cits for responsible gov't

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>CRG Network</b>, or&nbsp;<b>Citizens for Responsible Government</b>, is a Wisconsin-based set of small, right-wing organizations active in Wisconsin politics.<sup id="cite_ref-crg_1-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-crg-1" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Network has received funding from the Koch-tied&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Donors_Trust" title="Donors Trust" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Donors Trust</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_Club_for_Growth" title="Wisconsin Club for Growth" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Wisconsin Club for Growth</a>, and has ties to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/David_Koch" title="David Koch" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">David Koch's</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Americans_for_Prosperity" title="Americans for Prosperity" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Americans for Prosperity</a>. It is run by Chris Kliesmet and Orville Seymer.<sup id="cite_ref-MJS_2-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-MJS-2" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-3" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2007_990_4-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2007_990-4" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup>&nbsp;The network is composed of three separate entities: CRG Network PAC, CRG Foundation, Inc., and CRG Advocates, Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-crg_1-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-crg-1" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Network PAC describes its mission as "to help citizens elect fiscally conservative candidates, assert property rights, and remove corrupt and/or fiscally irresponsible politicians from office."<sup id="cite_ref-crg_1-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-crg-1" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Foundation, Inc. is a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/501(c)(3)" title="501(c)(3)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">501(c)(3)</a>&nbsp;corporation that provides "the tools and training for ordinary citizens to become re-engaged in managing government."<sup id="cite_ref-crg_1-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-crg-1" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Advocates, Inc. is the conservative lobbying arm of the CRG Network.<sup id="cite_ref-crg_1-4" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-crg-1" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG first organized as part of a campaign to recall then-Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament in 2002.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-5" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup>&nbsp;Ament, who was involved in a scandal over public pensions, chose to resign.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-6" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network's website claims that "CRG Network PAC has no executive board, only an unpaid, volunteer administrative staff" and "CRG Network has a very small, all-volunteer staff who work for free, travel and consult on their personal time, and often do not even receive reimbursement for expenses."<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-7" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup>&nbsp;However, its statements to the press have indicated that it does have paid staff.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#CRG_Network_behind_Anti-Streetcar_Drive_in_Milwaukee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">See below for more</a>.</font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249); padding: 7px; display: table; zoom: 1;"><div id="toctitle" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><h2 style="background: none; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; display: inline; line-height: 1.3;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Contents</font></h2>&nbsp;<span class="toctoggle" style="user-select: none;">&nbsp;[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">hide</a>]&nbsp;</span></div><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#Failed_Attempt_to_Intervene_in_Wisconsin_Supreme_Court_Chief_Justice_Lawsuit" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">Failed Attempt to Intervene in Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawsuit</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#CRG_Network_Wins_Challenge_to_Campaign_Finance_Law" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">2</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">CRG Network Wins Challenge to Campaign Finance Law</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#CRG_Network_behind_Anti-Streetcar_Drive_in_Milwaukee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">CRG Network behind Anti-Streetcar Drive in Milwaukee</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#CRG_Network_Led_Recalls" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">4</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">CRG Network Led Recalls</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#Funding" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">5</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">Funding</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#Ties_to_DonorsTrust.2C_a_Koch_Conduit" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">6</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">Ties to DonorsTrust, a Koch Conduit</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#Personnel" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">7</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">Personnel</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#Contact_Information" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">8</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">Contact Information</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#References" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">9</span>&nbsp;<span class="toctext">References</span></font></a></li></ul></div><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Failed_Attempt_to_Intervene_in_Wisconsin_Supreme_Court_Chief_Justice_Lawsuit"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Failed Attempt to Intervene in Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawsuit</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_Club_for_Growth" title="Wisconsin Club for Growth" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">Wisconsin Club for Growth</a>'s lawyer, David Rivkin, asked on behalf of CRG Network that a judge dismiss a lawsuit brought in April 2015 by the Wisconsin Supreme Court's Chief Justice, Shirley Abrahamson, over how that court's leader is selected, according to the&nbsp;<i>Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-8" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-MJS_2-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-MJS-2" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Rivkin is considered a "hefty and expensive" lawyer who was also hired by the U.S. House GOP to challenge the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/PPACA" title="PPACA" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">Affordable Care Act</a><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-9" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup>&nbsp;and who has represented Wisconsin Club for Growth (WiCFG) in other lawsuits.<sup id="cite_ref-MJS_2-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-MJS-2" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup>&nbsp;WiCFG has funded CRG Network in the past.<sup id="cite_ref-2009_990_10-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2009_990-10" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Abrahamson had been re-elected in 2009 to a ten-year term on the Supreme Court, having already been selected as chief justice. In a low-turnout April 2015 election, 53 percent of Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow the members of the Supreme Court to choose who will head the court, rather than having the job go to the most senior member, as had been the case. Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and her supporters sued to keep her position as the court's leader the next day, citing her constitutional rights to due process and equal protection under the law.