A Northwoods Democrat doesn't like a Republican action in the Assembly Wednesday boosting campaign contributions for Wisconsin state candidates.
Majority Republicans pushed for a doubling of allowable campaign contributions by individuals. Donors to statewide candidates could give 20-thousand-dollars per cycle, two-thousand to Senate candidates, and a-thousand to Assembly hopefuls. Those limits would be automatically adjusted for inflation in the future. A voice vote was held.
Afterward, three Democrats said they would have voted no, had their votes been recorded. Amy Sue Vruwink of Milladore, Chris Taylor of Madison, and Janet Bewley of Ashland said there’s nothing in the bill that will restore the public’s confidence in the integrity of the voting system. Bewley says it doesn't help reform campaign contributions at all and could sour an already cyncial public....
"...I'm very aware of financial constraints, we're having some hard times and when we turn our backs to those sorts of things and in the Assembly say we're going to double the limits on our campaign contributions, it just seems it's a little bit out of keeping with what is going on in people's regular lives....I don't want to have to ask people for more money in order to match what my opponent is able to raise. I just think asking people for twice as much money is the wrong thing to do..."
The package goes to the Senate.
Bewley's Assembly District includes Lac du Flambeau.
(Thanks for help Wheeler News-Learfield Data)
