Members of the new Government Accountability Board have selected the agency's first legal director.
The non-partisan board created to oversee state elections, ethics complaints, and campaign financing will be lead by Kevin Kennedy, who is currently in charge of the state Elections Board. That agency, along with the State Ethics Board, will be replaced by the combined GAB. The new board of six retired judges is intended to have more power to go after political corruption.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's Mike McCabe has been a frequent critic of the Elections Board. However, he feels Kennedy may be a wise choice for the position since he has the experience to help guide the new agency along.
McCabe says the real test is whether the new board provides Kennedy with the power and direction to crack down on campaign and ethics violations. McCabe says Kennedy was often "hamstrung" by the overly political Elections Board, which he feels didn't go after election violations severely enough.
Kennedy beat out three other people for the position, including the current head of the State Ethics Board.
