Listed below are the PACs that reported independent expenditures in the 2003 special elections. Links to information on any past independent spending between 2000 and 2002 are provided when available.

Total Spent on 2003 Special Elections: $5,000

This political action committee is associated with the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. WMC does its reported independent spending through this group. However, its activities are minimal compared with the massive spending WMC does through its phony "issue ads."

Spending on: Assembly District 21

Total Spent on 2003 Special Elections: $439

Sponsored by the Milwaukee chapter of the Human Rights League for Lesbians and Gays, this PAC seeks to elect candidates who will defend and promote equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals. The candidate it supported -- Joel Brennan -- lost the Democratic primary to the eventual winner of the general election.

Spending on: Senate District 7

Total Spent on 2003 Special Elections: $46

Political action committee of Service Employees Union (SEIU), a labor union which primarily represents health care workers in public and private employment in Wisconsin.

Spending on: Assembly District 21

Total Spent on 2003 Special Elections: $27,487

This is the political committee of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau an organization devoted to agricultural interests and claims a Wisconsin membership of more than 48,000 families. It is affiliated with the American Farm Bureau.

In the 71st Assembly District, its candidate -- Jesse J. Higgins -- lost the Democratic primary to the eventual winner of the general election.

Spending on: Assembly District 21 and 71 and Senate District 24

Total Spent on 2003 Special Elections: $52,965

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 contributors in Wisconsin politics.

Spending on: Assembly District 21

Total Spent on 2003 Special Elections: $1,481

WI Right to Life is a pro-life advocacy organization. Independent spending has been its preferred method of operation for many years as it very seldom makes any direct contributions to candidates.

Spending on: Senate Districts 7 and 24

Wisconsin Citizen Action, a public interest organization, spent undisclosed amounts on an issue ad campaign that started July 11. The advertisements on Milwaukee-area television stations tout Al Foeckler (D-Assembly District 21) as the best qualified candidate to find ways to lower health care costs and control property tax increases.

Representing over 4200 members, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce is the state's largest pro-business lobbying organization. It uses its PAC, Concerned Business and Industry, and its conduit, Capitol Gains Club, to make direct contributions to candidates. Concerned Business and Industry has also done independent expenditures in the past.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce spent over $15,000 on radio ads opposing Al Foeckler, the Democratic candidate for the 21st Assembly District. The ads began on July 1. WMC claimed these were "issue ads" and exempt from the same reporting requirements as independent expenditures. The ads claimed that Foeckler opposed the proposed proprty tax freeze. You can read or listen to the first ad's text or listen to the the second one.

WMC (as Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce) also sent out two mailings similar to its radio ads that framed the special election as a referendum on the property tax freeze plan majority Republicans in the Legislature inserted in the proposed 2003-05 state budget and sent to Governor Jim Doyle.

The mailings encouraged readers to contact Doyle and ask him not to veto the freeze, as well as identifying Foeckler as being opposed to the freeze and Republican opponent Mark Honadel as being in its favor. (First mailer, second mailer.)

WMC is also sponsored a phone campaign which portrayed Foeckler as an opponent of the property tax freeze before telling the listener to call Governor Doyle and encourage him to sign on to the freeze. (Listen to the message.)

WMC's PAC, Concerned Business and Industry, also reported making independent expenditures in favor of Honadel.