Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's press releases and special reports cover issues central to our mission, including campaign fundraising, political corruption and more.
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February 19, 2002
Madison - Legislators used the state budget to lure large special interest contributions and enter the 2002 election year with a formidable $4.3 million in their campaign war chests - 124 percent more than at the same time four years ago, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.
February 7, 2002
Madison - With Congress set to resume debate on major campaign reform legislation that takes aim at political TV ads, a new Wisconsin Democracy Campaign study shows local stations in the three largest Wisconsin television markets systematically gouged political candidates in the final month of the 2000 campaign, charging 68 percent - or nearly $1 million - more than the lowest candidate rate listed on the stations’ own advertising rate cards.
February 5, 2002
Madison - A final vote in the state Senate on major campaign finance reform legislation was obstructed again today by Governor Scott McCallum’s continued refusal to work with Senate leaders to clear the way for the bipartisan measure to be approved and sent to the Assembly, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said.
February 1, 2002
(Letter to governor asking him to back Senate Bill 104.)
January 7, 2002
Madison - If the leading campaign finance reform measure under consideration in the state legislature had been in effect in the last election, legislative candidates would have raised $6 million less from special interest donors and campaign spending would have been reduced by nearly $2 million, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported today.
December 20, 2001
On behalf of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, I urge you to pass Assembly Bill 682 (AB 682). I applaud Representative Gundrum for having the courage to offer this proposal, and I am happy to lend our support.
December 12, 2001
Madison - The frontrunners in the governor’s race ran for cover when challenged to take a public stand on the leading campaign finance reform bill awaiting action in the state legislature, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported today.
December 3, 2001
Madison - The state Elections Board has become the captive of the political power brokers it is supposed to regulate and needs a major overhaul if it is to effectively serve the public interest, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said today as it offered options for reforming the agency.
November 27, 2001
Madison - In a letter to the announced candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign today asked for a public commitment of support for the leading campaign finance reform bill awaiting action in the state legislature.
November 5, 2001
Madison - Three dozen state officeholders violated campaign finance laws by not adequately revealing the special interests behind nearly $317,000 worth of large individual campaign contributions they accepted during the first six months of 2001, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.
November 1, 2001
Madison - State Attorney General James Doyle should challenge in court the use of public funds for the legal defense of state employees who are under investigation for illegal campaigning with state resources, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign urged today in a letter to Doyle.
October 23, 2001
Madison - The legislature’s Joint Finance Committee should take prompt action on a bipartisan campaign finance reform bill that already has won approval from two key Senate committees, clearing the way for floor debate during the fall legislative session, a coalition of 43 statewide advocacy groups today urged in a letter to finance panel members.
October 15, 2001
Madison - An April memo from a prominent lobbyist to his clients describing Senate Majority Leader Charles Chvala’s shakedown of special interests for campaign contributions proved prophetic as donors changed their giving patterns to meet demands the lobbyist said Chvala made, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign review of the latest campaign finance reports shows.
October 12, 2001
The state Elections Board voted late yesterday afternoon to approve an agreement with the state Ethics Board and legislative leaders that eliminates the scandal-plagued legislative caucuses but also beefs up the staffs available to leading lawmakers. The deal is a mixed bag, with some very good reforms and some real lemons.
October 11, 2001
The proposed agreement under consideration by the state Ethics Board and Elections Board fails to meet the crucial tests of an acceptable resolution to the investigations into apparent violations of state ethics, campaign finance and open records laws by employees of the four partisan legislative caucuses.
October 3, 2001
Madison - Taxpayers who’ve had their money flagrantly misused by state employees engaged in secret, illegal campaign activity will be fleeced again unless the decision by legislative leaders to use tax funds to pay lawyers to defend legislative caucus staffers is reversed, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said today.
September 26, 2001
Madison - Six of Wisconsin’s most generous contributors to Republican and Democratic campaigns violated state campaign finance laws during the first six months of 2001 by exceeding the annual $10,000 limit on contributions, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
September 24, 2001
Madison - State lawmakers crafting the 2001-03 state budget offered an array of tax breaks, pork barrel spending and other budget favors worth $819 million - at a cost of $211 for every Wisconsin tax filer - to special interests who contributed unprecedented sums to campaigns in their bid to get preferential treatment, a study released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign shows.
September 10, 2001
Madison - A broad coalition of statewide advocacy groups today called on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala to clear the way for the full Senate to debate a campaign finance reform bill that won bipartisan approval from a key Senate committee in July.
August 29, 2001
Madison - Governor Scott McCallum’s decision not to veto funding for the legislative caucuses was a missed opportunity for the state’s chief executive but will not set back the effort to rid state government of the corrupt practices the taxpayer-funded caucuses have come to symbolize, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said today.
August 9, 2001
Madison - The state Democratic and Republican parties violated Wisconsin campaign finance laws when they paid for ads attacking clearly identified candidates for state office but did not report the spending, according to complaints filed today with the state Elections Board by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
August 2, 2001
Madison - The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and Common Cause in Wisconsin today asked Governor Scott McCallum to use his partial veto authority to eliminate funding for the four taxpayer-funded legislative caucuses that are at the center of a growing state government scandal.
August 2, 2001
Madison - It’s no wonder this year’s budget was rife with millions of dollars in benefits and breaks for powerful special interests as legislators and their leadership-run committees raked in $1.6 million in campaign contributions during the first six months of 2001, according to an analysis by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
June 6, 2001
Madison - The heads of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and Common Cause in Wisconsin today filed a formal complaint with the state Elections Board alleging violations of state campaign finance laws by the Democratic and Republican legislative caucuses overseen by legislative leaders in both houses.
May 23, 2001
Madison - The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign today called on both the state Ethics Board and Elections Board to investigate apparent violations of state ethics and campaign finance laws by state employees working in the four taxpayer-funded legislative caucuses.