Let's go back to 2004 for a second. What if it was two weeks before Election Day and YOU, doing a simple Google search, found Karl Rove's internal email traffic with Rummy, Condi, Ashcroft, Miers, Gonzales and the rest of Dubya's cabal. What if, in the strangest of twists, they were using a plain old Yahoo group to communicate with each other, and didn't take the time to make it closed to the public? What if YOU could read for yourself all the wrinkled, ugly truth between the shiny plastic lies that these people were telling in public?
Would you run to publish what you found there?
Would you share it with as many of your friends as fast as you could?
Would you summarize as much of it as possible and post it online, even post it at Kos?
If you answered YES to these last three questions, then you and I think alike, because that's exactly what I did yesterday.
Take the same idea -- right-wingers, telling one story in public but pursuing a different agenda in private, foolishly use a public Yahoo group as their internal communications system, and they don't take the time to make it private. Shrink that from the size of the nationwide Karl-Rove example down to the level of a state like Wisconsin, and further down to a city like Milwaukee. Instead of discussing the internal strategy behind winning Dubya's re-election, they're discussing their strategies to prop up challengers to the Milwaukee Public Schools Board and to defeat the current board president.
For those who don't often read about Milwaukee, I'll be happy to set the stage: Peter Blewett is president of the MPS Board. He's a moderate, and a conciliator, and even the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says these things about him. That's really saying something, because the biggest education issue in Milwaukee for the past decade-and-a-half has been school vouchers, and the Journal-Sentinel is pro-voucher, and Blewett is pro-public schools, and the Journal-Sentinel has recommended Blewett's opponents every single time he's run for MPS board, and every time he's run for board president. Every. Single. Time.
But Blewett won re-election to the MPS Board four years ago, and re-election to the board presidency two years ago. As a result, the MPS Board has been more focused on Milwaukee's public schools than on funneling public dollars to private schools through vouchers. So in 2007, pro-voucher entities in Milwaukee -- the chamber of commerce, the realtors association and individuals like Kevin Ronnie, who ran against Blewett in 2005 -- organized themselves to force Blewett's defeat this year.
They organized a group called Advocates for Student Achievement, and they've masqueraded as just an advocacy group whose public purpose is to "surface" and inform good, qualified candidates to run for the MPS Board. In fact, they've gone much further than that: They've been fundraisers, campaign organizers, event planners, volunteer recruiters and message developers for three MPS Board challengers, to the point of discouraging other potential candidates from running. In short, ASA has been a political action committee.
Under Wisconsin law, PACs are required to file campaign finance reports, and candidates who get help from PACs are required to report the aid they get. But neither ASA nor any of its three chosen candidates has filed any such reports. In addition, ASA has so far adopted a policy of silence toward all of Milwaukee's media except the Journal-Sentinel, and the Journal-Sentinel doesn't ask it any of these tough questions about its behavior.
Election day is April 7, less than two weeks away. Last week, a good-government group called Citizen Action filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, outlining what it knew about ASA's behavior and asserting that ASA has violated several state laws. This is where the email traffic comes in.
After I read the Citizen Action complaint, I did some basic, no-frills Google searching on the people involved in ASA. One of the links I found was to a Yahoo group called ASA-MKE, and the conversation posted there, going all the way back to last summer, clearly shows all sorts of violations of Wisconsin election laws. Just as importantly, it clearly shows that what ASA representatives have said in public has been purposefully false.
I posted my discovery yesterday, here at DailyKos and at One Wisconsin Now, another good-government website that lets readers add their own blog entries. As of this morning, ASA is still using its Yahoo group, and it's still online, so you can still read those conversations for yourself.
What do they show?
They show that Peter Blewett's 2005 opponent, Kevin Ronnie, held initial conversations with a woman named Redonna Rodgers on September 3, 2008, about running against Blewett with ASA's help. In fact, Ronnie reported to ASA the next day that, "I think we have our candidate, and my early impressions are very favorable." The same day, Ronnie advised his ASA teammates that Rodgers hadn't made a decision yet, and that if she did run, "There may be tactical reasons for her to distance herself" from their pro-voucher organization.
They show that ASA representatives -- "John (and maybe Kevin)" -- planned to work with a candidate for another board seat, David Voeltner, "to lay out a timeline, perhaps working backward from the election, of what he needs to do by when." ASA were trying to confirm the candidacy of another challenger, Justin Mortara, in another district. But ASA's commitment to the Rodgers candidacy was solid: "John and Kevin will meet with Redonna Rodgert toi lay out what it will take to run a successful campaign in the 6th district." Continued conversations with Rodgers were proving fruitful: "Kevin and John met with ReDonna Rodgers, whom they perceive to be a very strong potential challenger to Blewett. She is 95% decided that she will run."
They show that ASA clearly had a multi-phase plan to identify, train and provide campaign aid to its selected candidates, as ASA representative Anne Curley described on October 10: "As we prepare to move into Phase 2, in which ASA becomes active in helping candidates to raise funds and volunteers..."
