The state’s Democratic Party has criticized ads slamming Attorney General Jim Doyle for missing important court deadlines.
One ad, paid for by the Republican Party of Wisconsin, accused Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doyle of receiving monetary benefits from promises to state lawyers, lobbyists and the teachers’ union while raising property taxes across the state.
The second ad accuses Doyle of making expensive mistakes as attorney general. The ad cites headlines from The Capital Times and Wisconsin State Journal, as well as other newspapers, showing Doyle missing court dates.
The Republican Party paid for the ads on behalf of Gov. Scott McCallum’s campaign.
Steve Kean, executive director of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said it is McCallum, not Doyle, who has been costing the state money with mistakes.
“First, the governor forgot to file extradition papers, letting a woman charged with homicide go free,” Kean said. “Then, McCallum blew through a deadline for a $612,500 senior-nutrition program grant to feed low-income seniors, killing the program.”
Kean said the Republican Party need look no further than McCallum to see the serious effects of missed deadlines.
“Maybe the state Republican Party should buy a mirror,” Kean said. “For the GOP to be running ads against Jim Doyle is the height of hypocrisy. I guess that Scott McCallum letting accused murderers go free and making seniors go hungry isn’t a serious problem for the Republican Party,”
Kean also said McCallum has refused to take responsibility for missed deadlines and has blamed others for his mistakes.
Chris Lato, communications director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said the issue ads are important because of the nature of Doyle’s job.
“This is simple. We are pointing out deficiencies in the manner of running the Department of Justice,” Lato said. “His position requires a great deal of attention to detail, and he missed deadlines. As the top cop in the state, it is important for him to be there. It shows what type of leader he is.”
Lato addressed Democratic Party charges that McCallum had also missed deadlines, noting that all of the facts about the accusation were not presented in the ads.
“In the case of the $600,000, the state did receive the money,” he said. “The situation was rectified, and with the mailing and missed deadlines, there was some confusion at the other end as to when they received the information.”
Lato said the arguments made by Doyle’s campaign and the party were “pretty weak.”
Bill Christofferson, Doyle campaign director, said the ads prove McCallum has nothing to offer voters.
“It’s no wonder he’s in worse shape than any incumbent governor in the country. If there was any doubt, this should settle it,” he said. “The McCallum and Republican Party ads are as negative as McCallum’s record. It’s no wonder he wants to try change the subject and dredge up old negative claims against Doyle.”
Christofferson said that there have been some mistakes in cases while Doyle has been attorney general, but Doyle has admitted to making mistakes and has taken steps to insure the mistakes are not repeated.
“When McCallum’s administration has missed deadlines, McCallum has refused to accept responsibility and pointed fingers at others,” he said. “That’s not leadership; that’s more of the same stuff McCallum and company are shoveling at the voters.”
