Community | February 24, 2012 | 32 comments

Wisconsin Dems File Complaint With State Against David Koch

source: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/wisconsin-dems-file-complaint-with-state-against-d...

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letsliveinpeace
The Wisconsin Democrats are taking aim at one of their biggest opponents in the state’s recall elections. No, not just Republican Gov. Scott Walker — but conservative financier David Koch, and his organization Americans For Prosperity. But whether they will actually succeed in the latest front is another question.

Specifically, the Dems announced on a conference call with reporters Thursday that they were filing a complaint with the state Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in the state, and also forwarding a copy to the Internal Revenue Service at the federal level. The complaint involves statements that Koch made to a newspaper — and his organization’s official non-profit, non-partisan status.

“We’re helping him, as we should. We’ve gotten pretty good at this over the years,” Koch told the Palm Beach Post in a profile story published this past weekend. “We’ve spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We’re going to spend more.”

“These organizations are a farce,” said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate, referring to AFP’s 501(c)(3) status, as well as that of a state level conservative organization the MacIver Institute. “This designation allows an organization to accept tax-deductible contributions and further provides that they are not required to disclose their donors, nor are they required to report their spending until after an election has taken place.”

He further added: “But to maintain this status, a 501(c)(3) is prohibited from engaging in ‘activities which constitute participation or intervention in a political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate.’”

Reporters on the phone call, however, voiced various notes of skepticism about whether this would lead to an investigation, noting the recent proliferation of 501(c)(3) organizations that have become active voices in political discourse. But Tate stood his ground.

“Well I think what we have here is a very clear admission from David Koch that he is using and abusing this loophole in IRS code and election law to spend tax-deductible money to the benefit of a candidate,” said Tate. “And while there may seem to be no real rules in Wisconsin politics or federally anymore, we think this is such an affront to the Wisconsin standard of open and clean government that we must take a stand here, and this is worthy of investigating.”

Tate also later added: “If we don’t consistently fight back as more billionaires try to buy our elections, this will become a matter of fact thing. and I’m a little disappointed that all of you in the media are just shrugging your shoulders and accepting this.”

When shown a copy of the Dems’ complaint and asked for comment, AFP spokesman Levi Russell told TPM:

“This complaint has no merit whatsoever and will be thrown out as any frivolous complaint should be. With no legal ground to stand on, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin is resorting to intimidation tactics and threats against Wisconsin television stations, in an attempt to stifle free speech and halt the educational efforts of ‘It’s Working Wisconsin.’ Complaints of this type are a desperate tactic by a power-hungry political party that has found themselves on the wrong side of the issue.”

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32 comments // Wisconsin Dems File Complaint With State Against David Koch

  • Colin_McCabe
  • Colin_McCabe
  • savroD
    • +3
      savroD  

    • As far as I will go with superstition is to wish that, with some confidence, these Scrooges will meet their Karma one day; and, it will not be pretty!

    • 3 months ago
  • budsnews
  • Steamed_N_More
    • +5
      Steamed_N_More  

    • As Koch Industries is part and parcel of ALEC, (You know, our unofficial private government of business leaders with political incumbants-99%GOP,), I wish these WI Dems success.

      The Koch sponsored retreats with right wingers, and meeting with Mitt, establishes that they are not "captains" of industry, but Despots who want to profit from a libertarian anarchy within the masses. America under their domination, would become a soul-less business where people are resources to be exploited.

    • 3 months ago
  • Leen61
  • ithink
    • +5
      ithink  

    • Billionaire KOCK BROTHERS the money source in wi republican party.The governor Walker,how many of his relatives at the state house?Lt.governor Kleefisch and husband a rep.and how many more of their relatives in congress?The fitzgerald bros.one leader in the house the other the senate,father appointed head of the highway patrol and how many more of theirs in congress?Does,nt this sound more like a crime family than an administration.

    • 3 months ago
  • Leen61
  • Milieu
  • Leen61
    • +5
      Leen61  

    • The response from Levi Russell of AFP is incredible. They always manage to accuse the people trying to offset their unethical campaign tactics of what they themselves are guilty of. The WI Dems are the power hungry party? Wow! I commend Mike Tate for his efforts on our behalf. We just can't roll over and let the Kochsuckers buy our state.

    • 3 months ago
  • wolfess
    • +5
      wolfess  
    • Leen61:

      We just can't roll over and let the Kochsuckers buy our state.
      You got that right Sis!

      Pwr 2 the WI 99%! EXTERMINATE the koch[roaches] and their koch WHORE!

    • 3 months ago
  • Leen61
  • MSII
  • Leen61
    • +7
      Leen61  

    • The e-mail I got today:

      Defeat Scott Walker & the Koch Brothers in Wisconsin. Donate $4 to recall Governor Scott Walker!
      Colleen,

      This is Mike Tate, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

      First, I just want to thank the thousands of PCCC members who chipped in over $60,000 this past week toward our goal of recalling Gov. Scott Walker. This makes a huge difference.

      I also wanted to make sure you saw this quote from one of the billionaire Koch brothers, which appeared this week in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

      "We're helping him, as we should," Koch says of Walker. "We've gotten pretty good at this over the years. We've spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We're going to spend more."

      Can you donate $4 today to help us defeat Scott Walker and the Koch brothers in Wisconsin?

      The Koch brothers have already flooded the state with TV ads in recent weeks.

      And they are planning an avalanche of dirty tricks right out of Karl Rove's playbook. In last year's recall elections, they ran fake candidates in primaries, sent mail to progressive voters with the wrong election date, and spent millions on false TV ads to try and buy the election.

      Just the other day, leaked documents revealed they plan to set up "shadow blogs" to attack teachers, public schools, and grassroots activists like you.

      Republicans and their billionaire funders have declared war on working families. Working with groups like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, we are fighting back.

      Please donate $4 so we can re-open all of our field offices across Wisconsin and organize over 35,000 grassroots volunteers to contact voters in their communities.

      The PCCC's help in 2011 was pivotal to our efforts to successfully recall Republican senators from office. With your continued support, we'll be able to defeat Scott Walker and David Koch in Wisconsin in 2012.

      Thank you,

      Mike Tate
      Chair, Democratic Party of Wisconsin

    • 3 months ago
  • letsliveinpeace
  • letsliveinpeace
  • Leen61
  • Leen61
  • nanac
    • +3
      nanac  
    • letsliveinpeace:

      You are absolutely correct. I have been donating since the beginning and will continue to give until Walker and the other hoodlums are defeated.
      I encourage everyone here on Current to donate whatever you can to a cause of a lifetime. In fact, we must give to Progressive causes/candidates.
      Thanks for the post, llip.

    • 3 months ago
  • Leen61
  • letsliveinpeace
  • nanac
  • Leen61
    • +2
      Leen61  
    • nanac:

      In my local paper this morning, the Reps are all ready opening up on Kathleen Falk who has announced her candidacy and Kathleen Vinehout, another annouced candidate for governor, was blasted by Politi-Fact. This is going to be a very dirty election to a level we never have seen before. I fear for my state. :(

    • 3 months ago
  • wolfess
    • +8
      wolfess  

    • Complaints of this type are a desperate tactic by a power-hungry political party that has found themselves on the wrong side of the issue.”
      Well now, isn't that an example of the pot calling the kettle black?

      Good on Mike Tate -- I'd rather have him as governor than that koch whore that's in there now!

      Pwr 2 the WI 99%! EXTERMINATE the koch[roaches]!

    • 3 months ago
  • ThirdSection
  • wolfess
  • Leen61
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • letsliveinpeace
  • letsliveinpeace
  • cmc101
  • letsliveinpeace
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