Eighteen Republican state legislators lobbied for a $500,000 sporting grant to be designated to the United Sportsmen of Wisconsin Foundation in a letter sent to a Department of Natural Resources committee Aug. 22.
This previously unknown letter is the latest piece of evidence to surface in an ongoing investigation into why United Sportsmen received a grant Sept. 3 from the DNR’s Wisconsin Sporting Heritage Program Grant Application Committee without meeting eligibility requirements.
The GOP members promoted United Sportsmen as an organization dedicated to preserving and expanding “participation and protection of hunters, fishermen, trappers and gun owners across Wisconsin”. GOP members also noted United Sportsmen exceeded the eligibility requirements.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigated the grant and uncovered that United Sportsmen was not eligible to receive the grant under the requirements set by the Wisconsin Sporting Heritage Program. They found United Sportsmen has no program to recruit and train new sportsmen and sportswomen, according to an article by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Gov. Scott Walker rescinded the grant on Sept. 5 after being prompted by state legislators.
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, announced in a statement Tuesday Democrats will introduce a bill to allow non-profit groups with “actual” experience apply for the grant at a press conference Wednesday.
