Two bills poised to drastically alter future Wisconsin elections advanced through the state assembly Tuesday amid frustration and pleas for reconsideration from the Democratic minority.
The bills come on the heels of the same body’s decision Tuesday to exempt illegal political activity from John Doe investigations.
The first bill dissolves the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board and replaces it with two separate commissions equally represented by political appointees from the two parties.
The GAB, which passed with broad bipartisan support in 2007, was lauded as a potential model for other states and in 2010 was cited as “the best American model” for election oversight by Ohio State University law professor Daniel P. Tokaji. It is made up of six retired judges who enforce campaign finance, ethics and lobbying laws.
The board authorized a John Doe probe into alleged illegal coordination between conservative groups and Gov. Scott Walker’s recall campaign in 2012. In July, Walker called for the GAB to be replaced by “something completely new.”
Republicans argue that the board failed to perform required duties and participated in political “witch hunts.”
“While the Government Accountability Board was created with the best intentions, it is time to recognize that our seven year experiment has not been successful,” Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson, said in a statement. “The concentration of power was warned against by our founders.”
Democrats protested the new bill’s mechanism for funding investigations into illegal political activity, which runs through the partisan Joint Finance Committee.
“Under what circumstances do you have to go to people potentially being investigated to ask permission for the funds to investigate them?” Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, asked.
The bill’s supporters maintained that the provision acts as a check on excessive investigations.
The second bill would double campaign contribution limits to $20,000 and allow unlimited anonymous dollars to be given to issue advocacy groups, who may coordinate with candidates under the bill, making Wisconsin the first state to allow such coordination.
The proposal passed on a 61-0 vote as Democrats recused themselves from voting on the bill.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, argued that the bill will put the state on equal footing with neighboring states and protect the First Amendment.
Democrats say the bill flies in the face of reality for most Wisconsinites who cannot afford to put up large contributions and will only exacerbate the rift between constituent desires and the policies pushed by their elected officials.
“This Republican legislation will silence those hardworking people of this state by empowering out-of-state special interests and corporations to funnel unlimited amounts of money into campaigns without any disclosure,” Rep. Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point, said.
“I am shocked, I am dismayed and I think that’s how the majority of the public is going to feel,” Barca said.
The bills head to the state Senate, where they face stronger opposition.
