Common Cause in Wisconsin Reform Update
Monday June 15, 2015
1. Senator Julie Lassa Postpones her June 18th Campaign Fundraising Event in Plover
2. Misguided Proposal to Destroy the Non-Partisan Legislative Audit Bureau Under
Withering Assault
3. Russ Feingold Proposes "Badger Pledge" for 2016 U.S. Senate Election Re-Match
Campaign with U.S. Senator Ron Johnson to Discourage Outside Money From
Drowning Out the Voices of the Candidates
1. Last Tuesday, CC/WI called for State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) to postpone her campaign fundraising event, scheduled for June 18th in Plover after we successfully persuaded State Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) to postpone her event at the end of May.On Thursday, June 11th, Senator Lassa agreed to postpone the June 18th event and she sent out this tweet.
As was the case with the Darling event, we want to thank those of you who contacted Julie Lassa, urging her to postpone her event, as well as the assisting push from the media.
These are small but significant reform victories because they demonstrate that citizens can raise their voices and be heard and that elected officials can be persuaded to do the right thing! We simply have to keep at it and never give up.
2. Last week's incredibly stupid, awful, hyper-partisan proposal to eviscerate the highly-respected, long established non-partisan
Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) by State Representative David Craig (R-Big Bend) was immediately attacked by CC/WI and other state reform groups. The Wisconsin State Journal issued this powerful editorial against this Pearl Harbor-like surprise attack, citing CC/WI.
It even earned the scorn of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester). At least in its current form.
Last Friday, on Wisconsin Public Television's Here and Now Program, CC/WI Director Jay Heck explained why the Craig proposal is yet another attack on good government and on the few remaining objective, non-partisan and scrupulously honest state government watchdog agencies like the Legislative Audit Bureau, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (scheduled for destruction soon) and other entities such as the Legislative Fiscal Bureau and the Legislative Reference Bureau – which could be next.
You need to make your voice heard on this one too! Please contact both your State Senator and your State Representative and tell them to oppose the Craig proposal to destroy the Legislative Audit Bureau and to leave the Legislative Audit Bureau as is! While Speaker Vos says he supports keeping the LAB, it could be altered, possibly in the state budget bill, to make it more compliant to the whims of partisan legislative leaders. We cannot let that happen.
Tell your legislators to just leave the LAB alone.
3. Also last Friday, former Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold challenged current U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, who defeated Feingold in 2010, to join him in signing what Feingold is calling "The Badger Pledge." The proposal, which is modeled after one that both current Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and her opponent in the 2012 election, former U.S. Senator Scott Brown agreed to, would discourage outside special interest spending groups from drowning out the voices of the candidates in the election in Wisconsin. Wouldn't that be refreshing?We like the idea and hope Senator Johnson will agree to it. What do you think? Please let us know.
Hope you are enjoying the start of Summer in Wisconsin!
CONTACT:
Jay Heck
608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)
Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
Want Good Government?
Join Common Cause in Wisconsin!
www.CommonCauseWisconsin.org
No comments:
Post a Comment