Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
August 7, 2025
Based in Milwaukee, Fair Elections Wisconsin, Inc. was first organized in January 2025 and first registered with the Wisconsin State Ethics Commission to make independent expenditures later that March. The organization raised $52,500 from just eight contributors, seven individuals and one corporation. Over half of that sum came from just two contributors, Michael Hupy of the law firm Hupy and Abraham at $20,000 and the Wisconsin Center for Election Justice at $18,000. The latter was established in 2021 and claims that it advocates for “transparent, fair, and accurate elections across the state” of Wisconsin. The registered agent for the Wisconsin Center for Election Justice is Daniel J. Eastman, a Mequon attorney who was involved in Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
The committee first reported activity in the April 1st Wisconsin State Supreme Court election at the end of July even though it made its first expenditures in the race in late February, about six weeks before the election. In total, it spent about $48,000 towards online advertising, canvassing, campaign literature and other expenses.
Fair Elections Wisconsin supported Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge and former Republican Wisconsin State Attorney General Brad Schimel against Democratically backed Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford for an open seat on the high court. Going into the election, liberals enjoyed a 4-3 majority on the court that they had won in 2023. A Schimel victory would have given control back to conservatives. Crawford won the contest ensuring liberal control of the court.
This organization is registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as an independent expenditure committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.