The state’s largest union — the Wisconsin Education Association Council — recently began to air its first issue ad that is linked to a candidate and not just an issue.
The ad, which began airing this week in Madison and several other cities, praises Attorney General Jim Doyle’s stance on health care, prescription drugs and education.
The union, which has endorsed Doyle for governor, calls the ad “educational” and has said it highlights issues important to everyone.
The audio ad says, “Leadership: It’s sometimes hard to define, but you know it when you see it. For over 20 years, Jim Doyle has been a leader for Wisconsin families. As attorney general, Jim Doyle sued the drug companies, forcing them to lower the cost of life-saving medicine and other prescription drugs.”
The ad continues to describe Doyle’s commitment to Badgercare, affordable health care and prescription drugs, and good schools that are host to a safe learning environment.
U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett criticized the ad, claiming the union and Doyle were breaking campaign-finance laws by encouraging voters to call the Department of Justice — a taxpayer-funded line — to endorse Doyle.
Barrett said the ads are clearly political ads aimed at state workers and urged WEAC to take the ads off the air. He also called for Doyle and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk to join him in asking the union to halt the ads.
“Who will answer these obvious campaign calls but Department of Justice employees? These are clearly political calls, and state workers will assemble the information from the calls on state time at the taxpayer’s expense. That is wrong, and it should stop right now,” said Barrett.
Doyle was unavailable for comment.
WEAC responded, saying its radio ads are issue-based, not candidate-based. The group further claimed its ads highlight the importance of several issues important to its members, including quality health care, affordable prescription drugs and safe schools.
A spokesman from WEAC said the union ads are designed to educate the public about key issues that affect all Wisconsin families and maintain that Doyle is the best example of a public official who has been fighting for issues that are critical to Wisconsin.
Members from the union also said they are exercising their First Amendment right and that speaking to the public about key issues is legal and appropriate.
“WEAC has exceeded any legal requirements for issue ads. WEAC filed an IRS 527 form, publicly disclosed who is paying for the ad and even went the extra disclosure step of stating the amount spent on the ad, which was $222,000,” a spokesman said.
