Walker donors sold on jobless, consumer abandoned economy, "donate for tax cuts."

A business site I like and check out from time to time, BizTimes.com, executive editor Steve Jagler wrote this about Scott Walker's donors. The surreal notion that businesses like what's happening, and are willing to put their money behind it, is still a mystery to me. Are they making out like bandits? Hey, that's it, "Boycott the Bandits." 

Brookfield Patch: Jaws dropped when the supporters of the recall against Gov. Scott Walker recently submitted more than 1 million signatures of Wisconsin residents. Then jaws dropped again when Walker’s campaign announced a few days later it had raised more than $4.5 million in the most recent reporting period from a total of 21,443 contributions.

“Gov. Walker's message of moving Wisconsin forward continues to resonate with voters,” said Ciara Matthews, communications director of the Walker campaign. “It is this message, and the success of the governor's reforms, that have inspired people to contribute to his campaign in overwhelming numbers.”

The Walker campaign finished the quarter with a combined total of more than $2.6 million cash on hand in the recall and general campaign funds. A quick review of the Walker donations reported to the Government Accountability Board shows strong support from prominent Wisconsin business executives:


John Bergstrom of Bergstrom Automotive, Neenah, $2,500; Frederick Boelter of The Boelter Companies, Hartland, $2,500; John Burke of Burke Properties, Fox Point, $10,000; Jere Fabick of Fabco Equipment, Oconomowoc, $50,000; Gerald Frye of The Benefit Services Group Inc., Elm Grove, $5,000; Robert Greenheck of Greenheck Fan Corp., Schofield, $7,500; William Haack of Zywave, Elm Grove, $8,000; Thomas Halquist of Halquist Stone Company, Menomonee Falls, $2,500; Harvey Hammond of HNTB Corp., Mequon, $5,000; Emery Harlan of Gonzalez, Saggio & Harland LLP, $5.000; Robert Hillis of Direct Supply Inc., Milwaukee, $10,000; Chris Kappl of Wildwood Reserve LLC, Menomonee Falls; Ted Kellner of Fiduciary Management, Mequon, $8,564.84; Dennis Klein, KBS Construction, Milwaukee, $10,000; Richard Klein of Aurora Health Care, Brookfield, $10,000; Herbert Kohler of Kohler Company, Kohler, $8,000; James Leef of ITU Inc., Brookfield, $4,000; Fred Luber of Super Steel Products Corp., Milwaukee, $2,000; Glenn Madrigrano of CJW Inc., Kenosha, $2,500; Michael Mahoney of Park Bank, Mequon, $2,000; Daniel McKeithan of Tamarack Petroleum Company, Milwaukee, $20,000; John Mellowes of Charter Manufacturing Co. Inc., Mequon, $10,000; Mark Neumann of Neumann Homes Inc., Nashotah, $2,500; Albert Nicholas of Nicholas Company Inc., Hartland, $25,000; Eric Peter of Jax Inc., Elm Grove, $2,500; Thomas Quadracci of Quad/Graphics Inc., Hartland, $2,000; V. Ross Read III, Clement Finance & Leasing Inc., Milwaukee; Roy Reiman (retired) of Reiman Publications, $10,000; Steve Ristow of Schneider Excavating, Lannon, $2,500; Michael White of Rite-Hite Holding Corp., River Hills, $16,700; Richard Wiederhold of Managed Health Services, Elm Grove, $2,000; and James Wigdale (retired) of Marshall & Ilsley Corp., Fox Point, $3,000.

A Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis of the individual Walker contributions reported in the latest campaign finance report shows that 61 percent came from outside Wisconsin. Nearly $2.3 million of the $4.5 million raised came from just 33 donors.