In past 17 months, allegations swirl around Chvala
10:47 AM 10/16/02
Dee J. Hall Wisconsin State Journal

Since the caucus scandal was first reported in May 2001, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala has maintained a low profile, making few public appearances and mostly refusing to speak directly to the press.

That's not to say Chvala has been out of the news. Throughout the past 17 months, the Wisconsin State Journal and other news organizations have reported a variety of allegations against one of Wisconsin's most powerful lawmakers.

Among the most provocative allegations is that Chvala has traded legislative action for campaign contributions. So-called "pay to play" allegations against Chvala surfaced in the Capital Times, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the State Journal in November.

Two lobbyists cited anonymously by the Journal Sentinel claimed Chvala solicited campaign donations for vulnerable Democratic Senate candidates in exchange for legislative action - in one instance to pass legislation and in the other case not to block it.

The State Journal also quoted another unnamed lobbyist who said that in 1996, Chvala denied the lobbyist access to his Senate office after the lobbyist's clients refused Chvala's demands for $20,000 in campaign contributions for three other Senate candidates.

Chvala, through a spokesman, denied all the allegations.

Most recently, the Journal Sentinel reported allegations in a September column that Chvala in 1997 sought campaign donations for two Senate candidates in exchange for Chvala's support of a budget amendment to buy a Lake Geneva estate for use as a state historic site. Chvala, through a spokesman, denied that charge.

Scrutiny of the Legislature began in May 2001 when the State Journal reported that the four legislative caucuses were operating as secret campaign organizations at the direction of the four legislative leaders, including Chvala. That series sparked an investigation by Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard into the $4 million-a-year agencies.

Attention began to focus on Chvala in late May 2001, when newspapers reported on an April 27, 2001, memo from Madison lobbyist Tony Driessen to his clients that Chvala would "not look favorably" upon clients who donated more money to Assembly Republicans than Senate Democrats.

The memo also said Chvala had hired a full-time fund-raiser named Michelle McGrorty. Chvala insisted at the time that McGrorty, who was working at the taxpayer-funded Senate Democratic Caucus, was not fund-raising while at her state job. She has since received immunity from prosecution in the John Doe investigation.

Shortly after the probe began, Blanchard announced he was turning over investigation of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and by extension Chvala, to Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann because of minor help Blanchard had received from the SDC. In June of this year, Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney David Feiss confirmed he was investigating pay-to-play allegations against Chvala and "improper political activity" at the SDC.

Throughout the past year, the allegations against Chvala continued to build. Last October, the State Journal and the Capital Times reported allegations by former Chvala spokesman Dan Kroll that Chvala used his Senate office and staffers to run his 1996 campaign.

Kroll also alleged that Chvala orchestrated the 1996 recall of Sen. George Petak, R-Racine, from his Senate office, as well as the successful campaign of Sen. Kim Plache, D-Racine. Petak's removal and Plache's election returned Democrats to the majority and thrust Chvala back into the top leadership spot. Chvala declined to address all the allegations specifically but denied some of them.

Shortly after the Kroll story was published, Chvala tried to hold a press conference on an educational issue, but ended up fleeing his own Capitol office amid a barrage of reporters' questions about his role in illegal campaigning. He left without answering, saying repeatedly, "You have our statement."

Last December, the State Journal reported that Democratic staffers were routinely solicited for campaign contributions while on duty at their state jobs, which would be a clear violation of state law barring the solicitation of campaign donations or political services on state property. Two former Senate staffers, including Kroll, said Chvala himself solicited donations from them.

In a written statement issued by his spokesman, Chvala declined to address the specific allegations, saying instead that Kroll was "clearly trying to settle a perceived score by making numerous outrageous and false allegations."