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-11" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network's Kliesmet and Seymer joined three other Wisconsin voters--Chris Martinson (founding member of<b> Right to Work Wisconsin i</b>n 2012),<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-12" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup>&nbsp;Vincent Schmuki (who launched a "recall Doyle" effort in 2009),<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-13" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[13]</a></sup>&nbsp;and Dara Maillette (co-wrote two books with former&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tea_Party" title="Tea Party" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tea Party</a>&nbsp;legislator&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_Patriot_Coalition" title="Wisconsin Patriot Coalition" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Kim Simac</a><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-14" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup>--in asking to intervene in the case in order to make arguments that Abrahamson's lawsuit should be thrown out. A federal judge denied their attempt, however.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-15" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[15]</a></sup></font></p><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="CRG_Network_Wins_Challenge_to_Campaign_Finance_Law"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network Wins Challenge to Campaign Finance Law</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>CRG Network sued the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) </b>in federal court on June 23, 2014<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-16" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[16]</a></sup>&nbsp;to end enforcement of a Wisconsin campaign finance&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/11/26" style="text-decoration: none; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) right center no-repeat, url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E"); padding-right: 13px;">law</a>&nbsp;limiting total contributions to candidates by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Political_action_committee&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Political action committee (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">political action committees</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-17" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[17]</a></sup>&nbsp;U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa sided with CRG, issuing a temporary injunction on September 5, 2014 that prohibited enforcement of the law.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-18" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[18]</a></sup>&nbsp;As of May 2015, the GAB had ceased enforcing aggregate PAC limits and a final decision on the case was still pending.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-19" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[19]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">CRG's lawsuit was filed by the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_Institute_for_Law%26_Liberty" title="Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty</a>&nbsp;(WILL)<sup id="cite_ref-ww_20-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-ww-20" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[20]</a></sup>&nbsp;and the suit was reportedly funded by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Citizens_for_Self-Governance" title="Citizens for Self-Governance" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">Citizens for Self-Governance</a>, an organization <b>founded by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Eric_O%27Keefe" title="Eric O'Keefe" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Eric O'Keefe</a>, who also sits on its board.</b><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[21]</a></sup>&nbsp;At the time, O'Keefe's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_Club_for_Growth" title="Wisconsin Club for Growth" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">Wisconsin Club for Growth</a>&nbsp;was at the center for a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#Second_John_Doe_Investigation.2C_February_2012-Present" title="Scott Walker" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">John Doe investigation</a>&nbsp;into possible illegal campaign coordination related to Wisconsin Governor&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker" title="Scott Walker" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration: none;">Scott Walker</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-identified_subjects_22-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-identified_subjects-22" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; white-space: nowrap;">[22]</a></sup>&nbsp;One of O'Keefe's main complaints about the John Doe investigation, as described by his lawyer, David Rivkin, is that it was "chilling" free speech and the ability of political organizations to raise and spend money in Wisconsin.</span><sup id="cite_ref-identified_subjects_22-1" class="reference" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-identified_subjects-22" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[22]</a></sup></font></p><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="CRG_Network_behind_Anti-Streetcar_Drive_in_Milwaukee"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network behind Anti-Streetcar Drive in Milwaukee</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network has pushed for a referendum on the streetcar transportation system in Milwaukee, which has been projected to improve public transportation in the city.<sup id="cite_ref-bm_23-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-bm-23" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[23]</a></sup>&nbsp;The group argues that the system is "ill-advised and wasteful."<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[24]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Network had previously organized a petition campaign<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-25" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[25]</a></sup>&nbsp;and had threatened to file lawsuits against the city of Milwaukee in an effort to stop the streetcar project.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-26" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[26]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Network's initial petition, which ended in March 2015, drive fell 6,000 signatures short of the approximately 31,000 needed to force a ballot referendum on the streetcar project after spending the full 60 days allowed on the petition drive, according to&nbsp;<i>Milwaukee Magazine</i><sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[27]</a></sup>&nbsp;(CRG Network claims to have collected around 30,000 signatures.)<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[28]</a></sup>&nbsp;Another group, STOP the Milwaukee Streetcar, announced in early May that it would attempt to revive the effort.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[29]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>CRG Network has fought this public infrastructure project with the help of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Koch_brothers" title="Koch brothers" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Koch brothers</a>'&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Americans_for_Prosperity" title="Americans for Prosperity" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Americans for Prosperity</a>.</b><sup id="cite_ref-bm_23-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-bm-23" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[23]</a></sup>&nbsp;<i>Urban Milwaukee</i>&nbsp;asked David Fladeboe, the Wisconsin director for Americans for Prosperity, to detail the group's efforts in opposing the streetcar, and he responded, "We have been educating the public on why the streetcar is wrong for Milwaukee since the mayor started on this project. Now we are working on pushing the referendum to allow the people of Milwaukee to decide the fate of the streetcar. Our field teams are working with several coalition partners to gather the required signatures to have a referendum in Milwaukee. We have both paid staff and volunteers working on this project."<sup id="cite_ref-bm_23-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-bm-23" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[23]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Americans for Prosperity has worked to defeat public transportation projects in Nashville, Tennessee,<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[30]</a></sup>&nbsp;Indiana,<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[31]</a></sup>&nbsp;and in San Antonio, Texas.