Dave Zweifel Peers Into Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

As the Supreme Court election in April nears, more and more questions are raised about the role of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) in that race.

We all know that WMC is set upon pouring between $2 and $4 million into the effort of challenger Michael Gableman to defeat distinguished jurist Louis Butler.

WMC is just one of many organizations that is going to purchase issue ads on television. But there is a difference among those groups.

Dave Zweifel writes in The Capital Times today, Shining the Spotlight on WMC

Everyone knows that when WEAC, the teachers union, buys attack ads, the money comes from individual state teachers who contribute to its campaign chest...

But who is behind the massive WMC war chest? No one knows for sure and it isn't telling. The result is that some of the state's biggest business and corporate names can conveniently hide their names... Or does all this money come from some other mysterious sources?

There are rumors that some of the money comes from large corporations like Wal-mart, or the United States Chamber of Commerce, or organizations like The Institute for Legal Reform, a front for the US Chamber. There is no way of knowing for sure since WMC will not disclose even the smallest details such as how much of the money they spend comes from out-of-state sources.

The Capital Times is not alone:

• The Wausau Daily Herald: Our Legal System Shouldn't be for Sale:...the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's calculations, almost $6 million was spent -- most of it by special interest groups, and $2.2 million of it by one group alone. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, which represents businesses and chambers of commerce, buried television stations with that much cash...

Comments

[Anon]

Was the problem that they spent so much to get Ziegler elected, or, was it that Ziegler hid from them that she consistently violated ethics rules and we now have that blot on our judicial system?

Let us also remember that she violated the rules it appears without concern, under Justice Butlers watch. Has he done anything during his years on the bench that has made our Courts a place that people can trust that they will be treated fairly? I don't think so.