Today, the Guardian confirmed that Gov. Scott Walker directly solicited donations for the Wisconsin Club for Growth, and then secretly coordinated with the organization how to spend the money. This allowed Walker to skirt campaign finance laws that set contribution limits, whereas third party organizations like the Wisconsin Club for Growth is allowed to solicit unlimited donations without discussing their donors.
Walker’s illegal behavior not only strengthened his campaign by ignoring campaign finance laws and effectively allowing him to raise unlimited sums of money, he encouraged big dollar donors to contribute in exchange for legislative favors.
The new information shows Scott Walker helped solicit $750,000 from Harold Simmons, one of the countries biggest producers of the lead used in paint, to the Wisconsin Club for Growth. Following this, Scott Walker and the Republican-led legislature changed the laws so companies like Harold Simmons’ corporation NL Industries were shielded from any legal action that may be brought about by someone with lead poisoning.
But this isn’t the only time Scott Walker has changed the laws to help his big dollar donors. In 2014, it was revealed Scott Walker was helping orchestrate the largest pay to play scheme in Wisconsin State History. Walker helped Gogebic Taconite (GTac) donate $700,000 to the Club for Growth in exchange for loosening environmental laws and mining laws that could have devastating effects on local communities.
“Scott Walker’s pay-for-play version of government puts the value of a single big dollar donor ahead of everyday hard working Wisconsinites who only want a fair shot to get ahead. Government should work on behalf of the people, not wealthy campaign donors,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Spokesperson Brandon Weathersby said on Wednesday. “Walker has given legislative handouts to the people and companies he has worked with to skirt campaign finance laws, all the while gutting public education funding, refusing to fix Wisconsin’s crumbling roads and bridges, and giving business tax credits to large companies that ship Wisconsin jobs out of state instead of start-ups and small businesses. Scott Walker needs to answer questions about his illegal behavior and finally be truthful with the people of Wisconsin.”
