Current members of the UW System Board of Regents have given more than $258,000 to political candidates over the past 25 years, according to campaign finance documents.
The issue has come to light after it was reported that one of the most recent appointments to the 18-member board was a campaign contributor to Gov. Scott Walker.
According to the campaign finance database run by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Tracey Klein gave over $7,000 to Walker in the 2014 recall election and over $16,000 total to Republican state politics over the past 20 years.
Walker’s other recent appointment, Bryan Steil, has given $1,305 to Republicans in past elections.
But Klein and Steil are not alone. The 13 members of the board appointed by Walker have given $124,000 in the past 25 years, with the overwhelming majority of that money going to Republican candidates.
One regent, José Delgado, founder of the American Transmission Company, has given over $14,000 specifically to Walker’s campaign and $60,000 overall to Republican candidates.
Another board member, Michael M. Grebe, has donated over $8,500 to campaigns and family has given even more to state Republicans. His father, Michael W. Grebe, has donated over $100,000 to Republican candidates.
Grebe’s confirmation in 2015 was contentious, with Democrats alleging the appointment was because of his close association with Walker.
"Unfortunately, putting more of Gov. Walker's close, personal friends and campaign supporters on the Board of Regents will only weaken its authority," said state Sen. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse.
Matt Rothschild, head of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said the appointees are effectively partisan due to the amount of money given to candidates.
“It is a joke that these appointees are non-partisan when they’re giving thousands and thousands of dollars to candidates,” Rothschild said.
Board members have also given to liberal candidates. Three members who were appointed under former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle have given almost $100,000 to mostly Democratic candidates in the past 25 years.
The bulk of that money has come from one member: Mark Bradley, who has given roughly $80,000 to Democratic candidates. Bradley, an attorney with the law firm Ruder and Ware in Wausau, was elected president of the board in 2009.
Rothschild noted that giving to candidates can obscure whether the appointee is qualified for the job.
“It is no qualification. The fact that you have a fat wallet doesn’t mean that you’re going to be a good regent,” he said. “Our UW System is too important to leave up to cronies.”
Rothschild called instead for a nonpartisan set of qualifications to be formulated and used when determining candidates.
Alex Hummel, UW System Associate Vice President for Communications, said appointments to the Board of Regents are at the sole discretion of the governor.
“Appointments are up to the governor and they are his decision to make,” Hummel said. “Each member brings unique skills and talents to their jobs. We enjoy the leadership they provide.”
Walker’s office did not return a request for comment.
UPDATE (Feb. 26, 8:20 p.m.): An earlier version of this story included a chart breaking down campaign donations by individual regents. The figures attached to two names, Janice Mueller and Jane Radue, were both incorrect. Additionally, Radue is the executive director for the Board of Regents, but does not serve on the board. The chart has been taken down to avoid confusion. The Daily Cardinal regrets these errors.
