Testimony of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign to the Senate Education, Ethics and Elections Committee

February 12, 2003

Thank you for this opportunity to offer testimony on Senate Bill 12.

Spending nearly triples previous record set in last election

February 6, 2003

Madison - The candidates for governor and special interests spent nearly $23 million in a race marred by repeated volleys of negative and misleading television advertising and devoid of issue discussion vital to voters, according to figures released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

February 4, 2003

A new study by a University of Michigan researcher identifies a strong connection between campaign donations by construction and road-building contractors and major state contracts awarded by former Governor Tommy Thompson’s administration.

January 31, 2003

Madison - The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign today announced it will begin running newspaper and radio ads throughout the state to raise public awareness of the cost to taxpayers of political favors state lawmakers do for their biggest campaign donors.

WISC a bright spot on dreary local TV landscape, however

January 28, 2003

Madison - Local television stations in Madison aired over 33 hours worth of political ads in the three weeks leading up to the November 5 election, but devoted only a few minutes a night to campaign news coverage and mere seconds to candidates discussing issues, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis of evening newscasts in the Madison TV market shows.

Posted: January 15, 2003

Letters to the governor and legislature to take action on reform with the beginning of new legislative session.

Each taxpayer pays $1,200 'graft tax' to keep big donors happy

January 13, 2003

Madison - Breaks and policy favors state lawmakers furnish their biggest special interest donors carry an annual price tag of over $4.6 billion - far more than Wisconsin’s projected two-year state budget deficit - and cost the average taxpayer nearly $1,200 a year, a new study released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign shows.

December 12, 2002

The campaign finance reform plan (summary) that was enacted last summer as part of a state budget repair bill was ruled unconstitutional Wednesday by U.S. District Court judge Barbara Crabb.

Money Rules as Four of Five Races Won by Candidates Who Spent the Most

November 13, 2002

Madison - Legislative candidates who spent the most money during the pre-election cycle won 82 percent of the races, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

Final Tally Shows 36,000 Ads Aired in State’s Top 3 TV Markets at Cost of $12.8 Million

November 12, 2002

Madison - Local television stations in Wisconsin’s three largest TV markets have aired close to 36,000 political ads this year and charged candidates, parties and issue groups $12.8 million for the air time, according to figures released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

Candidate reporting improved but money laundering & phony ‘issue advocacy’ by front groups undermine meaningful disclosure

Posted: October 28, 2002
Updated: October 29, 2002

Madison - Candidates have improved disclosing the source of their large special interest contributions, but recent charges in the caucus investigation and growing difficulty in identifying the true source of millions of dollars in negative issue ads being aired paint a bleak picture for openness and accountability in Wisconsin election campaigns, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

Stations in Top 3 Wisconsin Markets Charge $7.6 million for Air Time

October 22, 2002

Madison - Through October 15, local television stations in Wisconsin’s three largest TV markets have aired nearly 24,000 political ads this year and have charged candidates, parties and issue groups over $7.6 million for the air time, according to figures released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

Broken Campaign Finance System is Common Thread in Criminal Charges

October 21, 2002

Madison - Any special legislative session in response to the Capitol scandal needs to focus on the enactment of comprehensive campaign reforms if lawmakers are serious about ending corrupt practices in state government, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said today in response to Governor Scott McCallum’s call for a November 13 special session.

Over 7,500 Campaign Ads Aired in Last Month in Top 3 Wisconsin Markets

October 3, 2002

Madison - With a month to go until Election Day, local television stations in Wisconsin’s three largest TV markets already have treated their viewers to over 19,500 political ads this year and have charged candidates, parties and issue groups nearly $6.3 million for the air time, according to figures released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

September 19, 2002

Madison - The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association should reconsider the eligibility criteria it has established for participation in the gubernatorial debate the association plans to sponsor, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said today.

Officeholders Have 16-1 Fundraising Edge on Opponents

September 17, 2002

Madison - Legislative officeholders had $3.3 million in campaign cash on hand - $16 for every $1 raised by their challengers - heading into the home stretch to November’s general election, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

$4 Million Already Spent Through Labor Day in Top 3 Wisconsin Markets

September 16, 2002

Madison - Local television stations in Wisconsin’s three largest TV markets have already taken in over $4 million this year from the sale of over 12,000 political ads, according to figures released today by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

While 52 Candidates Pledge ‘Clean Sweep,’ Most Incumbents Take the Fifth on Political Reform Specifics; Challengers 3 Times as Likely to Answer

August 14, 2002

Madison - Most current office holders went into hiding when challenged to go beyond vague statements of support for political reform and take a public stand on key details of campaign finance reform legislation as well as other political reforms, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported today as it released responses to its “Clean Sweep” questionnaire.

August 7, 2002

Madison - The major party candidates for governor, some of whom boast that their talent for raising a lot of money indicates broad voter support, are accepting two-thirds of their campaign contributions from only an elite sliver of donors who gave $500 or more, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

Legislative officeholders have 14-1 cash edge on challengers

August 1, 2002

Madison - Legislative officeholders who auctioned off two state budget bills to attract special interest campaign contributions have built up a 14-1 cash advantage over challengers with only three months to go before the November elections, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

July 29, 2002

Madison - The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign today asked candidates for the state legislature, governor and lieutenant governor to take a public position on specific campaign finance changes and other reforms as part of a "Clean Sweep" campaign WDC is launching.

July 12, 2002

Madison - Governor Scott McCallum should use his partial veto authority to eliminate a poison pill in the campaign finance reform plan lawmakers included in the budget repair bill, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said today.

51 of 116 Races to be Uncontested in November

July 10, 2002

Madison - Runaway fundraising by incumbents who were able to use the state budget as an auction block and a lack of campaign finance reform have combined to make the legislature an easy job to get or keep for more than four dozen candidates this fall, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

Legislators’ plan squanders one-time money for temporary fix rather than derailing special interest gravy train

July 9, 2002

Madison - A legislative budget plan now on Gov. Scott McCallum’s desk plugs the state’s $1.1 billion deficit mostly by squandering one-time money rather than going after the perks and breaks worth millions of dollars to powerful special interests, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.

July 3, 2002

The budget repair bill addressing Wisconsin’s $1 billion budget deficit includes a comprehensive campaign finance reform plan (link requires Adobe Reader).