End of caucuses sought in bill being introduced
2:06 PM 6/27/01
Doug Erickson Wisconsin State Journal
A state legislator and former leaders from both political parties are expected to unveil legislation this morning that would abolish the state's four legislative caucuses.
The taxpayer-supported caucus staffs - one each for the Democrats and Republicans in both the state Assembly and Senate - are intended to provide research and communications support for legislators.
But a Wisconsin State Journal investigation last month found that the offices also operate as secret campaign machines, raising money, producing brochures and maintaining lists of potential voters for the leaders' hand-picked candidates. Such activity could amount to an illegal campaign contribution, and campaigning on state time or with state resources could be a violation of state ethics laws.
Rep. Marty Reynolds, D-Ladysmith, is sponsoring legislation to end the caucuses and is planning to formally introduce the bill this week. He is expected to announce the bill's bipartisan co-sponsors this morning at a Capitol press conference.
Scheduled to join him are former Democratic Gov. Tony Earl and Ody Fish, a former chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Earl and Fish will talk about the effect the caucus system has had on the Legislature and on the state's political parties, according to Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause In Wisconsin, which also backs the legislation.