While I've been hearing from the 30th district for quite sometime about recall effort of Senator Dave Hansen (D) and how they believe many of them are being paid to recall -- the news has surprisingly hit a station here in our neck of the woods in Northeastern Wisconsin.
Recall Senator Dave Hansen (D) Group may start paying canvassers.
The link isn't perfect because it implies the Cowles (R) Recall and Hansen (D) Recall are doing the same methods to gain signatures when it is certainly not the case.
However, those of you who do not care to read the article I will bring out the bits that stick out:
And at the Recall Senator Hanson camp, they say 80 to 90 people come through their doors every day to sign the petition on top of the signatures they get out working the streets.
"We are in it to win it, and we are going to put the resources and time we need to to make sure we succeed," said Dave Vanderleest of the Recall Dave Hansen Group.
...
The recall Hansen group is even looking to pay people to collect signatures. In a Craigslist ad they posted, they offer 50 cents a signature saying there is an unlimited short term earning potential.
"If we do not succeed on election day, and we need to do that, we are not afraid to have paid circulators, we are going to use local money and local people," said Vanderleest.
This logically despite reaching half way there in terms of signatures, is not a good sign for them because they might not be checking where the people live. Simply because many people who often go to Green Bay do not necessarily live in the 30th District represented by Dave Hansen (D).
Many who reach areas like resident grocery stores are in gray areas because many from the 2nd District - Robert Cowles (R) or the 1st District - Frank Lasee (R) often go shopping there or are unaware of the district they actually live in even if they want to remove Dave Hansen (D).
while Republican, may not be legitimate signatures to successfully recall Hansen. When people are simply getting signatures for the sake of profit, this could lead to dishonesty as long as they get 50 cents a signature.
If you read the comments and the various rumors, it paints an extremely interesting about what is going on the part of the state: running into individuals who are bored who show no interest in canvassing, those who are saying they're being paid for it, or even those who are deliberately hiding what they're doing saying it is to 'protect' him and make sure he is not removed. While I am normally suspicious to these types of rumors, them being told at such a large mass and amount it's fairly suspicious even if the newspapers are not saying a word about it.
Here are some various quotes about the said rumors that I've found on the Channel 5 News Site:
Jimmer · 16 hours ago
I think this is already happening. There was a gal who stopped by my house this week with a petition for Hanson. She seemed really sweet and didn't give the impression of being really interested, so I asked some questions. She told me she was between jobs and being paid to canvass. I met another couple who lived over by Fleet Farm in Green Bay who told me the same thing. I'm not really politically into this whole thing, but I think WFRV might be putting out old news.
kim · 3 hours ago
It's interesting that this article hints at both recalls paying their canvassers but only actually states that those working the Hansen (D) recall are.
"The recall Hansen group is even looking to pay people to collect signatures. In a Craigslist ad they posted, they offer 50 cents a signature saying there is an unlimited short term earning potential." It never outright says that the Recall Cowles (R) is paying their canvassers. And according to those posting comments- they aren't getting paid for the Cowles canvassing. That seems to mean the only ones that need to be paid to do the recalls are the Repulicans trying to oust one of our Dem 14.
another new dem · 3 hours ago
That is right...get outside of Madison and Milwaukee, and what do you see?? Kapanke recalled for a start, Hopper soon to follow, and Lazich and Olsen and Harnsdorf running scared. I am sure Cowles will be recalled as well. My opinion is, if the Republicans were doing so well in their recall efforts, why hire outside agencies and pay people to get signatures and for their signature? I think they know they are on the wrong side of history. I was one of those in Kapanke's district who was canvassing...out of the 15 days that I got signatures, I only had 4 people refuse! And 2 of those were openly hostile...but I am an adult and wear my big girl panties with pride...I was able to 'turn the other cheek' and wish them a good day, even when one threatened me. Ended up getting, in small towns only---over 300 signatures myself alone. And I didn't go door to door either, just parked my car in town and set up shop. It was soo easy!! And now, seeing that I have completed my obligation to get the recall on my senator, I will assist other groups trying to get the recall on theirs.
And to think...I wasn't even a democrat before all this began....or a union member either. Husband and I have a small business, pay for our own insurance and pensions. So guess what?? It is NOT about the unions at all, is it?? That was always a red herring the Republicans use to inflame their base, but most of us with an ounce of intelligence can see through that one.
HLC · 3 minutes ago
Paying people to collect signatures ensures that many will be invalid. The canvassers won't care whether the signatures are valid and will probably add a bunch of fake names and addresses to pad the total.
And many more, in the comment section.
While I'm not sure if all these rumors are true, the fact is if they're deliberately using trickery and misinformation, that is against the law. So I must ask you in other districts who have their representative under attack: are you running into similar issues or rumors? Or is this only up in our portion of the state?
This is my first post here, so please be gentle!
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