All Children Matter Contributors Have Given $130,000 to Wisconsin State Legislators

MILWAUKEE — Major donors to All Children Matter, the pro-private school voucher group under investigation by the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, have donated nearly $130,000 to members of the Wisconsin Legislature. All Children Matter was hit Friday with a $5.2 million fine for illegally funneling money into Ohio campaigns.

“These 13 people donated a staggering $10 million to All Children Matter and $130,000 to Wisconsin Legislators,” said Scot Ross, Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now. “With the investigation here and the fact All Children Matter has been found guilty of illegally funneling money in Ohio, it raises serious concerns about these donations.”

Thirteen donors who gave over $10 million to All Children Matter have given actively to Wisconsin legislators. In all, these donors made 539 contributions to current legislators for a total of $129,455, according to information compiled from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

All Children Matter remains under investigation in Wisconsin after the State Elections Board determined in November 2006 it violated express advocacy rules in opposing John Lehman’s Senate run. The complaint, filed by the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Care Professionals and the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, resulted in the Elections Board decision that All Children Matter violated campaign laws for failing to register with the state prior to spending money directly advocating against Lehman.

Friday, the Ohio Elections Commission ruled that All Children Matter illegally funneled $870,000 to Ohio through a Virginia PAC, allowing it to exceed the state’s $10,000 limit on PAC contributions. The $5.2 million fined levied is the largest in Ohio history.

The list of All Children Matter’s Top Donors and the money they gave to Wisconsin legislators’ campaign accounts are:

Jim and John Walton, Bentonville, Arkansas
$6.4 million to All Children Matter
97 Legislative Contributions Totaling $29,100

Dick and Betsy DeVos, Grand Rapids, Michigan
$2.8 million to All Children Matter
79 Legislative Contributions Totaling $11,330

Bill Oberndorf, San Francisco, California
$600,000 to All Children Matter
76 Legislative Contributions Totaling $17,650

Virginia Manheimer, Lambertville, New Jersey
$400,000 to All Children Matter
5 Legislative Contributions Totaling $1,700

Richard Sharp, Richmond, Virginia
$200,000 to All Children Matter
75 Legislative Contributions Totaling $18,075

David Brennan, Akron, Ohio
$200,000 to All Children Matter
2 Legislative Contributions Totaling $1,000

John Kirtley, Tampa, Florida
$100,000 to All Children Matter
6 Legislative Contributions Totaling $2,200

John Fisher, San Francisco, California
$85,000 to All Children Matter
54 Legislative Contributions Totaling $13,625

George and Susan Mitchell, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
$64,000 to All Children Matter
137 Legislative Contributions Totaling $30,975

Jerry Hume, San Francisco, California
$10,000 to All Children Matter
8 Legislative Contributions Totaling $3,800