Wisconsin

Business Leaders Call for Election Spending Transparency

Saran wrapExecutives from major American corporations are calling for greater transparency in election spending, alleging the shadowy, secretly-funded groups that spent hundreds of millions on the 2010 elections are distorting the democratic process. Groups like Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS, they say, will spend an increasing amount in future elections and political scandal will follow. Meanwhile, Wisconsin leaders promote even greater election secrecy.

Wisconsin GOP Uses Parliamentary Trick to Protect Secret Corporate Spending

Wisconsin Republicans, without going on-the-record with a vote, have used a legislative trick to block an election board rule that would have shed light on the corporate interests laundering election spending through front groups. The move echoes the American Legislative Exchange Council agenda and will likely ensure a flood of secret ads and robo-calls for Wisconsin's 2012 elections.

Group Alleges University of Wisconsin's Diversity Policies are "Discriminatory;" Protesters Take Over Press Conference

MADISON -- The University of Wisconsin-Madison's race-conscious admissions policies amount to "severe racial discrimination," announced Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) president Roger Clegg at a press conference Tuesday. As the event concluded, supporters of the university's diversity policies took over the conference room, and beneficiaries of the diversity policies Clegg attacked shared their experiences.

Wisconsin Legislators Support Corporate Right to Secret Spending

Wisconsin Republicans are pushing a bill to prohibit the state elections board from passing any rules regulating corporations, as part of an effort to thwart rules that would show how corporate interests are laundering election spending through front groups. Lawmakers only meet one day this month (Tuesday, September 13) and plan to take up the bill during that brief window.*

Justice Prosser Will Recuse in Campaign Disclosure Case

Embattled Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser has unexpectedly announced he will recuse himself from an upcoming case involving a Tea Party challenge to proposed election disclosure rules. Prosser was asked to step down on conflict-of-interest grounds because his campaign attorney, James Troupis, is also the attorney for the Tea Party groups; for weeks, Prosser had insisted on his impartiality.

More Controversy on Wisconsin's Highest Court

Justice M. GablemanWisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman's allegation that Justice Ann Walsh Bradley smacked him upside the head in 2008 is being disputed by three Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices. Gableman made the allegation to Dane County sheriff's deputies investigating the June 13 "choking" incident between Justices David Prosser and Bradley.

As CMD has reported, sheriff's deputies questioned all seven state Supreme Court Justices about a June 13, 2011 altercation between Prosser and Bradley that took place just before the court released its decision on Governor Walker's collective bargaining law.The investigation was initiated based on Justice Bradley's concerns about workplace safety and officers questioned each of the justices on the topic.

"Choking Dissent" Report: Prosser and Process

The Sheriff's report on the investigation into Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser allegedly "choking" Justice Ann Walsh Bradley in June not only describes a dysfunctional work environment, but also provides new details about the process leading to the court's decision on Governor Walker's contentious collective bargaining bill.

As CMD has reported, last week the Dane County Sheriff's office released the report of its investigation into Justice Prosser placing his hands on Justice Bradley's neck the evening before the court issued its controversial 4-3 opinion upholding Governor Walker's contentious collective bargaining bill. That report describes Prosser's role in creating the situation leading to the dispute by issuing a lengthy concurrence, without notice, after the court's liberal minority had drafted their dissenting opinion.

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