
| Assembly District 12 | $44 | Assembly District 21 | $44 | |
| Assembly District 13 | $44 | Assembly District 82 | $44 | |
| Assembly District 14 | $44 | Senate District 4 | $44 | |
| Assembly District 15 | $44 | Senate District 8 | $44 |
Past Independent Spending: 2008 Supreme Court • 2006 • 2002
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $3,300
MTI Voters (Madison Teachers Inc)
Total Independent Spending: $2,655
Independent Spending Rank: 17
MTI Voters is the political action committee of the Madison Teachers Inc., a union for Madison area public school teachers. The union endorses and campaigns for pro-public education candidates in the Madison area and financially supports them through its PAC. It supports candidates who have pledged to remove revenue controls and the "Qualified Economic Offer" law which they say usurps local control and erodes the quality of education.
The PAC prefers to make direct contributions to candidates having made very limited independent expenditures in recent years. 2004 was the last time it made any independent expenditures in a legislative campaign. More recently, MTI Voters made approximately $18,000 and $3,000 in independent expenditures in the 2003 and 2007 Supreme Court campaigns respectively and about $2,000 in the 2005 Superintendent of Public Instruction race. All the Supreme Court candidates backed by MTI Voters lost.
In 2008 it supported the Democratic challenger in Assembly District 80 and the Democratic contestant for the open seat in Assembly District 47.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 47 | $1,305 |
| Assembly District 80 | $1,350 |
Past Independent Spending: 2007 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $18,500
NRA Political Victory Fund
Total Independent Spending: $13,876
Independent Spending Rank: 9
The NRA Political Victory Fund is the political action committee of the Virginia-based National Rifle Association. The committee supports pro-gun candidates mainly through independent spending.
The NRA does not appear to have filed an oath or reports of independent spending during the 2008 election. In February 2009, the NRA reported spending $13,876 to print and mail brochures to support Republican candidates in 21 legislative races, including $1,865 on behalf of 12th Senate District candidate Tom Tiffany and $1,525 to support 18th Senate District candidate Randy Hopper.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 7 | $305 | Assembly District 80 | $459 | |
| Assembly District 26 | $312 | Assembly District 87 | $385 | |
| Assembly District 36 | $486 | Assembly District 88 | $354 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $623 | Assembly District 92 | $629 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $545 | Assembly District 93 | $452 | |
| Assembly District 49 | $723 | Assembly District 96 | $583 | |
| Assembly District 54 | $468 | Senate District 8 | $491 | |
| Assembly District 57 | $378 | Senate District 12 | $1,865 | |
| Assembly District 65 | $289 | Senate District 18 | $1,525 | |
| Assembly District 68 | $843 | Senate District 32 | $1,383 | |
| Assembly District 74 | $779 |
Past Independent Spending: 2008 Supreme Court • 2004 • 2002 • 2000
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $2,000
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin
Total Independent Spending: $25,104
Independent Spending Rank: 8
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is a statewide political action committee formed in 2002 to make independent expenditures on behalf of candidates who support a woman’s right to choose whether to have an abortion.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 8 | $635 | Assembly District 74 | $182 | |
| Assembly District 16 | $580 | Assembly District 88 | $1,604 | |
| Assembly District 17 | $580 | Assembly District 89 | $1,046 | |
| Assembly District 20 | $2,137 | Assembly District 90 | $1,604 | |
| Assembly District 22 | $635 | Assembly District 91 | $1,791 | |
| Assembly District 24 | $92 | Assembly District 93 | $1,138 | |
| Assembly District 28 | $1,046 | Assembly District 94 | $1,513 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $1,157 | Assembly District 96 | $1,010 | |
| Assembly District 49 | $1,604 | Senate District 8 | $654 | |
| Assembly District 51 | $1,138 | Senate District 18 | $92 | |
| Assembly District 57 | $1,623 | Senate District 30 | $1,604 | |
| Assembly District 72 | $127 | Senate District 32 | $1,513 |
Past Independent Spending:
2008 Supreme Court • 2007 • 2006 • 2004 • 2002 • 2000
Planned Parenthood Votes
Total Independent Spending: $4,760
Independent Spending Rank: 15
According to Planned Parenthood Wisconsin this is a new PAC, the fourth active PAC associated with Planned Parenthood. Apparently it takes the place of the Planned Parenthood Action fund which made independent expenditures in 2004 and 2006. In 2008 Planned Parenthood Votes supported Democrats in eleven races, nine in the Assembly and two in the Senate.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 22 | $476 | Assembly District 68 | $476 | |
| Assembly District 23 | $214 | Assembly District 91 | $476 | |
| Assembly District 24 | $476 | Assembly District 93 | $262 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $476 | Senate District 8 | $476 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $476 | Senate District 18 | $476 | |
| Assembly District 54 | $476 |
SEIU Wisconsin State Council
Total Independent Spending: $0
Independent Spending Rank: Not applicable
The political action committee of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union which represents health care, homecare, nursing home, public service and building service workers in Wisconsin. This is the fourth consecutive fall election in which it has at least made known its intention to make independent expenditures. It did not, however, report making any.
