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Last-minute contributions for Wisconsin recall primaries already surpass $1 million
This article covering 2011 recall elections was written outside the scope of Ballotpedia's encyclopedic coverage and does not fall under our neutrality policy or style guidelines. It is preserved as it was originally written.
July 8, 2011
By Geoff Pallay and Greg Janetka
| GAB-3 Documents Filed after July 5, 2011 | |
|---|---|
| Organization | Contribution Received |
| We Are Wisconsin | $1,683,641.98 |
| America Votes Action Fund | $210,000 |
| League of Conservation Voters | $60,000 |
| Greater Wisconsin | $50,000 |
| Wisconsin Women Vote | $42,750 |
| TOTAL | $2,055,391.98 |
MADISON, Wisconsin: Although July 5 was the deadline for candidates and organizations to file pre-election reports on campaign contributions and spending, that still leaves a full week for continued giving before the first recall primaries on July 12.
When candidates, committees and organizations file their summary reports with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, that document is called a GAB-2. According to Wisconsin law, if a candidate or organization receives a contribution of $500 or more, that must be reported within 24 hours to the GAB. That information is filed with a GAB-3 document.
Already in the days since GAB-2 documents were filed on Tuesday, many GAB-3 reports have been filed with contributions totaling above $1 million. Candidates are restricted to a maximum contribution of $1,000 by an individual, which minimizes the overall contribution level. But PACs and other similar organizations do not have a contribution limit. Below are a select few of the highest contributions reported.
- The We Are Wisconsin PAC -- which reported more than $4.5 million in its GAB-2 including $3 million from the AFL-CIO -- submitted a GAB-3 for a $778,000 contribution from AFL-CIO on July 6. We Are Wisconsin then submitted a GAB-7 -- which deals with expenditures -- noting a $42,000 ad buy against Kim Simac and a $42,000 ad buy for Jim Holperin.
- America Votes Action Fund reported contributions of $210,000 on July 6. Fred Eychaner, a CEO with Newsweb Corp in Chicago, donated $200,000, while Sandor Straus, an investment manager from Lafayette, California, gave $10,000. America Votes is based in Washington DC and works to "advance progressive policies" according to its website. Additionally, another GAB-3 was supported for a contribution from Paul Eggerman in the amount of $10,000 to the America Votes Action Fund on June 30, 2011. Eggerman, who lives in Massachusetts, was listed in 2007 as one of the leader contributors to the Democratic Party according to a Boston Globe story.[1]
- Greater Wisconsin Political Fund reported a $50,000 contribution on July 6
- The League of Conservation Voters submitted a GAB-3 for $60,000 on July 5
- Wisconsin WOMEN VOTE! submitted a GAB-3 for $40,000 on July 5
All told more than $1 million has been donated to Democratic efforts in the recalls just in the past few days alone.
Because of the cap of $1,000 to candidates themselves, the money reported by incumbents and challengers pales in comparison to the 5-digit sums rolling into interest groups.
Update: On Friday morning, We Are Wisconsin reported an additional contribution of $800,000 from the AFSCME.
See also
- Recall of Wisconsin State Senators (2011)
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Laws governing recall in Wisconsin
- Redistricting in Wisconsin
Footnotes
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