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Article: CAUCUSES ARE NOT NEEDED, SOME SAY PARTISAN STATE AGENCIES WERE SET UP TO PROVIDE STAFF SUPPORT TO LEGISLATORS, BUT THEY ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.(FRONT)(SERIES: Caucuses: Secret campaign machines)
- Article from:
- The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)
- Article date:
- May 21, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Capital Newspapers. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Dee J. Hall and Phil Brinkman Wisconsin State Journal
Almost since the caucuses were founded in the mid-1960s, lawmakers have been questioning the need for - and the activities of - their four partisan state agencies.
This week, a Wisconsin State Journal investigation that included scrutinizing hundreds of documents and interviewing more than 70 people found many caucus workers routinely campaign on state time and with state resources. Such activities could violate the state Ethics Board's interpretation of Wisconsin ethics law.
"The process has been corrupted," said Sen. Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, a longtime caucus critic. "It's always been on the fringe. Now, ...