Wisconsin Jobs Now and 'Block Parties'

Wisconsin Jobs Now! has been hosting "block parties," offering free food and prizes.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch.

In this case, Wisconsin Jobs Now! was asking for participation in its absentee voting drive.

From the MacIver News Service:

Two events held in Milwaukee today aimed at rewarding absentee voters could run afoul of Wisconsin law a state election official said today.

The group, Wisconsin Jobs Now! describes itself as a “coalition of community groups, neighborhood associations, faith based organizations and labor united in an effort to bring good jobs to Wisconsin now.”

At two events in the city Monday, Wisconsin Jobs Now! offered free BBQ and prize drawings to people who participate in their absentee voting drive. They promoted the events on their website, action.wisconsinjobsnow.org.

Wisconsin statutes forbid “election bribery,” under 12.11. This includes giving or offering anything of value in exchange for going to the polls.

Steve Pickett, an elections specialist with the Government Accountability Board, told the MacIver News Service that whether this event is legal or not could come down to timing.

“If they walk in with a sticker that says ‘I voted ‘that’s one thing, but if they eat before they vote that’s a problem,” Pickett said. “It’s still a questionable practice one way or the other.”

...[The Wisconsin Jobs Now!] website has been highly critical of Republican Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), and in addition to the get out the vote parties, the organization has been organizing and shuttling voters to Milwaukee’s city hall.

Earlier on Monday, the Republican Party of Wisconsin filed a complaint with the GAB alleging illegal coordination between Citizen Action of Wisconsin and the campaign of Sandy Pasch (D-Millwaukee), Darling’s challenger.

The RPW complaint comes on the revelation by Media Trackers that Pasch sits on the board of directors of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. The Republican Party asked the Government Accountability Board to conduct investigation into whether Sandy Pasch’s membership on the Board of Directors for Citizen Action of Wisconsin violated Section 11.06(7) of the Wisconsin statutes concerning illegal coordination between candidates and independent expenditure organizations.

Apparently, the Leftists and union thugs don't have much faith in Sandy Pasch to deliver.

If they did, if they had confidence in her, there would be no need to engage in these questionable, possibly illegal, tactics.

Pasch's campaign is steeped in corruption.

In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's coverage of the "block parties," the events are given a jaw-droppingly ridiculous spin.

State election authorities are questioning whether a liberal group broke the law by offering both free food and free rides to vote in a hotly contested Senate recall election.

Although no formal complaint had reached the state Government Accountability Board by Monday afternoon, a spokesman for the agency said it would not be legal to combine free food and transportation to the polls in the same event - even if, as the organization contends, people could take the food without boarding the buses.

Local law enforcement authorities are reportedly looking into the get-out-the-vote "block parties."

Five such parties were sponsored by Wisconsin Jobs Now, a coalition of community and labor groups led by the Service Employees International Union. The coalition describes itself as a nonpartisan organization, although its blog posts have been highly critical of state Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), who is defending her seat against Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) in the Aug. 9 recall vote.

Wisconsin Jobs Now held three parties last week and two Monday, all on Milwaukee's northwest side. Each party offered free food, prizes such as t-shirts and stuffed toys, face-painting for children, drawings for school backpacks - and free shuttles to Milwaukee City Hall, where voters could cast absentee ballots in the 8th Senate District contest.

Janet Veum, a spokeswoman for Wisconsin Jobs Now, described the events as "a celebration of voting," aimed at making it easier to vote for low-income and minority groups who might face more challenges under the state's new photo identification law.

...State law prohibits anyone from offering a voter any inducement to vote or not vote. Veum said her group believed it was complying with the law because no one was required to take the rides or vote to get the food and prizes.

But "that's a distinction without a difference," said Reid Magney, spokesman for the accountability board. He said it was legal to offer rides to the polls, or free food at picnics to talk about issues, but not in the same event.

Magney said his agency had not received any complaints about the parties and that enforcing the law would be up to the Milwaukee County district attorney's office.

A "celebration of voting"?

Oh, good grief!

Clearly, the "block parties" were staged as an inducement to vote.

This is sickening.

Such "inducements" are utilized by the Leftists again and again here in Wisconsin, probably because they know they can get away with the tactics.

It's a disgrace.

But Connie Milstein would be proud.
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From Media Trackers:

Milwaukee- Media Trackers filed complaints this morning with the Government Accountability Board and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office alleging illegal election and electioneering activities on the part of Wisconsin Jobs Now!

"We are confident that the GAB and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office will take our complaints serious," remarked Brian Sikma, communications director for Media Trackers. "The evidence that we reported on our website and that our sources gave us all point to multiple violations of election law on the part of Wisconsin Jobs Now! It is time for Wisconsin Jobs Now! to be held accountable for such flagrant violations of the law."

"Because the actions of Wisconsin Jobs Now! are so despicable, we are calling on the Sandy Pasch and Alberta Darling campaigns to also file complaints with the GAB and the Milwaukee County DA's office," stated Sikma. "What took place yesterday is an affront to both campaigns and, more importantly, to the voters in Senate District 8." Sikma continued saying, "If the candidates truly wish to state their frustration with these illegal actions and distance themselves from such tactics, they should file complaints calling for a formal GAB investigation of Wisconsin Jobs Now!"

WisconsinJobs Now! on the afternoon of August 1st hosted two events in northern Milwaukee County where voters were given a free barbeque chicken dinner and raffle tickets in exchange for showing up to vote. Participants were transported to the Milwaukee City Hall in vans with Wisconsin Jobs Now! logos on the side. Once at City Hall, volunteers wearing Wisconsin Jobs Now! t-shirts stood inside the Milwaukee Election Commission office and explained how the voting would work. Media Trackers secured first-hand reports and evidence of these activities.