Politics

37 Days Since Gov. Walker Announced He “Lawyered-Up” in Criminal Investigation of Administration, Still No Word On Who Is Paying His Legal Defense Bills

MADISON, Wis. — In early February, Gov. Scott Walker announced he had “lawyered-up” in the ongoing criminal investigation of his administration, retaining two high profile criminal defense attorneys. His continuing refusal to disclose how he is paying for his lawyers, whose billing rates could approach $1,000 per-hour, raises troubling ethical concerns, according to One Wisconsin […]

Gov. Walker: New TV Ad, Same Falsehoods and Failed Policies

One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne made the following statement regarding Gov. Scott Walker’s latest special interest funded campaign ad: “Governor Walker’s new special interest funded TV ad is selling the same falsehoods and failed policies. The facts are that Gov. Walker’s policies have cost us jobs, hurt public schools, increased taxes on seniors […]

Wisconsinites Tell Government Accountability Board: Count It and Call It

While Gov. Walker and Republicans continue to seek delays in setting a recall election date – and keep raising unlimited campaign donations from wealthy mega-donors – One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne today urged the Government Accountability Board (GAB) to listen to the thousands of Wisconsin citizens who’ve signed an online petition asking them […]

Executives Open Pockets to Help Walker Fight Recall

The Walker campaign finished the quarter with a combined total of more than $2.6 million cash on hand in the recall and general campaign funds. The campaign has raised more than $12 million since Jan. 1, 2011. According to the campaign, 16,406 of those contributions were $50 or less, representing 76.5 percent of the overall number […] [Biz Times]

One Wisconsin Now Statement on GOP Redistricting Secrecy Pledge

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne made the following statement regarding regarding reports that nearly every Republican state legislator signed a “secrecy pledge”, agreeing not talk about the redistricting power grab legislation being drafted behind closed doors by their leadership: “I don’t know what’s a bigger outrage, the reported Republican legislative […]

Governor Scott Walker Needs to Come Clean

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now statement regarding burgeoning Scott Walker political corruption scandal and the reluctance of the Governor to answer questions about “what he knew and when he knew it”: Gov. Walker needs to come clean. The latest charges in the scandal surrounding Scott Walker paint a grim picture of a culture of […]

Over 61 Percent of Walker’s Individual Money in Latest Reports From Out-of-State Donors

MADISON, Wis. — The unprecedented out-of-state cash grab by Gov. Scott Walker continued at an alarming rate with Walker’s latest reports showing he has amassed 61 percent of the $4.1 million in individual contributions raised since December 11 from outside of Wisconsin. Walker’s four top donors, each giving $250,000, were also from out of state, […]

‘Gov. Walker Has Failed Wisconsin’

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements about the unprecedented grassroots uprising against the failed policies of Gov. Scott Walker. “In just one year, Gov. Scott Walker has failed the people of Wisconsin as no other elected official in our state has. Continuing job loss, while nationally the […]

Walkergate Exclusive: Add a New Campaign Violation to the List

One Wisconsin Now has been following his campaign finance reports for years and recently reported that he has violated campaign finance laws more than 1100 times which, if enforced, could tally up to more than $500,000 in fines for his campaign. [Cognitive Dissidence]

GOP Redistricting Fiasco Gets Worse

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on the fiasco caused by the Republicans rush to try and rig election districts in the redistricting process. Since taking power in January, Republicans have systematically attacked voting rights and focused on an extreme, divisive agenda to solidify their political power […]

Walker Accused of Violating Over 1,000 Campaign Finance Laws

Wisconsin law requires that a candidate disclose contributions which exceed $100 — something that Scott Ross, director of One Wisconsin Now, says he repeatedly declined to do.“Scott Walker has improperly reported well over $500,000 in contributions from inside and outside of Wisconsin,” Ross said. “Scott Walker has absolutely no interest in following the campaign finance […] [Raw Story]

Walker Sues to Stick Taxpayers With Campaign Tab Despite Being Able to Raise Unlimited Money

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker’s effort to require taxpayers to finance the recall signature review campaign process should be disallowed, given Walker has been crisscrossing the country raising unlimited and unprecedented amounts of campaign cash, according to One Wisconsin Now. “Gov. Walker can’t have it both ways,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive […]

Walker Expects a Recall Election

Walker also defended raising out-of-state cash to bolster his campaign for the recall. Last month, Walker’s campaign reported raising $5.1 million since July. The liberal advocacy group, One Wisconsin Now, said nearly half the money was raised from out of state. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Walker’s Latest Ad Repeats False Claims About Taxes, Jobs

