The Wisconsin State Elections Board re-affirmed its decision on Monday, instructing U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Green Bay, to return $467,844 in accepted political action committee money ruled illegal.
Additionally, Robert Kasieta, a Democratic SEB member, did not request the Board to ask Green to return another $775,000 from his campaign funds. Kasieta had stated on Sept. 26, that he would file a motion to the Board at their Oct. 4 meeting for Green to divest the extra $775,000 transferred from his federal campaign funds to his state election account.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog group, said in a statement the Election Board's decision not to further pursue action against Green is due to its negative public relations and calls for reform within the Board.
Attorney Don Millis, legal counsel for the Green campaign, said little happened during the State Elections Board meeting.
The SEB took no action today. The Aug. 30 order is still in place,"" Millis said.
According to Millis, Kasieta decided not to file a motion based on the Board's closed session. He also said the Green campaign may likely request the state Supreme Court to review the Green case, as early as Thursday.
""There are only five weeks left before the November elections,"" said UW-Madison political science professor, Charles Franklin. ""The state Supreme Court would have to rule very quickly on the money for it to matter for the Green campaign.""
On Aug. 30 the Board ruled that $467,844 from the almost $1.3 million Green transferred on January 25, 2005, was illegal because the committees were not registered with the Board at that time. Green then appealed to the Circuit Court, where Dane County Circuit Court Judge Richard Niess upheld the Board's decision.
Yesterday's decision is the second time the Board has confirmed Green violated state election law by transferring the $467,844 from his federal account to his state account.
The Federal Election Commission has also officially accepted the WDC's complaint that almost $1.3 million of Green's federal campaign funds transferred are illegal.
Even though Kasieta did not present the Board with a motion, Franklin said ""this evens the scale"" because the Democrats now have a target to attack the Republicans.
""From a voter's perspective, it looks like both candidates are receiving questionable campaign funds,"" she said.