No reported independent spending
Past Independent Spending: 2006 • 2004 • 2002
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $7,273
UAW Janesville-Madison PAC
Total Independent Spending: $4,544
Independent Spending Rank: 16
These are the first reported independent expenditures by this local branch of the United Auto Workers. In 2008 they ran radio ads supporting five Democratic candidates for the Assembly.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 37 | $909 | Assembly District 49 | $909 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $909 | Assembly District 80 | $909 | |
| Assembly District 45 | $909 |
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $7,500
Volunteers for Agriculture
Total Independent Spending: $12,970
Independent Spending Rank: 12
This political action committee is used by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation to support candidates support the bureau’s position on agricultural issues. Volunteers for Agriculture has engaged in independent spending since 2000 through newspaper and radio ads and direct mail.
In 2006, the committee made independent expenditures for the gubernatorial, attorney general, and 8 legislative races totaling nearly $160,000.
Its last reported independent expenditure activity was in spring 2008 when it placed ads in several farm publications in support of Judge Gableman for state Supreme Court.
In the 2008 election the committee supported fourteen candidates in twelve Assembly and two Senate seats. All but one of the candidates were Republicans. The lone Democrat was Andy Jorgensen, the incumbent in Assembly District 37.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 29 | $401 | Assembly District 51 | $1,122 | |
| Assembly District 30 | $398 | Assembly District 80 | $1,821 | |
| Assembly District 36 | $348 | Assembly District 87 | $971 | |
| Assembly District 37 | $1,251 | Assembly District 94 | $98 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $2,981 | Assembly District 96 | $415 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $997 | Senate District 10 | $798 | |
| Assembly District 50 | $859 | Senate District 32 | $512 |
Past Independent Spending:
2008 Supreme Court •2006 • 2004 • 2002 • 2000
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $3,500
WEAC PAC
Total Independent Spending: $2,099,984
Independent Spending Rank: 1
The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) represents public school teachers, educational support personnel, technical college employees, and student teachers in Wisconsin. WEAC is among the largest direct contributors candidates for statewide office and the legislature. It also spends substantial sums on independent expenditures and issue ads.
WEAC spent about $2 million on independent expenditures in the 2006 election-- most of that in opposition to the Republican candidate for governor -- and nearly $350,000 in the 2008 Supreme Court election.
In the 2008 fall election, WEAC indicated it would make independent expenditures in 61 assembly districts and 8 senate districts but only reported spending in five Assembly districts.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 2 | $276,488 | Assembly District 68 | $406,322 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $539,660 | Assembly District 96 | $364,382 | |
| Assembly District 47 | $513,132 |
Past Independent Spending:
2008 Supreme Court • 2006 • 2004 • 2002 • 2000
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $39,531
Minimum conduit contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $98,107
Winnebagoland Uniserv PAC
Total Independent Spending: $5,800
Independent Spending Rank: 14
UniServ (regional association) of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) that represents public school teachers, educational support personnel, technical college employees, and student teachers in the Fond du Lac/Southern Lake Winnebago area. In 2004 the PAC made expenditures in three area Assembly districts.
In 2008 this PAC did radio ads supporting two Democratic candidates in the Fond du Lac area.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 54 | $2,900 |
| Senate District 18 | $2,900 |
Past Independent Spending: 2004 • 2000
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $3,000
Wisconsin Credit Union League Action Fund (WCULAF)
Total Independent Spending: $0
Independent Spending Rank: Not Applicable.
Wisconsin Credit Union League Action Fund (WCULAF) is the political action committee for the 264 member Wisconsin credit union trade assocation. While the Credit Union League has a long history of supporting state candidates through both its PAC and its conduit, this is the first time WDC has seen independent expenditures from WCULAF in state legislative elections.
WCULAF indicated it would support three Democratic and three Republican incumbents -- Senators Wirch (D), Hansen (D), and Kapanke (R) and Representatives Hixson (D), Davis (R) and Nerison (R) -- but reported no spending.