MADISON, Wis. — The latest ad in Gov. Scott Walker’s multi-million dollar campaign continues to distort Walker’s record of failure on job creation and deficit reduction, including the false claim that Walker did not raise taxes. “Gov. Walker believes that if he repeats the lie enough, the people of Wisconsin will believe it,” said Scot […]

Walker Opponents Not Caught Up in Holiday Spirit of Latest Campaign Ad

“The jobs losses, cuts to schools and education, and enrichment of corporations paint a far more Dickensian picture than Walker’s ad,” said Scot Ross, leader of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. “Good thing he and the family are ‘volunteering’ for a food kitchen, because his policies are going to make even longer lines […] [Republic]

Wisconsin Recall Calculus: $5M Distant Dollars v. 500,000 Citizens

A One Wisconsin Now analysis reveals that ten percent of Walker’s money came from Texas—including a $250,000 check from the Bob Perry, the Lone Star conservative who warped American politics by attacking Vietnam veteran John Kerry with “Swift Boat” lies. [The Nation]

Walker’s Unprecedented Out-of-State Contributions Alarming

MADISON, Wis. — The just-released campaign finance report for Gov. Scott Walker is not only awash in millions of dollars of out-of-state money, but also 187 new violations of campaign finance disclosure rules for failing to include employer information for more than $41,000 in contributions. “Scott Walker intends to win this election with huge donations […]

Walker far outraising recall organizers

“In all our years of analysis, we have never seen a politician try to win a Wisconsin race with so much non-Wisconsin money,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now executive director [La Crosse Tribune]

Walker Recall Drive Gathers 597,000 Signatures in Month

In the past few weeks; Walker has rolled out a series of TV commercials touting his accomplishments. According to One Wisconsin Now, a liberal watchdog group, the governor has spent about $2.2 million on advertising time. [Green Bay Press-Gazette]

Half of Walker’s $5 Million Take Comes From Out of Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker grabbed half of the $5 million he raised in unlimited funds from outside of Wisconsin, including $250,000 from Texan Bob Perry, the architect of the infamous “Swift Boat” smear ads. “Gov. Walker is trying save his skin by taking money from whomever and wherever in the country he can,” […]

One Wisconsin Now Statements on Speaker Fitzgerald’s ‘Laughable’ Recall Petition Bill

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements regarding the latest power grab by outgoing Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) and current U.S. Senate candidate related to recall petition signing. Fitzgerald announced the scheme just as the recall effort against Gov. Scott Walker announced over 500,000 recall signatures have […]

Walker opponents gear up for recalls

One Wisconsin Now, a left-leaning nonprofit, created a $10,000 reward fund for any information leading to the arrest of people who deface or destroy petitions. [Badger Herald]

Business Owner in Latest Walker Ad Thrived During Doyle Administration

MADISON, Wis. — The “business owner” featured in the latest Scott Walker television ad saw his business grow 1,300 percent during the administration of Gov. Jim Doyle, according to a self-professed claim in the Business Times from 2008. The business owner is actually a vice chair at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, which donated […]

Facts Tell Different Story Than Deceptive Walker Education Ad

MADISON, Wis. — The Monona Grove school district cited in Gov. Scott Walker’s latest deceptive television ad as being a success story, has lost teachers, seen higher class sizes rise throughout the curriculum as result of Walker’s historic $1.6 billion gutting of public education. “Gov. Walker can’t tell the truth about his record of failing […]

Walker recall verification efforts ramp up

Recall Walker supporters are taking steps to ensure that only valid signatures are submitted for counting. Conservative tea party activists, who say they are nonpartisan, and Republican Party opponents want to make sure that any questionable signatures are challenged. When asked to cite some of these incidents, Ross Brown, founder of We the People of […] [Isthmus]

Tea Party Declares Wisconsin First Battleground of 2012 Elections

Recall supporters say they are not intimidated by the tea party effort. “I think this is just some right wing, outside corporate front group trying to profit off of people around the country about the situation here in Wisconsin,” Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, says. “I think that any corporate-sponsored front group […] [WBAY]

Walker says he’s not responsible for recall effort against him

But Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, noted Walker did not talk about cutting collective bargaining during the campaign and said Walker was precisely the one who caused the recall effort. “Gov. Walker is responsible for tearing Wisconsin apart and the division which has led to this unprecedented recall effort […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Walker’s Past Statements on the Need for Recall

