Donald Fish Public Statements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2002
The trouble with Jim
Jim Doyle has a problem. He wants voters to believe he had no knowledge or involvement with the Wisconsin caucus scandal. The problem is the attitude that led to the abuses was not isolated; rather it was an integral part of the culture and way of life at the Capitol. Doyle can do his dance, but he may have to hope voters do not look at the whole story.
Last year I filed a complaint with the State Elections Board alleging the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Coordinated Campaign violated state campaign finance law by using state resources in the development of computerized voter lists. Just three days later, Doyle issued a press release distancing himself from the Coordinated Campaign. His August 23, 2001 statement said, “I have never had any personal involvement with the Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign. I have never attended a meeting. My campaign has never used voter lists from the coordinated campaign, nor has it assisted in the procurement or preparation (sic) of any voter lists.”
Since then, however, it has been pointed out that Doyle’s own campaign finance reports show Doyle for Attorney General gave $4,952 to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, on March 23, 1999, specifically for a voter list. Additionally, while Doyle himself may not have attended Coordinated Campaign meetings, both I and another former party employee have reported that a Doyle representative regularly did attend these meetings. This is significant because, as I have stated under oath, a regular part of Coordinated Campaign meetings was an update on how much work state employees had completed on voter list development.
Despite credible evidence, Doyle’s campaign activities have not received a serious examination—perhaps because he is the “boss of the [caucus scandal] investigators,” as he has called himself. But if true justice is to be served, there will need to be a full and fair investigation. That is the trouble with Jim, and trouble for Wisconsin. If elected, the day he takes office, Doyle could be the subject of such a probe. That is bad for Wisconsin. With a looming $2.8 billion budget deficit and other serious problems, the state needs a Governor not saddled with his own troubles. I must say as a Democrat, it is regrettable the Democratic Party did not nominate a less tarnished candidate in the primary.