Green campaign a little short of green

Rep. Mark Green's campaign puts its best face forward on its fundraising in the governor's race, hoping that no one has a memory that goes back farther than a month or two.

Green's press release claims he has raised more money than any other challenger for governor in Wisconsin history at this point in the campaign.

He also claims he has "amassed nearly $2-million."

And he seems proud to say that only 2% of the contibutions he's received in this reporting period are from political action committees.

What Green's not leveling with you about:

He started his campaign for governor May 1 by transferring almost $1.3-million from his Congressional campaign account -- Most of it special interest money given to him to influence his votes in the House of Representatives.

In fact, $800,000 of the money in his Congressional account was from PACs, most of which care only about federal issues and could't give a hoot who the governor of Wisconsin is. The State Elections Board allowed Green to use a loophole in the law to transfer all of that money into his governor's campaign. There's even $30,000 or so from Tom DeLay's PAC, a little thank you for standing by him and voting with DeLay 91% of the time. But I digress.

That PAC money transfer is $800,000 he could not legally raise now, because state candidates can't take money from federal PACs. Jim Doyle or Scott Walker could not accept that money; they would be illegal contributions.

Walker and Doyle can raise up to a limit of $485,000 in state PAC money. Green can raise $485,000 on top of the $800,000 in PAC money he's already raised.

So Green has a huge advantage. But when you look at his finance report and keep those numbers in mind, you'll find he hasn't done all that well.

At this point four years ago, Doyle had over $1-million in the bank -- all of it raised under state campaign laws, none of it laundered in a transfer from Washington. Green has actually raised only $678,000 to run for governor.

And he hasn't exactly "amassed nearly $2-million." His bank balance is $1.75-million -- so he has "amassed" less than $500,000 since he started his run with that $1.3-million in laundered money.

That said, I'm sure it still beats the pants off Scott Walker.