Man, it sure does seem like we're talking about Wisconsin a lot these days; but that's to be expected with the campaigning that's going on and the ongoing ethical scandals involving state officials.  There's a lot going on, and it's all keeping the Wisconsin reform community - especially Common Cause Wisconsin's Jay Heck - very busy.

Today, though, I want to highlight an editorial I came across from the Wausau Daily Herald.  It's message is straightforward: "Mudslinging drowns out good ideas."

This year's governor's race is estimated to cost $35 million; much of that will be spend on attack ads - indeed, it's already happening.

With elections fast approaching, allegations of illegal campaign contributions have become more heated in the states.  

Take Wisconsin, for example.  In 2005, Richard and Barbara Schiffrin donated $10,000 and $5,000 to embattled Governor Jim Doyle (D) and Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager (D), respectively, at a campaign function.  Later that day, Richard Schiffrin sought state business with the Wisconsin Investment Board at meetings established by a Lautenschlager aide and the Doyle campaign's chief fund-raiser.  

Though Schiffrin's law firm was not hired by the state, the Wisconsin Ethics Board is now reviewing whether the campaign contributions were "met with promises to help obtain state business."  Political rivals themselves, Doyle and Lautenschlager must now fend off charges of ethics violations from their Republican challengers.

Meanwhile, Missouri Democrats are outraged at Governor Matt Blunt (R) for what they see as a blatantly illegal campaign contribution.

According to a recent financial report, Blunt's campaign committee received $38,982 from the Republican National Committee in April, an amount that rises well above state contribution limits from party committees.

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (D) received $17,684 in reelection campaign donations from six officials at the architectural and engineering firm HNTB. HNTB had previously received the lucrative Marquette Interchange design and information-management contracts. The Doyle campaign maintains that the donations had "absolutely nothing to do" with the contracts awarded to the firm, contracts that include the $810 million Marquette Interchange.

Wisconsin state officials have received campaign contributions from road builders, consultants, and other transportation industry specialists for decades. HNTB Vice President Matt Hintze said contributions to political candidates by HNTB officials have no connection to the state contracts. All six HNTB officials contributed to Doyle's reelection campaign on June 1.

The Doyle campaign is under scrutiny because former state purchasing supervisor Georgia Thompson was convicted in federal court of steering a contract to a firm with two executives that gave the maximum $10,000 donation to Doyle's campaign. Jay Heck of Common Cause Wisconsin says that it "insults the intelligence" of Wisconsin taxpayers to deny any connection between campaign donations and state contracts. Heck says:

A couple of weeks ago we told you about a corruption trial getting underway in Wisconsin that had the attention of reformers and politicians alike.

Well, Georgia Thompson, the procurement official (hello David Safavian!) in question, was found guilty of directing a $750,000 contract to one of Governor Jim Doyle's (D) major campaign contributors.  Doyle's campaign says it's a case of an isolated official, while his opponent Rep. Mark Green (R) is trying to paint it as indicative of Doyle's administration as a whole.  As for Common Cause's interest:

So would we, Professor.  The Green Bay Press-Gazette article that quote comes from has a good breakdown of what this means for the campaign finance and ethics reform process in Wisconsin.

There's a trial about to get underway in Milwaukee, and no one's quite sure what it might reveal.  A Department of Administration purchasing supervisor has been charged with directing a big contract to a firm that had donated large sums of money to Governor Jim Doyle's campaign.