Prospects for political reform in Wisconsin may be looking up. That according to Jay Heck with Common Cause in Wisconsin. "We're very optimistic," says Heck, noting that state Rep. Mike Sheridan of Janesville, elected Speaker by Assembly Democrats has already said that campaign finance reform will be a priority. "We haven't been this optimistic in the last decade," Heck says.
The Government Accountability Board last week adopted a rule that would regulate so-called "issue ads" run by third-party groups during Wisconsin political campaigns. "These types of ads . . . are campaign ads, and everybody realizes that," says McCabe. "All we're really doing is putting some teeth back into existing law, to require that groups which run campaign ads be required to let the public know who's paying for them." The GAB rule will need legislative approval, and Heck believes that could happen, now that Democrats control both chambers.