5.5 Million Plus Reasons Why Scott Walker’s Ethics Reform Plan Was a Lie

MADISON, Wis. — In an “Ethics Reform Plan” Scott Walker proposed while running for Governor, he promised he would not accept contributions from the date of his inauguration until the signing of the state budget. A review of Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign finance records by One Wisconsin Now shows that for each budget he introduced between January 1 and the date the budget was signed into law he raised nearly $5.6 million from 54,000 contributions.

“Gov. Walker has a nasty habit of making big promises to try and win and election and breaking them once he’s in office,” said One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. “He violated his own pledge to not raise money during the time the budget was under consideration over 54,000 times and grabbed $5.5 million plus in campaign cash between January 2011 and when he signed the budget in June 2011 and again between January 2013 and the budget signing in June 2013.”

In his plan Walker said ethics was, “one of the greatest challenges to Wisconsin’s democracy” and proposed to, “Prohibit political campaign contributions until the state budget is signed into law” and that, “Scott Walker will not accept any campaign contributions (from any source) from the time he takes office… until the state budget is signed into law.”

Despite these statements, a review of Gov. Walker’s campaign finance reports on file with the state Government Accountability Board reveals he has received 54,146 contributions and raised $5,575.425.47 between the beginning of January and the date the budget was signed in 2011 (June 26) and 2013 (June 30).

Walker also promised he would create 250,000 jobs in his term of office. Instead, state job growth has consistently lagged behind most of the nation and surrounding states. Wisconsin is ranked last in the Midwest based on data Gov. Walker has termed the “gold standard” for measuring job growth and Politifact Wisconsin recently declared his jobs pledge a promise broken.

“Whether it’s jobs or fundraising shakedowns career politician Scott Walker’s record shows that his imperative is winning the next election, not keeping his promises,” concluded Ross.