They show that ASA intended to pursue a strategy of seeking positive media coverage in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel for itself and its selected candidates, as Curley described on November 4:
Should I try to get Jim Stingl to interview Mike, John and Wendell about ASA's efforts to surface candidates for the board? We haven't had any significant media coverage to date and two of the three people we're currently working with (Redonna and Annie) still seem kind of wobbly. Exposure in the Journal-Sentinel might surface other interested citizens. And by proactively seeking coverage, we can better control how ASA is portrayed.
Not sure Jim will bite, but I suggest him because a.) it's likely to be a friendly, easy-going interview, b.) his column gets good play and is well read, c) I know him and could easily approach him. Good idea?
Anne
p.s. Wendell, how are we doing on getting our three current candidates lined up for weekly meetings?
And when another potential candidate expressed interest in running for the board in the same district as Rodgers, ASA's Curley discouraged her from doing so on November 10:
I had a long conversation with this woman, Lena Stephenson, impressing upon her the time commitment involved in running a successful campaign and getting up to speed on the issues. She says she's definitely got the time available and is motivated to invest it. She is white, by the way.
Needless to say, this poses some issues since ReDonna also is running for the sixth.
They show that Kevin Ronnie acknowledged the damage that might be caused to ASA's selected candidates if the truth of ASA's activities was exposed:
ASA is going to be a campaign issue. The fact that we are recruiting
candidates to replace MTEA backed board members will be used against those we have put out there. So we need to make an effort to spin our work positively.
They show that on November 21, Curley described her effort to discourage another potential candidate from running for the MPS Board, apparently because ASA had already committed its support to its selected candidate:
FYI, another realtor has contacted me about running for the school board. Her name is Mary Anne Stephens and she lives in the 7th district. I told her that district already has a strong candidate running, but she sent me the e-mail below nonetheless. So I told her about tomorrow morning's session since we are not in the business of turning away interested individuals.
They show that ASA's Kevin Ronnie initiated a fundraising plan on behalf of ASA's three candidates -- Rodgers, Voeltner and Annie Woodward -- and that he intended to use the Milwaukee Fund for Public Education as a "conduit" to "bundle" contributions for ASA's candidates, as he described on January 21, 2009:
Attached is a list of the names and addresses of the campaign committees for the candidates that have been involved in the ASA process. I’ve also included the address for the Milwaukee Fund for Public Education.
I send this to everyone for two reasons:
- So we as members of ASA can make contributions to the candidate(s) of our choice(s).
- So as you talk to potential donors you know where to direct them to make their contributions.
I’ve also included the address for the Milwaukee Fund for Public Education. Anyone wanting to give to more than one candidate, but wanting to write one check – can bundle the contribution through the Milwaukee Fund for Education – which is a conduit. Contributions through the conduit need to include a note indicating how the contribution is to be allocated.
Thanks to all.
kevin
They show that when ASA commissioned a push-poll in January, group members intended to share the data with ASA's selected candidates for the purpose of devising or refining their campaign messaging, as indicated by ASA contractor Steven Koczela on January 23:
We have the presentation and fundraising memos ready to go, but in light of this, we would prefer to wait until Monday to send these items. I would be happy to participate on the phone tomorrow if needed to familiarize the candidates with the data.
But they also show that ASA did not completely trust its selected candidates (or Mike Mathias, who had been hired to write ASA's position papers) to protect the poll data, as explained by conversation between Curley and Ronnie on January 29:
Question for the group: Should we send David, ReDonna, Annie and Mike the full report on the poll results, along with the strategy memo from Brilliant Corners, today? Or should we wait until Monday morning to maintain tight control until the official release?
This distrust is reinforced in a response from Ronnie to Curley on the same date:
I would send the report but with a couple of clear messages.
- That this is not to be shared with the media. ASA will handle media contacts.
- That keeping this closely held is important to them as candidates. If MTEA / WEAC / Citizen Action types get their hands on this, it will be used to preempt or to blunt the messages that they (our candidates) might want to use.
- That they should share the full report with their campaign managers as their professionals can use the detail in this poll to sharpen and shape mail / messaging strategies.
That's my two cents,
Kevin
They show that when the first public awareness of ASA's true intent and its push-poll surfaced, ASA sought to present a positive public image that differed from its actual purposes, as outlined in detail by Ronnie on January 30:
We need a set of message / bullet points for all ASA members that answers the likely questions, and everybody from ASA needs to review the bullet points and stay on message.
Anne, To your specific questions about the event:
I agree with a specific statement about ASA not being a pro-voucher group.
We are a good government group
We are trying to encourage good people to challenge for these seats.
Good candidates and vigorously contested elections are needed to preserve faith in a democratically elected MPS Board.
...
- Under no circumstances should we make available the cross tabs at the presentation. If there is agreement on this point, I ask that nobody even bring a copy to the room.
- Dee and Rosen: My sense is that there is no good way to uninvite them. I'd rather not have those vultures in the room, but if we bar the door the story will be about them being uninvited / kicked out of the meeting. So we have to move to a damage control mode.
