Hijacking Campaign 2014

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on Greater Wisconsin Committee

Greater Wisconsin Committee

Posted: September 10, 2014
Updated: July 1, 2015

This is the phony issue ad arm of the Greater Wisconsin Committee created in 2006 to support Democratic candidates for statewide office and the legislature. In addition to its issue ad activities, the Madison-based group runs a 527 group, corporation and political action committee. The four entities combined spent an estimated $24.25 million on statewide and legislative elections between 2006 and 2013.

Like all phony issue ad groups, Greater Wisconsin refuses to disclose much of its fundraising and spending in detail, but its support comes from organized labor and Democratic ideological groups that are also supported by wealthy business interests.

The issue ad arm sponsored two 30-second television ads in September that criticized incumbent Governor Scott Walker for steep cuts in state aid to public schools and using the savings to pay for a tax deduction for families who send their children to private schools and other tax breaks that benefit powerful special interests who contribute to his campaign.

The group sponsored another two additional ads in early October that blamed Walker for a reported $1.8 billion deficit by mid-2015 because the governor approved tax cuts and other state giveaways to powerful special interests and campaign contributors, and accused Walker of trying to make it easier for foreign corporations to buy Wisconsin farmland through a provision he included in his proposed 2013-15 state budget that was removed by the legislature.

The group sponsored three more anti-Walker 30-second television ads in October. One ad claimed Walker opposed equal pay for women because he repealed the state's equal pay law as a favor to big business and special interests that have donated millions of dollars to his campaign. Another ad accused Walker of supporting tax breaks and loose environmental regulations for wealthy special interests and campaign contributors, and a third a criticized Walker for not supporting legislation that would allow students to refinance their college loan debt.

In October the group sponsored a 30-second ad that accused Howard Marklein, the GOP candidate in the open 17th Senate District race, of supporting tax breaks and education cuts sought by wealth special interests. The group also sponsored an ad that accused Republican Roger Roth, candidate in the open 19th Senate District seat, of bowing to special interests and big campaign contributors by supporting business tax breaks and opposing equal pay for women and a law the prevents insurance companies from dropping coverage for preexisting medical conditions. Greater Wisconsin also sponsored a television advertisement criticizing Republican Attorney General candidate Brad Schimel for his positions and comments about birth control, sexual assault and interracial marriage.

Last active election: 2012

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on Progressives for Victory 2014

Progressives for Victory 2014

Posted: September 9, 2014
Updated: December 18, 2014

Oath • Spending

This new political action committee based in Stoughton, Wisconsin was created to support Democratic candidates for statewide office and the legislature.

The group had indicated interest in nine different campaigns but only reported spending nearly $14,000 on yard signs supporting Democratic candidate for governor Mary Burke's campaign to unseat Republican incumbent Scott Walker.

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on National Rifle Association of America

National Rifle Association of America

Posted: September 3, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

This independent disbursement committee was created in 2012 by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the nation's largest pro-gun advocacy and lobbying group, in order to make independent expenditures to support Republican Governor Scott Walker in his recall election. Together with the group's political action committee - the NRA Political Victory Fund - the NRA has spent about $1.9 million on outside electioneering activities like negative broadcast ads to support mostly Republican candidates for statewide office and the legislature between 2000 and 2013.

Politico.com reported that NRA made television ad buys in mid-September in Wisconsin for a little over $1 million, including $445,000 in the La Crosse-Eau Claire market, $351,000 in the Green Bay-Appleton market and $259,000 in the Wausau-Rhinelander market. Shortly after that report, this corporation sponsored a 30-second television ad that urged viewers to reelect Walker because he supports using guns for self defense.

The NRA reported spending over $2.5 million in support of Governor Walker.

The NRA's PAC reported spending over $10,000 in 19 legislative races.

Last active election: 2012

This organization is registered with the Government Accountability Board as an independent disbursement committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on Greater Wisconsin Committee PAC

Greater Wisconsin Committee PAC

Posted: August 20, 2014
Updated: May 25, 2017

Oath • Spending

This political action committee is controlled by the Greater Wisconsin Committee which was created in 2006 to support Democratic candidates in statewide and legislative elections. Greater Wisconsin is among the biggest spending outside electioneering groups in statewide and legislative elections. The group discloses little of its fundraising but gets the bulk of its cash from labor unions and Democratic ideological groups, like the Democratic Governors Association, that are also supported by wealthy business interests.

