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Unlimited donations, weak recusal rules led to record Wisconsin Supreme Court spending
Democrats seek to revive public financing of Supreme Court elections after previous attempts failed
Press
Media Contacts
Jay Heck
Executive Director, Common Cause Wisconsin
jheck@commoncause.org
608-512-9363
Kenny Colston
Regional Communications Strategist (Midwest)
kcolston@commoncause.org
Press Release
Counties in 32 of 33 WI State Senate Districts & 91 of 99 Assembly Districts Back Ending Partisan Gerrymandering
An analysis by CC/WI Board member and former state representative Penny Bernard Schaber demonstrates that Wisconsin voters and their local elected officials throughout the state overwhelmingly support ending partisan gerrymandering.
Press Release
Vos, Fitzgerald, Nygren & Darling: Wisconsin Taxpayers to Continue to Pay for Partisan Gerrymandering
The Republican Chairs of the Wisconsin Legislature's Joint Finance Committee announced today that they will take non-partisan redistricting reform out of Gov. Tony Evers' 2019-2021 biennium budget proposal – despite overwhelming support for this reform.
Press Release
Common Cause Wisconsin, Fair Elections Center & Others Challenge Wisconsin’s Requirements for Student IDs Used as Voter ID
WISCONSIN – Today, Fair Elections Center and Pines Bach LLP filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, on behalf of Common Cause in Wisconsin and individual plaintiff Ben Quintero, challenging Wisconsin’s unnecessary requirements for student IDs to qualify as voter ID.
News Clip
Janesville Gazette: Geography as destiny: As Paul Ryan exits, will it be more of the same?
Some voters in the 1st Congressional District weren’t born the last time a Democrat won the seat.
They might have to wait a while longer.
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan is retiring after 20 years in office.
He leaves a legacy of strong Republican support and a district whose boundaries have shifted to exclude Democrats and include more Republicans.
They might have to wait a while longer.
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan is retiring after 20 years in office.
He leaves a legacy of strong Republican support and a district whose boundaries have shifted to exclude Democrats and include more Republicans.
Press Release
U.S. Supreme Court Delays Decision for Now on Wisconsin Gerrymander Court Case
"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court today did not to address the unconstitutionality of one of the most partisan gerrymanders of state legislative districts (2011) in American history, but we remain hopeful that standing can be addressed and we can win justice in the courts" said Jay Heck, the long-time executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin.
Press Release
Wisconsin Still Waiting for U.S. Supreme Court Decision That May End Hyper-Partisan Gerrymandering
This past Monday morning, many of us huddled over the U.S. Supreme Court website, eagerly expecting the nation's highest court to render its long-anticipated decision in the case in which a federal court declared that Wisconsin's hyper-partisan, secretive, expensive (to Wisconsin taxpayers) gerrymandered redistricting process in 2011 by the Republicans, was unconstitutional.
News Clip
Jay Heck of Common Cause in Wisconsin explains the ramifications of a Wisconsin gerrymandering case that is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.
News Clip
Wisconsin Radio Network: “Analysis finds legislators received $164,000 in 2017 travel and perks”
Heck said 30 years ago, paid junkets were almost unheard of. And he says state ethics rules that prohibit lawmakers from accepting “anything of value” need to be tightened up.
News Clip
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Wisconsin lawmakers got $164,000 in travel and perks last year from outside groups”
"Special interests are paying for it and everybody thinks that has an influence on what legislators are thinking and doing — because you're getting a free trip," said Jay Heck, director of the government watchdog group Common Cause in Wisconsin. "Of course you're going to be affected when you get a free trip ... That's just human nature."
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Appleton Post Crescent: “Brad Schimel planned to keep secret records of trip, his emails show” by Kyle Keegan, USA Today Network
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel planned to keep secret a $4,100 trip last year that was funded by a Christian legal organization accused of being a hate group, according to newly released records.
News Clip
Ohio’s vote gives more fuel for fight against gerrymandering in Wisconsin
Seventy-five percent of Ohio residents voted in favor of new rules Tuesday to end the practice of partisan gerrymandering, add more momentum for other battles on the issue in states like Wisconsin.