[Appleton, WI] – Is it Zuckerbucks all over again? We don’t know, because after announcing a new grant and a get-out-the-vote initiative called “Milwaukee Votes 2022”, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson hasn’t shared any of the details about who the grant is from, for how much, and how exactly the city will be involved.
“There is a high likelihood that this is Zuckerbucks part two by a different name and we cannot continue to allow bad-faith actors and organizations to be involved in our elections,” said Republican Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Mark Jefferson.
Monday, Mayor Johnson announced the “Milwaukee Votes 2022” initiative, but provided no other information. The concern is, Mayor Johnson alluded to using city resources like the city website and potentially, city staff, both of which would be illegal. Later in the day, the mayor’s spokesman said that the mayor misspoke about the process.
“At a time when the confidence in our election system is being questioned, to have the Mayor come out and make a statement that alludes to the city being involved in electioneering, challenges that very integrity,” said Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Paul Farrow. “Open, fair, and transparent elections are what we should be striving for, not backroom, in the shadow deals that can’t be traced.”
According to one report, the group involved is called GPS Impact. A Democratic group that claims it aims to elect Democrats in Republican-leaning states. Since no other details about the grant or how it will be used, including the city’s potential involvement in administering it have been revealed, Tuesday RPW filed an open records request with the city for information about the grant.
RPW attorneys are awaiting a response from the city to determine next steps to ensure election integrity is preserved, and to ensure our elections are administered fairly and in the same manner across the state. RPW attorneys and staff will be discussing other potential actions to ensure the city is not illegally coordinating with outside organizations.