In addition to this PAC, the group also runs an independent disbursement group, an issue ad group and a 527 organization. Collectively, Greater Wisconsin's four entities spent an estimated $24.25 million between 2006 and 2013 on independent expenditures and phony issue ads in statewide and legislative elections.

The group opposed incumbent Republican Governor Scott Walker in the 2014 election. Greater Wisconsin's PAC sponsored two 30-second television ads in August. One ad accused incumbent Republican Governor Scott Walker's administration of doling out $570 million in state job creation funds to help businesses that contribute to his campaign. The ad plays off repeated criticism in recent years of the governor's job creation record and performance by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation - the state's lead economic development agency. The second ad accuses Walker of cutting more state public school aid than any other governor in the country during his first term in order to pay for tax breaks and state giveaways for "corporate friends."

Last active election: 2011

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on Voces de la Frontera Action Committee

Voces de la Frontera Action Committee

Posted: August 15, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

This is a political action committee 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.

Although most of this committee's activity was in the contentious Milwaukee County Sheriff* primary, it reported independent expenditures on get-out-the-vote robocalls in support of Democratic incumbent JoCasta Zamarripa in the 8th Assembly District primary.

In October the group reported small expenditures to print brochures supporting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke's unsuccessful campaign to defeat Republican incumbent Scott Walker.

*WDC does not track money in county offices.

Last active election: 2013

This organization is registered with the Government Accountability Board as an independent disbursement committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on WEAC PAC

WEAC PAC

Posted: August 8, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

This political action committee is sponsored by the Wisconsin Education Association Council - the state's largest teachers union. Among labor unions, WEAC PAC is one of the largest direct contributors to candidates for statewide office and the legislature, usually Democrats.

The committee reported plans to make independent expenditures in support of Democratic challenger Mary Burke for governor in the fall elections but reported no such spending.

Last active election: 2013

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on NRA Political Victory Fund

NRA Political Victory Fund

Posted: September 3, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

This political action committee is controlled by the Virginia-based National Rifle Association, the nation's largest pro-gun lobbying and advocacy organization. Before the 2014 election It last made independent expenditures in the 2013 Special Election in the 69th Assembly District formerly held by Representative Scott Suder.

It spent a little more than $10,000 supporting Republican candidates in 15 Assembly and four Senate races, all won their respective elections but one, Ashton Krisch in the 81st Assembly District.

Last active election: 2013

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on Racine TEA Party PAC

Racine TEA Party PAC

Posted: August 5, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

The Racine Tea Party, part of the larger Tea Party movement, was organized in 2009 to promote conservative policies and candidates. This political action committee first registered to make independent expenditures on behalf of Republican incumbents in the 2012 recall elections.

The group paid for door hangers supporting the primary candidacies of incumbent Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former Republican Senator Van Wanggaard who was running to win back the 21st Senate District seat he lost in the 2012 recall elections.

Last active election: 2012

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin PAC

SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin PAC

Posted: August 4, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

This is one of numerous political action committees controlled by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) that has made campaign contributions to Democratic candidates for statewide office and the legislature since 2011. All told, various SEIU PACs contributed more than $430,000 to Democratic candidates for statewide office and the legislature between 1993 and the end of 2014.

This PAC made independent expenditures in support of David Bowen, the winning candidate in the 10th Assembly District Democratic primary and the November election. No SEIU PAC had reported independent expenditures in a Wisconsin state election since 2006.

Hijacking Campaign 2014 - Information on USW Works

USW Works

Posted: August 1, 2014
Updated: May 30, 2017

Oath • Spending

This is a new independent expenditure committee created by a United Steel Workers located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The union made independent expenditures in support of Sara Geenen, one of four candidates in the 19th Assembly District Democratic primary. Jonathan Brostoff was the winner of the primary and the general election.

This organization is registered with the Government Accountability Board as an independent disbursement committee following the January 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.

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