Milwaukee Co. Supervisors Cite Illegally-Funded Campaign Tour in Filing
MADISON – Members of the Milwaukee County Board today filed an elections complaint against Scott Walker, the Republican candidate for governor who is illegally funding his statewide motorcycle campaign tour with corporate cash and tax dollars.
It is illegal under Wisconsin Campaign Finance law for campaigns to benefit from corporate contributions or tax dollars.
“Scott Walker is an announced candidate for governor using corporate cash and taxpayer dollars to literally fuel his campaign tour,” said Mike Tate, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “This is an egregious violation of election rules and I hope the Election Commission will punish Walker to the full extent of the law.”
To get media exposure in every market of the state, Walker is embarking on a statewide five-day, 36 stop, motorcycle media tour this weekend. Recently, it was revealed that Corporations are subsidizing Walker’s trip.
Walker uses campaign staff to advance and coordinate his motorcycle trips, and the campaign’s involvement clearly politicizes the event. (Source: Walker. Campaign e-mails, 6.14.04, http://www.wisopinion.com/blogs/uploads/0507walkerride.pdf)
“Walker has said that this trip is to promote Milwaukee tourism, yet this is nothing more than a transparent attempt to rev up his campaign engines with illegal contributions,” said Tate.
Every news story about the tour will list Walker as a Republican candidate for Governor, boosting his name ID across the state with the help of corporate cash. Walker even told a reporter that the trip would result in the equivalent of $85,000 worth of advertising exposure. (Source: WisPolitics.com PM Update, 4.21.09)
“If this was just about tourism, Walker would have taken the trip before he announced his candidacy for Governor,” said Tate. “Walker’s campaign will undoubtedly get a lot of mileage out of this illegal corporate cash infusion.”
Read the full complaint: http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/090619WalkerComplaint.pdf
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