Wisconsin-Report

Wisconsin Club For Growth, Along With Americans For Prosperity, And The Republican Party Of Wisconsin Were
Accused Of Illegally Coordinating Fundraising. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Prosecutors allege Gov.
Scott Walker was at the center of an effort to illegally coordinate fundraising among conservative groups to help his campaign
and those of Republican state senators facing recall elections during 2011 and 2012, according to documents unsealed
Thursday. […] Beginning in March 2011, there were ‘open and express discussions’ of the need to coordinate the activities of
entities like Americans for Prosperity, Wisconsin Club for Growth, the Republican Party of Wisconsin, the Republican State
Leadership Committee and the Republican Governors Association, special prosecutor Francis Schmitz wrote. Conference calls
were held between the Walker campaign, the governors association and the business lobbying group Wisconsin Manufacturers
& Commerce, he wrote. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/19/14]
• Center For Media And Democracy: There Was Evidence That Club For Growth Was Coordinating With
Walker's Office Ahead Of Union-Busting Legislation. According to the Center for Media and Democracy,
“Wisconsin Club for Growth's top ‘advisor,’ R.J. Johnson, is a close Walker ally and the former Executive Director of
the Republican Party of Wisconsin. In Walker's soon-to-be-released book, Unintimidated, the governor refers to
Johnson as a friend of more than 20 years and his key campaign operative. While the Wall Street Journal editorial notes
that the John Doe inquiry may be looking into illegal coordination between independent groups and political
campaigns, it fails to mention that Johnson is an advisor to both Walker's campaign and Wisconsin Club for Growth.
There is evidence that the R.J. Johnson-led Club for Growth was coordinating with Walker's office early in the battle
over the governor's controversial Act 10 legislation. Just three days after Governor Walker introduced his ‘budget
repair bill’ that ended collective bargaining in the state back in February 2011, Wisconsin Club for Growth began
running slick ads accusing state workers of not having to sacrifice, and urging support for the legislation to make state
workers ‘pay their fair share.’ One week later, Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity organized a pro-Walker
rally featuring Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, Andrew Breitbart and others.” [Center for Media and Democracy,
11/18/13]
Walker Consultant R. J. Johnson Allegedly Said He Owned Club For Growth
R. J. Johnson “Is Alleged In An Affidavit To Have Said” That “We Own” Club For Growth While Working As A
Consultant For Scott Walker. According to the New York Times, “One legal filing by the prosecutors describes an email
Mr. Walker sent to Karl Rove, the Republican strategist, extolling the importance of R. J. Johnson, a campaign consultant, in
leading the coordination efforts. Mr. Walker wrote: ‘Bottom-line: R. J. helps keep in place a team that is wildly successful in
Wisconsin. We are running 9 recall elections and it will be like running 9 Congressional markets in every market in the state.’
[…] In a motion filed last December and unsealed on Thursday, prosecutors said the Wisconsin Club for Growth was, for all
intents and purposes, controlled by Mr. Johnson, who is alleged in an affidavit to have said, ‘We own C.F.G.’ At the time, Mr.
Johnson and his business partner were consultants to Mr. Walker’s campaign. Mr. Walker and several of his aides, including a
professional fund-raiser and his deputy chief of staff, raised money for both the campaign and the Club for Growth chapter,
prosecutors say, money that was then spent at the direction of Mr. Johnson to help Mr. Walker and several Republican state
senators facing recall elections.” [New York Times, 6/20/14]
LIBRE
THE KOCH’S & THEIR ASTROTURF LIBRE INITIATIVE HAVE BEGUN TO
INFILTRATE THE WISCONSIN POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
The Kochs Have Launched A Multimillion-Dollar Effort To Persuade Latinos To Vote Republican And
“Milwaukee Is High On Their List Of Targeted Cities”
Charles And David Koch Have Launched A Multimillion-Dollar Effort To Persuade Latinos To Vote Republican
And “Milwaukee Is High On Their List Of Targeted Cities.” According to the Wisconsin Gazette, “Charles and David
Koch have launched a multimillion-dollar marketing effort aimed at persuading Latinos to vote Republican in 2016, and
Milwaukee is high on their list of targeted cities.” [Wisconsin Gazette, 12/10/15]
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