In an ironic turnabout, Wisconsin lawmakers are calling for an investigation of the high-profile agency that is supposed to investigate politicians. Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, is calling for a legislative panel to investigate the state Government Accountability Board following documents made public Friday that show GAB staff members appear to have flouted the law and continued to pursue a politically charged John Doe investigation even after the board’s presiding judges voted to shut it down. “We want to get to the bottom of this,” said Tiffany, who along with state Rep. David Craig, R-Town of Vernon, has been among the most vocal proponents of reforming the GAB, which regulates Wisconsin campaign finance law, ethics, and elections. Even with Friday’s disclosures, Tiffany said, “I’m not sure we are to the bottom of this.” Tiffany suggests the Legislature create a special panel to investigate the agency “because if we do not bring those scofflaws in this situation to account, someone may do the same thing at some further time.” “Those involved in this need to be brought to account,” he said. If it is determined that staff or members of the board broke the law, Tiffany said they should be charged. State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and state Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson, in a joint statement called the allegations of abuse of power at the GAB “shocking.” “As we’ve said all along and as was exposed in last week’s non-partisan audit, the staff at GAB repeatedly operated outside the bounds of the law and board control,” the lawmakers said. “The Legislative Audit Bureau’s report found the GAB did not follow laws and procedures, and staff has failed to follow the directives of the six former judges who preside over the ‘nonpartisan’ board.” A previously sealed brief made public Friday tells a similar story. The documents, from an updated complaint filed by conservative plaintiffs in a case against the GAB, appear to support claims that the campaign finance, ethics and election law regulator is a rogue agency. “What we have uncovered so far shows the Government Accountability Board, or at least its staff, being anything but ‘accountable,’” said Eddie Greim, attorney for the plaintiffs. “For example, the public has learned for the first time, over GAB’s objections, that GAB set up a secret system of Gmail accounts for its staffers and the prosecutors who ran the John Doe.” A spokesman for the agency did not return a request for comment. Rest of article @ link: watchdog.org/189950/gab-tom-tiffany-investigation/
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 19:19:31 +0000