Heart of Darkness: Criminal Investigation of Wisconsin Recall Money

[marmar]

Heart of Darkness: Criminal Investigation of Wisconsin Recall Money

Tuesday, 26 November 2013 11:01
By Mary Bottari, PR Watch | Report


The post-Citizens United dark money showdown is underway in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin makes sense. In November 2010, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker swept to power at a time of economic turmoil with a promise to create 250,000 jobs. Instead, with Republican control of both houses, he passed a bill knee-capping public-sector unions, sparking an 18-day occupation of the Capitol and weeks of mass protests, regularly topping 100,000.

The controversy immediately kicked off a struggle for control of the Wisconsin Senate. Between 2011 and 2012 Wisconsin voters across the state knocked on doors, circulated recall petitions, and put an unprecedented number of state officials up for recall. Thirteen state senators eventually faced recall elections. Close to one million people signed recall petitions for the Governor and Lt. Governor, and even before an election was certified, outside money began to saturate the state. $137.5 million is estimated to have been spent on the recalls in total, the vast majority from out-of-state players.

The source of much of that spending remains unknown. Millions were spent in by "dark money" nonprofits -- most of them organized under 501(c)(4) of the tax code -- that allow deep pocketed donors to hide their identity. These groups spent boatloads, but attempted to evaded state disclosure laws by running phony issue ads that do not expressly advocate for the election or defeat of a candidate. These nonprofits are supposed to be social welfare groups, and cannot exist for the "primary purpose" of participating in political activity. Many have interpreted this to mean that no more than 49 percent of their funds can be spent on "issue" advertising. ......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/20270-heart-of-darkness-criminal-investigation-of-wisconsin-recall-money

[Berlum]

1. Dark money = Republicon OCCULTISM

Occultism is the key Republicon strategy.

[Faux pas]

2. I don't understand why

outside money is allowed in any state elections. Buying government should really be illegal, right?

[hughee99]

4. If a Union, for example, wanted to get involved in a state election,

should they ONLY be allowed to use money the raised in that state?

[Faux pas]

5. No, in my mind

Unions are people.

[hughee99]

7. Okay, what about a group like MoveOn, the Center for American Progress, or

the Sierra Club, then? Should they only be allowed to use money raised within the state?

[Scuba]

3. A good synopsis of where we are, and links to some iteresting charts. Thanks marmar.

[Blue Owl]

6. Voodoo campaign economics

Scotty likes to sniff some Koch and dance with the devil!

[postulater]

8. They say no-one is interested in where the money comes from but

they sure are interested in whoever signed the recall petitions.

There is already uproar that one of the judges involved in this new John Doe signed the Walker recall petition.

If recall signatures are public then campaign donations should be public also. After all money is speech.

Every ad and every mailer should name the person who donated the money for it. And the person should be on video certifying that "I approved this message." That way we know who will be benefitting from their message.