Be prepared for them to do some sort of press action of their own after the presentation, and don’t be surprised if Blewett shows up, either for the presentation or afterwards. If he knows the press is going to be there, he might want to try and spin this in his direction. (Biased poll, paid for by dirty voucher money, evil nasty people out to get me, etc.)
They show that when the Journal-Sentinel reporter, Alan Borsuk, backed away from committing to cover the release of the push-poll, ASA sought the interest of the Milwaukee Business Journal instead, as explained by Curley on February 2: "I have a call in to Mark Kass at the Business Journal to see if we can get a good spread on this there."
They show that when ASA failed to win favorable coverage of its push-poll release, it ramped up its fundraising program for its selected candidates instead, using ASA's distribution system and a fundraising appeal from Ronnie on February 4. In her introductory note, Curley volunteers herself and Ronnie to collect contributions in person for delivery to the candidates, writing, "If you’re willing and able to write a few checks, either Kevin or I will pick them up from you tomorrow and get them to the candidates."
Dear executive committee and special friends of Advocates for Student Achievement,
The first financial report for the three candidates that we have helped to recruit and develop is due this Friday. To show that they have momentum, they need your financial support before Friday, if you are willing to help. If you are willing to write checks to one or more of the campaigns, I will stop by and collect them at your convenience tomorrow.
The candidates -- ReDonna Rogers, David Voeltner and Annie Woodward -- are working very hard. They all made impressive presentations at Monday’s presentation of the landscape poll They are all good candidates, but they need help raising money. They don’t come from money, there isn’t a lot of money available in their family networks, and they don’t have a lot of experience in shaking the money tree for themselves.
They show that on February 5, noting a definite lack of response to the first fundraising solicitation, Curley repeated her offer to collect and disburse donations for the candidates, and repeated the availability of the Milwaukee Fund for Public Education as a conduit to funnel these donations to candidates:
Want Kevin Ronnie or me to swing by and pick up one or more checks from you today? If you want to support more than one candidate with a single check, you can make it out to Milwaukee Fund for Public Education and just tell us how you want your money allocated.
They show that when Mike Mathias "declined to be associated" with ASA, its representatives chose not to support Mathias with ASA's fundraising apparatus, despite his victory in a primary election, as explained by Curley on February 18:
Bruce, re: supporting Mike Mathias... I thought you made a good case on Monday as to why Annie would probably be a better board member, i.e., her ability to work with others and not be a lone ranger. Since Mike has declined to be associated with us, I'm inclined to stick with the three who have taken advantage of ASA...especially since that's how we're justifying raising money for them.
In the second draft below I have further strengthened the fundraising appeal, per Kevin's request. I’ve also acknowledged the obvious – that ReDonna needs a lot more help than David or Annie. Are folks OK with that?
Please respond with any concerns right away so I can get this to Lena for distribution this evening using the ASA e-mail address we used for the Feb. 2 event.
And it shows that as recently as March 21, ASA remained focused on raising money for Redonna Rodgers, its selected candidate to oppose MPS Board President Peter Blewett, as described by Curley:
Lena has given Bruce, John, Kevin, me and herself lists of 20-25 "Friends of ASA" to call over the next few days to ask for contributions for ReDonna. We have two more groups of 25 people each that haven’t been spoken for. Can anyone else make these calls?
As I said yesterday, I'm no lawyer, but I know that groups functioning as political action committees are governed by state law, and that ASA hasn't filed any reports to document its PAC activities, and that neither has any of its selected candidates filed documentation of these activities.
If Americans had suddenly become privy to the internal communications of Karl Rove, Don Rumsfeld, Condi Rice and the rest of George W. Bush's team two weeks before the 2004 election, and those communications reflected exactly the sort of evidence that has been documented in Milwaukee, I suspect the traditional media would have had a feeding frenzy. It's strange to me that the traditional media in Milwaukee hasn't noticed revelations of clear, blatant violations of campaign finance laws, and the attempts they represent to circumvent those laws and subvert a legitimate elections process in Milwaukee.
If you agree with me, invite Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporters Alan Borsuk (aborsuk@journalsentinel.com) and Dan Bice (dbice@journalsentinel.com) to cover the issue for themselves. The investigative work is already done and the evidence is available for all to see at ASA's Yahoo group page -- that is, so long as it remains public -- so all they have to do, presumably, is call the District Attorney's office to ask which charges will be filed, and against whom, and when.
Or, if the Journal-Sentinel has already decided which news it won't cover and which of its allies it will appease through April 7, we might prevail upon the intrepid Shepherd Express to scan the Yahoo group. Its reporter, Lisa Kaiser (editor@shepex.com), appears to have written more about the race so far than the Journal-Sentinel anyway.
UPDATE: Score one more for the power of DailyKos and the Kossack Army. Lisa Kaiser of the Shepherd Express once again scooped the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, posting an item at the Shep Express online about the ASA Yahoo group and her findings there.
Read for yourself: http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/...