No Reported Spending
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $19,250
Minimum conduit contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $11,402
Wisconsin Hospitals PAC
Total Independent Spending: $13,608
Independent Spending Rank: 10
Wisconsin Hospitals PAC (formerly Healthy Wisconsin PAC) is the political action committee of the Wisconsin Health and Hospital Association. It not only makes independent expenditures but also makes direct contributions to candidates. The Wisconsin Health and Hospital Association also has a conduit through which its individual members can make candidate contributions; it made more than $171,000 in such contributions to candidates during the 2005-2006 election cycle. In 2006 they spent $11,728 on independent expenditures in 15 legislative races.
In 2008 the Hospitals Assocation PAC supported five Republican and six Democratic legislative candidates. All the candidates it supported were incumbents with one important and confusing exception. In the 49th Assembly District the PAC reported independent expenditures supporting both Democratic incumbent Phil Garthwaite and Republican challenger Travis Tranel.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 37 | $1,237 | Assembly District 80 | $1,237 | |
| Assembly District 43 | $1,237 | Assembly District 88 | $1,237 | |
| Assembly District 49 | $2,474 | Assembly District 93 | $1,237 | |
| Assembly District 60 | $1,237 | Senate District 12 | $1,237 | |
| Assembly District 68 | $1,237 | Senate District 30 | $1,237 |
Past Independent Spending: 2006 • 2004 • 2002
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $8,750
Minimum conduit contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $108,758
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters
Total Independent Spending: $106,254
Independent Spending Rank: 3
This is the political action committee of the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, a pro-environment organization group that seeks to influence the state’s legislative agenda by producing environmental "scorecards" for legislators and electing candidates favorable to the group’s goals.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 28 | $4,723 | Assembly District 57 | $12,436 | |
| Assembly District 34 | $17,433 | Assembly District 73 | $9,588 | |
| Assembly District 36 | $12,209 | Assembly District 93 | $4,703 | |
| Assembly District 42 | $17,159 | Senate District 12 | $15,677 | |
| Assembly District 53 | $12,068 | Senate District 18 | $258 |
Past Independent Spending: 2006 • 2004 • 2002
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $4,100
Wisconsin Professional Police Association
Total Independent Spending: $57,875
Independent Spending Rank: 7
The Wisconsin Professional Police Association claims to be the state’s largest law enforcement lobbying group representing 11,000 active and retired officers from more than 375 police departments.
The group planned to purchase billboard ads supporting four legislative candidates, three Democrats and one Republican, the PAC characterized as willing to"fight to keep the state’s fiscal crisis from compromising the quality of public safety services available in our communities."
Spending on:
| Assembly District 1 | $8,018 | Assembly District 47 | $10,785 | |
| Assembly District 28 | $3,967 | Assembly District 91 | $11,490 | |
| Assembly District 35 | $5,145 | Senate District 12 | $18,470 |
Past Independent Spending: 2006 • 2004 • 2002
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $3,000
Wisconsin Right to Life
Total Independent Spending: $8,411
Independent Spending Rank: 13
This is statewide, anti-abortion advocacy group has engaged in outside electioneering activities since the 2000 elections, making a total of $100,029 in independent expenditures in races for legislative and statewide offices. It also sponsored phony issue ads in the 2004 and 2006 elections, spending an estimated $30,000 on a 60-second radio in the 2006 governor’s race.
Spending on:
Past Independent Spending: 2006 • 2003 • 2002 • 2000
Issue Ad Activity: 2006 • 2004 • 2000
Direct PAC contributions to 2008 candidates 2007-2008: $425
Wisconsin Sierra Club Education Committee
Total Independent Spending: $0
Independent Spending Rank: Not Applicable
The Sierra Club, a pro-environment membership organization with a major focus on lobbying, has been making independent expenditures since the 1996 election cycle and helped pioneer the use of "issue ads."
In 2006 the PAC supported long-time member and environmental advocate Penny Bernard Schaber in her bid for the 57th Assembly District seat and reported its intent to do so again in 2008. It also indicated an interest in three Senate and 12 other Assembly races, but did not, in the end, report any spending.
No reported independent spendingPast Independent Spending: 2006 • 2002 • 2000
Working Families PAC
Total Independent Spending: $64,753
Independent Spending Rank: 6
This PAC first appeared in 2006 when it supported then-incumbent Republican Senators Tom Reynolds and Robert Brown of the 5th and 31st districts respectively. There is a labor-based Working Families Party with chapters in New York State, Connecticut and Oregon, but its emphasis on working-class, middle-class, and poor people issues suggests there is no connection to the similarly named Wisconsin PAC.
In the current election the group opposed the Democratic challengers to John Murtha and Dan Kapanke, the Republican incumbents in Assembly District 29 and Senate District 32 respectively.
Spending on:
| Assembly District 29 | $39,633 |
| Senate District 32 | $25,120 |
Past Independent Spending: 2006
