Michael Haas, administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, announced he is stepping down after Republican lawmakers rejected his confirmation last month. GOP lawmakers thought they had essentially fired Haas by failing to confirm him, but Haas initially disagreed with their legal interpretation and continued in the position.

In his resignation letter, Haas said the battle to remain in office would hinder the commission’s work and drain it of its resources. He will temporarily serve as staff counsel at the Elections Commission before leaving the agency entirely.

Assistant Administrator Meagan Wolfe is expected to be named interim administrator.

On the same day Haas announced his resignation, the Wisconsin Ethics Commission named ethics specialist Colette Reinke as interim administrator to replace Brian Bell. Bell resigned from the position last month after the Senate also rejected his confirmation.

Democratic lawmakers have criticized Republicans for targeting ethics and elections workers because of their connections with the former Government Accountability Board.

Kevin Kennedy, director of the Government Accountability Board (GAB), will retire June 29, just before the agency is replaced by two new commissions.

Kennedy was the director of the state Elections Board prior to serving as director of the GAB, and has presided over state elections for the last 37 years.

GAB will be replaced by an ethics commission and an elections commission on June 30. While the new commissions will be partisan, the Republicans who backed the change argue it will be fair because each party will have equal representation.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics has released an Advisory Opinion regarding what constitutes lobbying activity when it comes to political consultants and grassroots communications. Advisory Opinion 16-01 requires public relations consultants to register their efforts to influence government through public campaigns, which includes any contact with editorial boards aimed at publishing communications involving a political issue.

The Advisory Opinion is meant to encompass grassroots communications, an action the public relations community is calling an unconstitutional restraint on free speech. With the Opinion taking effect, grassroots communication is considered lobbying if it references, suggests, or otherwise implicates activity covered by the Lobbying act; takes a clear position on the issue in question; or is an attempt to influence a public official through a call to action. If a consultant had control over the delivery of the message and had input into its content, registration and reporting will now be required.

On December 16, Gov. Scott Walker signed two bills amending campaign finance rules, increasing political contribution limits, and replacing the state’s Government Accountability Board (GAB) with two new agencies, one overseeing elections and the other overseeing ethics.

Other changes include resuming the practice of allowing lawmakers to determine funding for investigations of public officials, which had been halted when GAB was formed, and in changing the commission members from nonpartisan judges to appointees chosen by the governor and legislative leaders.

Kevin Kennedy, chief administrator of GAB, said there are still many questions to be answered regarding the transition. He said his agency would work with the governor’s administration to ensure a smooth transition.

The campaign finance bill is effective January 1, 2016. The new commissions replace GAB on July 1, 2016.

Two bills passed the Wisconsin Senate early this month, likely changing the state’s future political landscape. One bill eliminates the Government Accountability Board and creates two bipartisan commissions to oversee ethics and elections.

The other bill overhauls state campaign finance laws. It doubles campaign contribution limits and defines express advocacy. Critics argue it creates a potentially dangerous loophole for candidates to loosely coordinate with outside advocacy groups.

The Assembly passed both bills in October but must vote on the revised versions with Senate amendments. It will consider both bills on November 16 in an extraordinary session. The bills are expected to pass and be delivered to Gov. Scott Walker by the end of the month.

Photo of the interior of the Wisconsin State Capitol by Dori on Wikimedia Commons.

An audit of how the Government Accountability Board (GAB) handles complaints has determined there are no significant problems with the current process used by the agency.

The report by the Legislative Audit Bureau suggested two minor changes concerning timely resolution of complaints and keeping the board provided with the names of at least three people eligible to be hired as special investigators.

GAB Director Kevin Kennedy said, “It puts to rest any questions as to whether the six board members exercise independent judgment when they make decisions about complaints, investigations and penalties.”

Gov. Scott Walker and state Republican leadership are expected to continue to push for an overhaul of the agency.

A federal lawsuit has been filed to challenge the state law limiting campaign contributions to candidates from political action committees (PACs).

The CRG Network (CRG), a PAC working to elect conservative candidates, filed the lawsuit in the Milwaukee U.S. District Court against the state Government Accountability Board. CRG argues its rights to free speech and free association have been denied because of PAC contribution limits.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the law in 1990, but subsequent U.S. Supreme Court rulings may make the earlier state Supreme Court case irrelevant.

The Government Accountability Board (GAB) is seeking comment on new guidelines for lobbyist campaign contributions. Following changes to campaign fundraising rules pursuant to 2013 Wisconsin Act 153, GAB concluded a lobbyist may deliver or convey a campaign contribution on behalf of a political action committee, conduit, or other person to a candidate for any office at any time.

The draft changes to GAB guidelines 1249 and 1250 are available here. Comments should be sent to Division Administrator Jonathan Becker at jonathan.becker@wi.gov or (608) 267-0647 by June 2, 2014.