Top Victories

Common Cause in Wisconsin played a leading role in the "Impartial Justice" measure, which provides 100 percent public financing to candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court who qualify and who agree to abide by spending limits of $100,000 in the primary election and $300,000 in the general election.

Wisconsin now joins New Mexico and North Carolina as the only states in the nation to provide full public financing in state Supreme Court elections. Governor Jim Doyle signed the bill into law in December 2009.

In 2009, Common Cause/Wisconsin single-handedly uncovered and forced removal an amendment that would have required the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board to get legislative approval for any funding to investigate possible corruption and/or other wrongdoing in state government. Enactment of the amendment would have completely undermined the independence and ability of the board to be able to investigate corruption -- free from interference from or control by the Legislature.