State Lobby for Big Corporate Special Interests Starts Spending to Try to Save Scott Walker

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) has entered the November electoral fray dropping nearly $1 million on a television ad attacking Gov. Scott Walker’s general election opponent, Tony Evers.

The following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross:

“It’s no surprise the state big corporate lobby would run a television ad lying about the record of Scott Walker’s opponent.

“This same gang spent $1 million on an ad to try to win a State Supreme Court race in which they disclosed identifying information about child victims of sex assault. Then they refused to take it off the air, even after the family of the victims publicly pleaded with them to do so.

“The WMC is going to pull out all the stops to try to keep the biscuit wheels from falling off the gravy train they have running with Scott Walker in office. Based on their past despicable behavior, misleading voters on the facts is just the start.”

The WMC maintains a cadre of lobbyists and annually spends in excess of $1 million on behalf of big corporate special interests. Gov. Walker has been particularly willing to accede to their demands, signing into law massive tax giveaways and turning the privatized state economic development agency, which until recently had the chair of the WMC board as its board chair, into a virtual piggy bank for Walker campaign donors.