USAction

December 29, 2011

Oath • Spending

This organization creates and executes game plans for issue and election campaigns to support progressive candidates, equal access to health care, clean energy policies, quality public education and tax fairness. USAction’s board of directors is dominated by labor and organizations that back progressive social and economic policies.

In April 2011 it registered with the state's Government Accountability Board in order to make independent expenditures against Governor Scott Walker.

This organization is registered with the Government Accountability Board following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC as a corporation making independent disbursements.

AMA IE (American Majority Action)

Posted: December 29, 2011
Updated: June 5, 2012

Oath • Spending

This committee was formed to make independent expenditures to oppose the recall effort against Republican Governor Scott Walker.  It was created by American Majority Action, a Virginia-based right-wing group started in 2010 to train volunteers at the state and community level to push for limited government.  This group, which mainly supports conservative Republican candidates for state and national offices, was among the sponsors of a protest in early 2011 at the State Capitol to support Walker and his proposal to eliminate most public employee collective bargaining rights.

In January 2012 the group reported expenditures for website design, social media consulting and yard sign printing to support Governor Scott Walker in the pending 2012 recall elections.

Chequamegon Bay Committee to Recall Walker

December 29, 2011

Oath • Spending

This political action committee was created in 2011 to support the recall of Republican Governor Scott Walker.  It raised about $5,600 and spent about $2,550 through early December and lists its treasurer as Gretchen Wilson, an Ashland veterinarian.

Of the People

December 29, 2011

Oath • Spending

This political action committee was started in early 2011 to support the recalls of six Republican state senators and later joined efforts to recall GOP Governor Scott Walker for slashing public employee collective bargaining rights after he was elected in 2010.  The committee raised about $7,200 from mostly western Wisconsin contributors and spent about $5,800 through most of 2011.

Last active election: 2011

Wisconsin Recall Task Force

December 29, 2011

Oath • Spending

This political action committee was created in early 2011 to support the first batch of recall elections against six Republican state senators.  It raised about $5,700 and spent nearly $5,300 mostly on fundraising, brochures and administrative costs, but did not file campaign finance reports that show it made independent expenditures in those summer contests.  Those reports show the group's treasurer was Bob Menamin of Middleton - a twice unsuccessful Assembly candidate in 2004 and 2000.  The group's website supports the recall of Republican Governor Scott Walker with information about the recall process and ways to volunteer and support the effort. 

Last active election: 2011

Wisconsin Lawyers for Justice

December 29, 2011

Oath • Spending

This political action committee was formed in 2011 by the Wisconsin Association of Justice, an attorney group more widely known by its former name - the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers.  The PAC initially raised and spent $770 on contributions and independent expenditures in the spring elections to support Supreme Court candidate Joanne Kloppenburg in her unsuccessful bid to defeat incumbent Justice David Prosser. 

Last active election: 2011

Winnebagoland Uniserv PAC

Posted: December 29, 2011
Updated: January 15, 2014

Fall: Oath • Spending
Recall: Oath • Spending

This is a political action committee controlled by a regional affiliate of the state's largest teachers union - the Wisconsin Education Association Council - and filed oaths of independent disbursements with the state's Government Accountability Board for both 2012 fall and recall elections. The group represents public school teachers and educational support staff as well as technical college employees in the Fond du Lac and southern Lake Winnebago area. The PAC made about $15,000 in independent expenditures supporting Democrats in the 2011 recall elections. 

Fall Elections

In the week leading up to the November 6th election, the group registered its interest in supporting Democratic incumbent Jessica King in the highly contentious 18th Senate District election but never reported any spending.

Recall Elections

The group indicated interest in making independent expenditures to support Kathleen Falk in the 2012 recall election of Governor Scott Walker, but Falk lost the primary and no expenditures were reported.

Last active election: Recall 2011

July 29, 2012

A guide to independent expenditures and issue ads in the 2012 fall and recall campaigns.

For information about candidate financial activity see Campaign 2012.