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Wisconsin
Related: About this forumDid Bucks Investors Pay Off Walker?
Bruce Murphy
One of my first thoughts--do not trust Walker.
Murphys Law
Did Bucks Investors Pay Off Walker?
One publication says yes. But most donors to his presidential campaign are secret.
By Bruce Murphy - Jul 30th, 2015 11:14 am
Jon Hammes at a fundraiser for Ald. Nik Kovac. Photo by Michael Horne.
.....................Walker assured tight coordination by having R. J. Johnson as a key campaign consultant, even as as Johnson was chief consultant for the Wisconsin Club for Growth. The now-terminated John Doe probe found there were many emails showing Walker secretly fundraised for the Club for Growth, that his staff advised the governor to stress that donations to (Club for Growth) are not disclosed, and detailed meetings Walker had with donors who soon contributed to Club for Growth, including a check to the club with a memo line saying the check was for Walker. Donations to such groups also have no limitation on the amount donors can give.
In the case of Walkers presidential campaign, which effectively started almost the day after his reelection as governor, there really was no option but to give to third-party groups. Because Walker ran for president for more than six months without announcing he was a candidate or forming a campaign committee. But he was collecting tons of money through a non-profit called The Unintimidated political action committee, which allows unlimited donations that can all be made in secrecy. (Its more than a little ironic that the Unintimidated phrase, taken from the title of his book touting Walkers brave willingness to stand up publicly for what he believes, is now the name of a group that operates in total secrecy.)
A second non-profit formed by Walker, Our American Revival,........
Its worth noting that the Bucks three biggest owners, Edens, Lasry and Dinan, are together worth more than $5 billion. They could have given generously and secretly to Walkers support group, in order to help assure the huge 30-year taxpayer contribution to the team. Then you add millionaires like Klappa, Joerres, Kellner and others who are Bucks minority investors. It would hardly be a surprise if some of them contributed to Walker. Thats how the political game is played.
Except that now its played much differently, in secret. At least in Wisconsin, as a result of the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision, its now legal for campaigns to coordinate with groups registered as independent advocacy groups, and thereby benefit from unlimited secret donations. So well never know who contributed the $20 million to Walkers secret PAC or what kind of favoritism they might be seeking from him. That, frankly, is far more disturbing than the one connection involving Hammes that we do know about.
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Did Bucks Investors Pay Off Walker? (Original Post)
riversedge
Aug 2015
OP
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)1. Probably.
After all, they had to do something to buy Howdy Doody's forgiveness for the owners shaking President Obama's hand at the airport.
HelenWheels
(2,284 posts)2. Owners should be ashamed
to take tax payer money when they could pay for the arena themselves and not even notice a drop in their bank accounts.
Tax payers should be ashamed to vote for the buggers that approved the payment.