MADISON, Wis. — With Gov. Scott Walker in the midst of an extended period of fundraising unlimited amounts of campaign cash, One Wisconsin Now is reminded of this video produced by Walker’s 2010 campaign about recalls. A Walker donor filed papers on November 4 for a fake recall of Walker, allowing the governor 11 additional […]

Walker to air TV ad during Monday Night Football

Stephan Thompson, executive director of the state Republican Party, put out a statement touting the 30-second ad. The head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, though, chided Walker’s team for using a political newcomer to praise Walker’s proposals. “It’s no surprise that someone from the most Republican part of Wisconsin, who is specifically opposed to […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

One Wisconsin Now Prevails in Open Records Lawsuit Against Alberta Darling

MADISON, Wis. — One Wisconsin Now has settled a lawsuit filed in August in Dane County Circuit Court against state Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) over her office’s refusal to release correspondence sought under the state’s open records law detailing her office’s communications with private school advocates. The settlement requires payment of One Wisconsin Now’s […]

Bill would apportion electoral votes by congressional districts

The liberal group One Wisconsin Now accused Republicans of trying to hijack presidential elections, despite the lack of support from GOP legislative leaders. The group’s executive director, Scot Ross, said the proposal would put an “essential end” to the Electoral College system of voting in presidential elections. [Lakeland Times]

Wisconsin Gov. Walker broke campaign promise on paying full cost of pension

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who forced public workers to pay more for their pensions as part of a push to curb union rights, broke his campaign promise to pay the full cost of his state pension immediately after taking office in January. “It is indefensible Scott Walker promised to live by these rules and then […] [Boston Globe]

Crime and Courts: Interesting twist — GOP issued warning of fanatics with weapons.

Scot Ross, the director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, couldn’t pass up a comment on the irony. He sent me Courtney’s letter, which is attached to this post, with the following comment: “With Scott Walker and the Republicans, you always follow the money. In May, they used the threat of guns in the […] [Capital Times]

Van Hollen shows his skewed priorities

By Scot Ross. Van Hollen refused to help local law enforcement in the John Doe investigation that has ensnared top officials from Walker’s Milwaukee County executive regime. Among those involved are people given top jobs in the Walker gubernatorial administration. The two previous Wisconsin attorneys general offered resources and support in similar types of cases involving […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Van Hollen Refused to Investigate Walker’s ‘Cronygate’

MADISON, Wis. — Republican Attorney General JB Van Hollen, according to a news report today, refused to help the investigation into fellow Republican Scott Walker’s office in the scandal being called “Cronygate.” The refusal and silence of the state’s “top cop” to investigate his fellow Republican raises serious questions about Van Hollen’s conduct and warrants […]

Walker Latest Scheme: Public Can Pay $50 to Hear His Job Ideas

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker, facing a steadily-increasing state unemployment rate despite passing $2.3 billion in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy, has announced his latest scheme: charge the public $50 to attend a state-sponsored “jobs summit.” Walker’s fee will likely restrict public access, particularly the unemployed and those in need of jobs. […]

Walker’s fundraiser to restore mansion raises some eyebrows

On Sept. 22, the governor and first lady will hold a private reception and croquet tournament at the governor’s mansion from 5 to 7 p.m. to raise money to help rehab the Maple Bluff facility. Attendees can donate anywhere from $50 to $1,000 to the mansion’s nonprofit foundation. Those who drop a grand get a […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Will Governor Walker be recalled?

2012 is shaping up to be an interesting political year in Wisconsin. “I think the numbers show Governor Walker’s policies are wildly unpopular, and people want accountability,” said Scot Ross with One Wisconsin Now. [WTMJ-TV]

Wisconsin recalls: Is Gov. Scott Walker next?

On Wednesday, Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, called for the recall of Walker next year.”The damage Gov. Walker has inflicted on Wisconsin from a public policy standpoint is only surpassed by the painful division he has created in cities, towns, villages and families across Wisconsin. It is clear he […] [Star Tribune]

Walker says he’ll focus on bipartisanship, jobs

To trigger a recall election of Walker, Democrats would need to gather 540,208 signatures, or one-quarter of the nearly 2.2 million votes cast in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Recall petitions cannot be circulated until early November and cannot be offered for filing with state elections officials until Jan. 3 of next year, according to the […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Democrats Mull Recall of Gov. Walker

Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said he believed there was still an appetite among Democrats to take on Walker in a recall election. “Gov. Walker has divided the state of Wisconsin like no other state official has and I think a recall of Scott Walker is still very real,” […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]