Harsdorf/Freese bill approved by committee

Budget-season fundraisers scrutinized

00:00 am 6/29/05
Patricia Simms
Wisconsin State Journal

Legislators are grabbing more and bigger campaign contributions during this budget-writing season, a citizen advocacy group says.

"There is more fundraising during this budget and for bigger amounts than in the past," Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said Wednesday. "Currently, as the state budget bill nears consideration by the full Legislature, the campaign fundraising is accelerating.

"Six other states including Minnesota have banned campaign fundraising while their state budgets are being written because it is a huge conflict of interest to be shaking folks down for campaign cash while critical decisions are being made about how $12.7 billion are being distributed from the discretionary part of the budget."

The Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections has approved a bill that would prohibit campaign fundraising by incumbent legislators and statewide elected officials from the first week in January until the state budget is enacted into law - seven months later. Assembly Bill 66, introduced by Rep. Steve Freese, R- Dodgeville, and Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, is now awaiting action by the full Assembly.