Gov. James E. Doyle’s Pay-to-Play Habits Spill Into Another State Agency

Source: Republican Party of Wisconsin



Amidst a federal-state-local investigation into the Doyle Administration’s handling of a lucrative state travel contract to a company whose executives are heavy campaign contributors to the governor, more details of highly questionable practices in his administration are emerging.

According to an Oct. 29 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story, a high-ranking Department of Transportation official organized a fundraiser last month for Gov. Doyle, inviting dozens of employees of engineering firms that do more than $100 million a year in work for the department. The official said attendees had to give at least $100 to attend the event. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the state gave engineering firms $106 million worth of work.

“The governor seems to imply that you need to cough up campaign cash in order to do business with the state,” said Rick Wiley, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “To have the DOT arrange a fundraiser inviting engineering firm employees appears to be a huge conflict of interest. Fundraising shouldn’t even be in the DOT’s realm.”

In addition to the DOT fundraiser, Gov. Doyle has been catering to gaming interests in full force. In May, Doyle received $20,000 from Mohegan tribe officials who would manage the casino that the Menominee tribe wants to open in Kenosha. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 30, 2005) The governor could have the ultimate authority to approve the casino. A new Doyle campaign filing shows he was busy shaking the money tree out east with the Mohegan. Doyle’s campaign spent $400 for the governor, his chief of staff and an aide to stay at the tribe’s hotel in Connecticut. A fundraiser for the governor was held at the hotel, which is part of the casino complex.

Doyle’s campaign manager, speaking in defense of the Mohegan fundraiser, said the Mohegan officials “loved Doyle’s views on national issues,” such as stem-cell research.

“I’m sure the tribes appreciate Doyle’s views on casino operations in the state of Wisconsin even more,” said Wiley. “That is, he’ll do whatever they want as long as they keep the money flowing into his campaign coffers.”

Shortly before the November 2002 election, three Wisconsin tribes with the most at stake in state casino negotiations dropped an unprecedented amount of money into the coffers of the Democratic National Committee----more than $700,000. The national party then gave $1 million to the state Democratic Party, which they used to support Doyle and others on the party ticket.

While Doyle is busy attending to the needs of special interests, the “Travelgate” investigation continues to expose the ethical lapses in his administration. Executives with Adelman Travel donated $20,000 to the Doyle campaign in the months surrounding the award of a major state contract to the company, despite the fact that a competing vendor scored better.

“Apparently trick-or-treating occurs all the time in the Governor’s office,” said Wiley. “Governor Doyle seems to have an endless supply of pay-to-play tricks. Unfortunately, the only ones who get the treats are the most powerful special interests. Come next year, the for-sale sign will finally be removed from the Governor’s door when voters elect either Mark Green or Scott Walker, who are already calling for reforms to clean-up state government."