More weaseling from the Green Team
This email is classic. Mark Green's campaign manager complains about the Elections Board ruling and asks people to contribute $450,000 to "help Mark get even."
You'd almost think he was going to use it to replace the $467,000 in illegal PAC money the board has ordered him to return.
But Green says he's not giving the money back.
Instead, he claims what the Elections Board did is illegal, and blame it all on Doyle:
Are you as mad as I am at this illegal act by Jim Doyle? Want to help Mark get even?Pretty ironic coming from someone who's just been found to be breaking the rules and illegally transferring money. To Green, the ruling is just another opportunity to raise more money.
I hope you’ll help us raise $450,000 for Mark in the next 72 hours using our secure Web site .
I know that is a lot of money, but if everyone who receives this e-mail can find a way to send us $50, we will be able to counter this illegal act by Jim Doyle and his allies on the board. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.
Jim Doyle is on the ropes. He knows his days are numbered and he’ll break any rule to try and hold on to his job. We can’t let him get away with it.
Let’s show Jim Doyle he can cheat all he wants, but we are still going to beat him. Click here and make your contribution using our secure Web site.
Here's the whole thing, for your amusement:
From the Desk of Campaign Manager Mark GraulUPDATE: The Libertarian member of the Elections Board has a very different version of events.
Dear fellow Green Teamer:
Jim Doyle has sunk to a new low. After four years of using our state government to help raise campaign cash, he has now corrupted the State Elections Board into trying to stack the deck against Mark Green.
As you probably heard, yesterday, Jim Doyle’s allies on the state Elections Board attempted to illegally strip over $450,000 from Mark’s campaign account.
Let me give you a little history behind their action. For 29 years, the state Elections Board has allowed federal candidates to convert their campaign accounts to a state committee. Five years ago, Democratic Congressman Tom Barrett did just that when he decided to run for governor.
Jim Doyle tried to stop then-Congressman Barrett by filing a complaint with the state Elections Board claiming Tom Barrett’s move was not allowed. On a unanimous and bipartisan vote, the board ruled that what Tom Barrett did was both allowed and proper.
So, just four years ago the state Elections Board allowed a Democrat to do exactly what Mark did by converting his federal campaign account to a state committee.
Now let’s fast forward to yesterday. Jim Doyle now controls the state Elections Board and his cronies voted on party lines to retroactively apply a rule they invented to try and steal money Mark had legally raised and converted to a state account.
Jim Doyle’s allies took this action despite the fact that their own attorney said that everything Mark did was completely in line with Wisconsin law. You can read the memo here where the state Elections Board attorney tells the board Mark is in compliance with state law.
Wisconsin’s leading campaign finance reform advocate, Senator Mike Ellis, called Jim Doyle’s ally’s actions “political shenanigans at its worst” and “an absolutely atrocious ruling, totally illegal.”
Like any fighter, Mark will not be deterred by Jim Doyle’s latest attempts to bend the rules. Instead, he will get even by working even harder to send Jim Doyle and his corruption plagued administration packing.
Are you as mad as I am at this illegal act by Jim Doyle? Want to help Mark get even?
I hope you’ll help us raise $450,000 for Mark in the next 72 hours using our secure Web site .
I know that is a lot of money, but if everyone who receives this e-mail can find a way to send us $50, we will be able to counter this illegal act by Jim Doyle and his allies on the board. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.
Jim Doyle is on the ropes. He knows his days are numbered and he’ll break any rule to try and hold on to his job. We can’t let him get away with it.
Let’s show Jim Doyle he can cheat all he wants, but we are still going to beat him. Click here and make your contribution using our secure Web site.
Together, we will rid our Wisconsin of Jim Doyle and the corrupt brand of politics he practices.
Thank you for your continued support.
posted by xoff @ 11:00 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
The only ones who are corrupt are Green and Graul. This email is pathetic.
Republicans act just like playground bullies. If they can't get their way by screaming, lying and cheating, then they cry and whine.
Fwd, from the Libertarian Party designee on the Elections Board
(No "ally of Jim Doyle")
Contact:
Jacob Burns; (920) 216-9204
Libertarian State Elections Board member Jacob Burns releases the following statement:
“During the hours following yesterday’s Wisconsin State Elections Board meeting, I read and heard allegations that I was just taking a particular partisan side, regarding Congressman Mark Green’s transfer of federal PAC money to his state campaign, for the Wisconsin gubernatorial race.
These allegations are simply untrue. I have no grudge with Congressman Green. I have in the past met Congressman Green. It was due to his assistance, that my family was able to have closure regarding my deceased uncle, Warren Olson. His work in helping find the missing fishing boat, Linda E, is something my family wil! l never forget.
At the State Elections Board meeting, it was frankly a matter of obvious law as to why I voted in favor of having Congressman Green rid his campaign of the illegal PAC money. As a candidate for state office, Congressman Green is required to follow all state election laws, even the laws he was exclusively exempted from when he ran for national office.
Wisconsin campaign laws were created to limit the influence of special interests and big business on Wisconsin politicians. PACs that were not registered in Wisconsin tainted the money transferred by Congressman Green. The money from these unregistered PACs is in violation of state law.
An allowance of money raised for federal office, then transferred to a campaign for state office, when it would have otherwise violated Wisconsin law, would create an abusive evasion of the Wisconsin campaign laws. Likewise, I believe the Board was wrong to allow it in the 2001/2002 election cycle, which is prior to a Libertarian representative on the Board.
Wisconsin elections should not be unduly influenced. The people of Wisconsin deserve a State Elections Board that keeps our elections fair, clean, and honest. With a Libertarian on the Board, providing a unique, non-partisan perspective, these goals are attainable. Additionally, the inclusion of all parties with ballot access would make a more positive impact on the Board and for Wisconsin.â€
Jacob Burns
Oshkosh, Wis.
Libertarian Representative on the Wisconsin State Elections Board
It's the 4th quarter of the game and you are somewhat behinf your opponent. The "referee" coms over to your coach ans says we changed the rules. You have to take your first string out of the game.
And people here have no problem with that because it helps your team. No sense of fair play amongst the "fans" here.
See ya wouldn't want to be ya...
In defying the Board, Green moves this from a strictly Civil matter, to a potential felony, as his continuing to use the challenged money is now a "willful" violation of WI Stats 11.26 .
Whatever Green or Graul tells him, his Treasurer might want to consider divesting the funds anyhow, or quitting, rather than becoming the fall guy on a Class I felony.
Prosecution could be commenced by the AG, the dane county DA, or, if the State Campaign account is maintaind in another County, the DA there.
11.61(1)(b)
(b) Whoever intentionally violates s. 11.25, 11.26, 11.27 (1), 11.30 (1) or 11.38 is guilty of a Class I felony if the intentional violation does not involve a specific figure or if the intentional violation concerns a figure which exceeds $100 in amount or value.
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