January 5, 2018

A USA Today Network – Wisconsin story on Thursday said Rep. Robert Kulp, of Stratford, was issued a warning by the commission rather than face tougher penalties or prosecution. The commission’s action was noted in a letter last month that the commission sent to an individual who filed a complaint about Kulp’s activities.

January 4, 2018

The measure, Senate Bill 639, which is authored by Sens. Frank Lasee, of De Pere, and David Craig, of Big Bend, drew support from the Wisconsin Realtors Association and groups representing landlords and apartment building owners. It was opposed by local governments and aging, health, and domestic violence groups.

January 2, 2018

(This profile updates information and figures in a previous June 2015 feature on WMC. This profile has since been updated as of June 2021.)

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) is the state’s largest business organization and consistently one of the biggest spenders on outside electioneering activities and on lobbying.

December 22, 2017

(WDC testimony delivered by WDC Executive Director Matthew Rothschild before the Wisconsin Elections Commission on GOP Attacks on Elections, Ethics Commission Administrators.)

December 20, 2017

Here’s a look at the fundraising and contributors to the Democratic and Republican candidates who won primaries on Tuesday in three special elections for vacant legislative seats. Candidates in two of the races – the 10th Senate District and the 58th Assembly District – will face off in a Jan. 16 election.

December 14, 2017

Seven candidates in two special elections for vacant Assembly and Senate seats have loaned or contributed about $272,715 of their own money to their campaigns (see table below), according to recent campaign finance reports filed with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission.

Posted: December 13, 2017
Updated: January 10, 2018

Six months ago, a group of bipartisan legislators sponsored two bills that would close a loophole that big box stores and other companies use to lower their tax assessments.

 December 12, 2017

Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a controversial bill into law on Monday that ends the state’s sulfide mining moratorium at the behest of powerful business and rightwing ideological interests that have spent more than $14 million to help elect him.

December 11, 2017

Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel is siding with the construction industry, which has donated nearly $170,000 to his campaign, saying the state can’t require sprinkler systems to fight fires in apartment buildings with 20 units or fewer.

December 5, 2017

Gov. Scott Walker’s administration plans to give up to $21 million in tax giveaways to Kwik Trip, a convenience store chain whose owners and employees have contributed more than $90,000 to the Republican governor.

December 5, 2017

(Delivered by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Executive Director Matthew Rothschild.)

December 4, 2017

Republican lawmakers are introducing a bill that would slash the amount of time that people have to file civil suits against businesses for injuries and other matters.

November 30, 2017

Business, manufacturing, paper and oil interests are backing a GOP bill that would repeal nearly 300 state regulations on air pollutants that are regulated by federal law.

November 28, 2017

A GOP legislative plan that would make it easier for people to sell substandard lots and generally use their land for things that it was not zoned for was signed into law by Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

November 21, 2017

A conservative candidate for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat in next spring’s elections hired two former executives with the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity as campaign advisors.

November 16, 2017

Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel spent last weekend rubbing elbows with big campaign donors at a Florida event that was sponsored by an electioneering group that funneled $300,000 into Wisconsin during the 2014 elections.

November 15, 2017

A Republican legislative proposal would exempt rent-to-own stores from the state consumer protection laws, and help the controversial industry grow in Wisconsin, according to the bill’s authors.

November 14, 2017

Republican Gov. Scott Walker has prohibited the state from doing business with anyone who participates in a boycott against Israel, a move guaranteed to please a Las Vegas casino billionaire who has contributed more than $900,000 to Walker and the state GOP.

November 10, 2017

Republican Gov. Scott Walker on Friday appointed a longtime western Wisconsin Republican state senator as the state’s new agriculture secretary.

November 9, 2017

U.S. billionaires identified in recent media accounts for concealing millions of dollars to avoid taxes have contributed nearly $400,000 to GOP legislative and statewide candidates in Wisconsin.

November 7, 2017*

Utilities and power cooperatives are behind bills under consideration Tuesday by the legislature that would allow them to destroy 9,999 square feet of wetlands.

November 6, 2017

Republican Gov. Scott Walker kicked off his bid for a third four-year term as governor among some generous GOP campaign contributors.

November 6, 2017

The state Senate is scheduled to vote Tuesday on two measures pushing for a constitutional convention sought by business and rightwing ideological interests to add a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

November 3, 2017

A GOP bill to sharply restrict abortion coverage for state employees was approved Thursday by the Assembly on a party line vote and sent to the Senate.