The Ethics Board rules Friday discussions gubernatorial campaign representatives had with Elections Board members were legal. “The State Ethics Board confirmed what we?ve been saying all along,” says Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke. Anson Kaye, communications director with the Jim Doyle campaign, says the Mark Green campaign has done everything it can to distract voters from the alleged illegal transfer of $468,000. “With every passing day their arguments fall to the wayside. Today the Ethics Board slammed the door shut on another one. At the end of the day Congressman Green has to step up, take responsibility for what he did and get rid of the money.”
An attorney for Governor Jim Doyle's campaign had discussions with members of the state Elections Board immediately before the Board issued its ruling August 30th on Congressman Mark Green's transfer of federal funds to his state gubernatorial coffer. The state Ethics Board now finds those communications did not violate state law. Mark Graul, campaign manager for the Green campaign, essentially says just because it's legal that doesn't make it right. “Well if manipulating the Elections Board passes the smell test, it sure shouldn't. And while the Ethics Board may have said it's OK, I don't think the people of Wisconsin think it's OK for Jim Doyle's campaign team to manipulate the Elections Board.” Graul says this decision is more fodder for the need to reform Madison
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