(To the best of my knowledge I didn’t stray too far from this, but at my age I expect a little latitude in the memory department. Nor did I win any friends with my opening remark)
Thank you. My name is Jack Lohman and I represent ThrowTheRascalsOut.org.
I drove in from Milwaukee and it took an extra half hour. I had forgotten that the legislature recently increased the budget for the road builders by $70 million.
(There were a few chuckles; either with me or at me, I don't know.)
Having spent 50 years as a Republican, I am absolutely appalled that my party is blocking political reform.
First by blocking SB1 from coming to a vote, which every Republican in this room voted against and every Democrat voted for. And I was surprised by your stated support, Representative Freese, because you also voted to block SB1 from coming to a vote.
Secondly by delaying AB626 until after the session is dead. This is a sham political game that you should be shamed of.
As to the legislation, it totally boggles my mind that you people are willing to put your personal reputation and integrity on the line every time you vote on a bill that affects an industry that gave you campaign contributions.
If I had an employee that gave away company assets for money on the side, I’d have him jailed. You are lucky. We just reelect you.
You seem not to give a damn about how much of your kids’ assets you are giving away, as long as the campaign cash keeps coming in.
I often wonder how politicians can justify to their friends and family that, Yeah, I take campaign money too, but it’s only the other guys that are corrupted by it. The Republicans tell me it’s the Democrats that are corrupt and the Democrats tell me it’s the Republicans. The truth is, corruption is heavy on both sides of the isle. The Democrats are dipping out of the same corporate trough as are the Republicans. Were I in your profession, I would not be proud.
I could accept even bad legislation if I just knew that money wasn’t changing hands between those who want laws written and those who write them. I want you working for the taxpayers, not the fat cats. If you are going to be beholden to your funders, I want those funders to be the taxpayers.
94% of
the public believe that you vote for your own or your contributor’s interest.
90% voted for the 2000 referendum for campaign reform.
Public funding of campaigns would cost each taxpayer $5 per year. That would be a bargain at 100 times the price. Instead, you have elected to take private money and spend $1300 per year in political giveaways.
There are only two kinds of campaign money, public and private. Our current system demands that you take private money because public money is not available. Our current system virtually demands that you give taxpayer assets in return.
You can change that. You can clean up Wisconsin politics. As the current tax-and-spend party, you must change the rules.
<End of Testimony>
Freese responded by saying that his No vote on SB1 was procedural, i.e., that IF they had taken a vote and it failed, it would have killed SB1 for the session. He said he didn't believe that he had the votes, and thus his No vote was to protect the bill from failing, if you can imagine that. (What a guy!) I stated that if that was the case it was a pretty sad state for the Republicans. He did not say whether or not he would have supported SB1 had it really reached the floor, and I should have asked him that. I brought up the fact that without campaign reform we couldn't even get universal health care passed because the moneyed interests give $1.4 million per year to legislators. He said health care was not the issue before the committee and I said that the $1.4 million in campaign contributions was. He quickly ended the conversation there.
At one point Freese said that by combining the state elections and ethics committees, 9 employees were going to lose their jobs, and he didn't like that.
Got that folks? A "smaller government Republican" didn't want to merge two departments and reduce taxpayer-paid employees!
No, don't even think about that as the reason. It is very clear that Freese did not want the independent ethics commission not reporting to the state legislature. If the current elections or ethics committees get out of control, or too close to nailing a politician, he can push to cut that committee's funding.
That's why Jimmy Cagne always liked carrying the gun.