Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: March 4, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This Washington D.C. group supports Democratic candidates for federal and state offices.  n Wisconsin, the group sponsors disclosed independent expenditures through a Super-PAC that must file reports with the state about how much it spends on its electioneering activities.

For Our Future was formed in 2016 by billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer and national labor groups and spent about $128,000 in Wisconsin that year. In 2018 the group reported spending over $1 million in Wisconsin elections.

At the beginning of March it reported spending nearly $80,000 on canvassing and printing expenses to support Court of Appeals Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer for the state Supreme Court. Neubauer ran against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn - the eventual winner - to fill the seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

By the time of the April 2 election it had reported spending about an additional $81,500 for online advertising and robocalls.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: March 4, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This is a Washington, D.C.-based organization that was organized in 2014 and works with state-based groups throughout the country to advance numerous Democratic causes, including worker rights, immigration, racial and economic justice, gerrymandering, and voting rights, among others.

It first reported spending on literature and canvassing costs to support Court of Appeals Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer for the state Supreme Court at the beginning of March. Neubauer ran against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn - the eventual winner - to fill the seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: March 4, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This is an unregistered committee controlled by the Washington D.C.-based Service Employees International Union - SEIU.  The committee, which does not have to report the source or amount of its fundraising to the state, first made  independent expenditures in Wisconsin elections on behalf of Democratic candidates in 2018.

At the end of February, 2019 it reported spending on canvassing and brochures to support Court of Appeals Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer for the state Supreme Court. Neubauer ran in the April 2 election against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn to fill the seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. Hagedorn won the election.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: March 18, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending
Special: Oath • Spending

This committee is used by Planned Parenthood, which is the leading advocate and provider of reproductive health care for women in the state and the nation, to make independent expenditures to support Democratic candidates in legislative and statewide races in Wisconsin.

Spring

In mid-March it first reported spending $120,000 for online advertising and canvassing expenses to support Court of Appeals Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer for the state Supreme Court held on April 2. A few days later it reported addtional spending on Facebook and Twitter advertisements. Neubauer ran against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn, the eventual winner, to fill the seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

Special

The same time it was making independent expenditures in the state Supreme Court race, it also reported spending on Facebook ads in support of Gina Walkington, one of three Democrats running in the special election primary for the 64th Assembly District seat in Kenosha. She lost in the primary.

The seat had been left vacant when the incumbent, Democrat Rep. Peter Barca, left to take a position with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers's new administration. The Democratic primary for that seat was on April 2, the same day as the Supreme Court election.

About five days before the April 30 special election in Kenosha, it reported spending $100 on Facebook ads to support the Democratic candidate and eventual winner Thaddeus "Tip" McGuire.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: April 1, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This committee makes independent expenditures in Wisconsin elections for the Virginia-based American Majority Action, which was created in 2010 to recruit and support conservative candidates for state and local races across the country. 

The group started spending money in Wisconsin state elections during the 2012 recall races. It was also among the sponsors of a protest in early 2011 at the State Capitol to support former Republican Gov. Scott Walker and his controversial plan to slash public employee collective bargaining rights.

About a week before the April 2 spring elections, the committee, which has a Mequon, Wis. address, spent about $16,100 on staff and brochures in support of Appeals Court Judge Brian Hagedorn. Hagedorn faced fellow Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer for an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Hagedorn won the election.

About two weeks after the election it reported spending over an additional $11,000.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: April 1, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This unregistered committee is run by the Milwaukee-based Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant rights group that provides employment and legal services and citizenship and language training to immigrant and low-wage workers.

The group is active in both state and local elections, spending about $205,000 between 2010 and 2018 through its registered independent expenditure committee and this unregistered committee to support Democratic and liberal candidates in Wisconsin state races.

A week before the April 2 spring elections, this committee dropped about $4,700 on radio ads to support Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer. Neubauer ran against fellow Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn for an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Hagedorn won the election.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: April 1, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending
Special: Oath • Spending

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union which represents health care, home care, nursing home, public service and building service workers in Wisconsin.

Spring

A day before the April 2nd Supreme Court election the organization first reported spending $10,000 on canvassing to support Court of Appeals Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer for the state Supreme Court. Neubauer ran against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn to fill the seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. Hagedorn won the eletction.

As of the day of the spring election it had reported spending a little over $14,000 on the election.

Special

The day of the April 30 special election in the 64th Assembly District the group first reported spending on printing costs to support the Democratic candidate, Tip McGuire, the winner. The Kenosha area seat was left vacant when the incumbent, Democrat Rep. Peter Barca, resigned to take a position with the new, incoming Democratic administration.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: April 1, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

Based in Arlington, Virginia, this organization supports anti-abortion - mostly Republican - candidates for office at the state and federal levels.

A day before the April 2, 2019 Supreme Court election it reported spending $11,000 for online advertising to support Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn, the eventual winner, for the state Supreme Court. Hagedorn ran against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

This was the first time this group had made independent expenditures in Wisconsin although it's federal PAC made a one-time contribution to former GOP Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch in 2017.

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: April 3, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This is an unregistered independent expenditure committee used by the Leaders Igniting Transformation Action Fund, a grassroots youth group created in 2017 to work on racial and economic justice, civic engagement, and other issues. 

The day of the April 2nd Wisconsin Supreme Court election it reported spending a little over $8,000 dollars in opposition to Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn. Hagedorn was running against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. Hagedorn won the election.

Last active election: 2018

This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.

Hijacking Campaign 2019 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2019

Posted: March 4, 2019
Updated: June 21, 2021

Spring: Oath • Spending

This committee was created in 2010 by the left-leaning Greater Wisconsin Committee to make independent expenditures in Wisconsin elections.

Toward the end of February, it reported spending $10,000 towards online ads in opposition to Court of Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn for the state Supreme Court in the April 2 election. Hagedorn sucessfully ran against fellow Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

In mid-March, the group sponsored nearly $23,000 in additional online advertising. The group also roled out a 30-second TV ad that accused Hagedorn of having extreme views on abortion because he opposed the procedure even in cases where the mother's health was in danger. 

In late March the group roled out two more television ads. One 30-second ad said Hagedorn accepted money for speeches to an anti-gay hate group. The second ad said Hagedorn publicly supported proposed laws as Republican Gov. Scott Walker's former legal counsel that shielded nursing homes from liability for patient abuse and made it more difficult to sue lead-paint manufacturers when their product sickens children.

At the end of March the group reported spending an additional $800,000 on televsion and online advertising.

The committee's parent organization was also involved with issue ads in the Supreme Court election.

Last active election: 2018

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.