GREEN BAY, Wis. (WTAQ-WLUK) – Thousands of dollars from outside Green Bay and even Wisconsin are being invested in candidates running for City Council again.
There are less than two weeks left until the spring election, when voters choose their representatives for city councils, county commissions and school boards.
These races are supposed to be nonpartisan, but for the second year in a row special interest (often referred to as dark money) has been disbursed to Green Bay City Council candidates.
“In my 20 years in government, my first 16 people have never seen anything like that,” said Chris Wherry, who is running for re-election to the City Council. “The last four years have been some laughably crazy money.”
Two years ago, more than $100,000 in special interest was spent on Green Bay’s City Council elections.
At least $66,000 has been spent so far this cycle, according to the state’s campaign finance database, but it appears to be much more.
Using a database, FOX 11 found that the Power to the Polls Action Fund spent $33,730 supporting or opposing candidates in Green Bay. The Wisconsin Conservancy voters spent $33,374 on him.
The organization pays for mailing and door-to-door canvassing.
Washington, D.C.-based Open Democracy PAC is listed in the database for $84,858, but it doesn’t say which candidates the money goes to. That means the group could be spending money on races elsewhere in Wisconsin. But voters are receiving Open Democracy mailers and digital ads supporting Green Bay candidates, so we know at least some of the group’s money is being spent here.
“I have no control over outside funding,” said Jim Ridderbusch, who is challenging Mr. Wherry for City Council. “What people are spending, I don’t give them permission to do that.”
Special interest groups can spend money without candidates’ permission or coordination.
So far, outside funding appears to be going almost exclusively to support candidates endorsed by the Brown County Democratic Party.
“Last time (two years ago) the tables were reversed and they (outside groups) were supporting other candidates who were more on the Republican and conservative side,” Ridderbusch said.
Just because money hasn’t been spent on conservative-backed candidates yet doesn’t mean it won’t be spent in the future. In the last city council election two years ago, there were reports of outside funding on election day and even the day after the election.
“It’s not going to be one-sided,” Ridderbusch said. “I think it will be both.”
“What we should do as a community is, right before the election, we should gather up everything they’ve sent us, make a big bonfire, burn everything, and stick this stuff on our backs. I think it sends a message that it can be done,” Wherry said.
Voting day is April 2nd.
All but one of the 12 seats are subject to change.
All but three current city council members are running for re-election. Jesse Brunette, Randy Scannell and Mark Steuer had their final meeting Tuesday night.
