The Lobbyist Lambada

By Jeff Simpson

Mary Burke has said she wants to outlaw out of state campaign contributions.  While our friends on the right like to think that this is a sign of hypocrisy, but since they live knee deep in hypocrisy they can never recognize it.   Its not hypocrisy when you want to change the rules of the game that you are playing because you know they are wrong.  

The problem comes in, when the person you are taking money from, happens to be good friends with the extremist Joe Leibham, then we have problems. 

But Burke and Leibham share a very influential donor: Lobbyist Bill Broydrick, a former Democratic state legislator who has been a leading influence peddler in Wisconsin and Washington D.C. since the 1980s.
Broydrick and his wife, Cindi, who is a partner at Broydrick & Associates, hosted a fundraiser for Burke’s gubernatorial campaign at their D.C. home in November.
“Winning this race will take the support of thousands of supporters from across the country just like you,” said the fundraising letter inviting donors to enjoy cocktains chez Broydrick. “So we'd like to invite you to hear from Mary about her commitment to Wisconsin, why she's running, and how she will work every day to restore Democratic values and create jobs and opportunity for everyone.”

On July 23, Broydrick, along with other notable lobbying figures, including former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, will be sponsoring a fundraiser for Leibham. A fundraising appeal for the event sent out by Goeas Associates, a Republican fundraising firm, was obtained by Media Trackers, a conservative investigative group that has run a number of unflattering stories about Leibham.
The letter touted Leibham as the most viable candidate in the three-man Republican primary.
“In 2002, Joe defeated a Democrat incumbent for State Senate, giving Republicans their first victory in that seat in over 30 years,” it said. “Joe has been reelected twice in a swing district with over 60 percent of the vote each time.”
The letter also highlighted the endorsements the veteran lawmaker had received from state notables, including mega-millionaire donors Terry and Mary Kohler.

 Hmmmm  why would someone want to support Leibham and Burke?  Why would Burke want to hang out with someone who wants to propel an extremist like Leibham up to higher office?  Mary Burke is no stranger to republican lobbyists!  

Let us not forget that it was Joe Leibham who was one of the "masterminds"(termed used loosely), who devised the idea of elected officials signing secrecy agreements, and then promptly lied about it.  

 

Do not let anyone tell you that Liebham is the pragmatic choice of this race, it just is not true.