Rounding up Republican votes

Since Republicans claim the State Elections Board shouldn't be partisan, and members should look at the law, not their political loyalties, what's their rush to get another GOP representative on the board before the next vote on Congressman Mark Green's money?

The Greenies did a bonehead thing by hiring a lawyer from the same firm as one of the board members, Patrick Hodan, who had to abstain from the vote in the last go-around. The board voted 5-2 to tell Green to return $467,000 in illegal contributions from federal PACs. Both no votes were Repubs,, while four Dems and a Libertarian appointee voted yes.

Today's story:

Elections Board member resigns ahead of key vote on Green

By RYAN J. FOLEY, Associated Press, September 28, 2006

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Republican member of the state Elections Board who recused himself from matters involving Mark Green's campaign has resigned from the board.

Patrick Hodan of Milwaukee said he had to resign because his law firm represents Green's campaign in its dispute over $1.3 million that Green raised as a congressman and transferred to his run for governor.

The board has already ordered Green to get rid of $468,000 of the transferred money.

The resignation comes just one week before it is to consider whether to strip Green of an additional $775,000 that a watchdog group contends cannot be used in Wisconsin.

"Given the importance and significance of the matters that likely will come before the Board in the next several weeks, I believe it is important that the Board have a full complement of voting members to deal with these matters," Hodan wrote in a resignation letter dated Wednesday.

Hodan's law partner, Don Millis, represents the Green campaign. As a result, he recused himself from the Aug. 30 vote in which the board voted 5-2 to order Green to give up $468,000 in donations from political action committees not registered in Wisconsin.

Hodan was appointed to the board in 2002 as the designee of Assembly Republicans.

There's nothing wrong with the Rs wanting all the votes they can get. But they want to have it both ways, condemning the Democrats who voted as mindless partisans, while lining up their own people to vote with Green.

Isn't politics fun?

UPDATE: Green donor to vote on Green donations as the Election Board's newest member.