<sup id="cite_ref-bm_23-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-bm-23" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[23]</a></sup></font></p><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="CRG_Network_Led_Recalls"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network Led Recalls</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network has been behind many recalls in the state of Wisconsin. It assisted in the recall of the following politicians, according to its website:<sup id="cite_ref-crg_1-5" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-crg-1" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup></font></p><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A"); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Tom Ament (2002 - CRG filed)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Karen Ordinans (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Kathleen Arciszewski (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">David Jasenski (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LeAnn Launstein (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">James McGuigan (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Penny Podell (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Linda Ryan (2002)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Basil Ryan (2003)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Mary Heins (2004)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Jeff Nowak (2005)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Neal Weare (2005)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dave Hansen (2011)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Jim Holperin (2011)</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Robert Wirch recall (2011)</font></li></ul><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Funding"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Funding</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Citizens for Responsible Government Foundation has received $50,000 or less in revenues for the years 2008 through 2013, according to its filing with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.<sup id="cite_ref-IRS_32-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-IRS-32" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[32]</a></sup>&nbsp;In 2007, it reported $40,959 in total revenue, $13,977 in total expenses, and $34,409 in net assets.<sup id="cite_ref-2007_990_4-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2007_990-4" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Advocates, Inc. reported receiving $134,289 in total revenue, spending a total of $133,430 in expenses, and maintaining $1,379 in net assets as of the end of the 2009 fiscal year.<sup id="cite_ref-Adv_2009_990_33-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Adv_2009_990-33" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[33]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">None of CRG Network's organizational entities is legally required to notify the public of the identities of its donors. Its president, Kliesmet, has adamantly refused to disclose its donors.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[34]</a></sup>&nbsp;However, the following organizations have reported funding Citizens for Responsible Government, Inc.:</font></p><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A"); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program (a donor-advised fund): $15,000 for general operating expenses (between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014)<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-35" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[35]</a></sup></font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wisconsin_Club_for_Growth" title="Wisconsin Club for Growth" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Wisconsin Club for Growth</a>: $126,500 to "promote education and mobilize support for a fiscally responsible budget in Milwaukee County including proposals to lower costs by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Portal:Outsourcing_America_Exposed" title="Portal:Outsourcing America Exposed" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">outsourcing services</a>" (2009).<sup id="cite_ref-2009_990_10-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2009_990-10" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup>&nbsp;(The Center for Responsible Government Foundation reported $50,000 or less in total revenue in 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-IRS_32-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-IRS-32" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[32]</a></sup>&nbsp;CRG Advocates, Inc. shows $134,289 in total revenue in 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-Adv_2009_990_33-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Adv_2009_990-33" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[33]</a></sup>)<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-36" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[36]</a></sup></font></li></ul><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The following organizations have reported funding Citizens for Responsible Government Foundation:</font></p><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A"); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Donors_Capital_Fund" title="Donors Capital Fund" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Donors Capital Fund</a>&nbsp;(</b>a donor-advised fund): $10,000 "for the public education project on the budget and finance" (2009)<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[37]</a></sup></font></li></ul><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Ties_to_DonorsTrust.2C_a_Koch_Conduit"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ties to DonorsTrust, a Koch Conduit</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DonorsTrust" title="DonorsTrust" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">DonorsTrust</a>&nbsp;is considered a "donor-advised fund," which means that it divides its funds into separate accounts for individual donors, who then recommend disbursements from the accounts to different non-profits. Funds like DonorsTrust are not uncommon in the non-profit sector, but they do cloak the identity of the original donors because the funds are typically distributed in the name of DonorsTrust rather than the original donors.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[38]</a></sup>&nbsp;Very little was known about DonorsTrust until late 2012 and early 2013, when the&nbsp;<i>Guardian</i>&nbsp;and others published extensive reports on what&nbsp;<i>Mother Jones</i>&nbsp;called "the dark-money ATM of the conservative movement."<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[39]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[40]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The CRG Network received an aggregate of $10,000 in funding from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DonorsTrust" title="DonorsTrust" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">DonorsTrust</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Donors_Capital_Fund" title="Donors Capital Fund" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Donors Capital Fund</a>&nbsp;between 2009 and 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-41" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[41]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">A report by the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Center_for_Public_Integrity" title="Center for Public Integrity" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Center for Public Integrity</a>&nbsp;exposes a number of DonorsTrust funders, many of which have ties to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Koch_brothers" title="Koch brothers" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Koch brothers</a>. One of the most prominent funders is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Knowledge_and_Progress_Fund" title="Knowledge and Progress Fund" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Knowledge and Progress Fund</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Charles_Koch" title="Charles Koch" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Charles Koch</a>-run organization and one of the group's largest known contributors, having donated nearly $9 million from 2005 to 2012. Other contributors known to have donated at least $1 million to DonorsTrust include the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Richard_and_Helen_DeVos_Foundation" title="Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Donald%26_Paula_Smith_Family_Foundation" title="Donald & Paula Smith Family Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Donald & Paula Smith Family Foundation</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Searle_Freedom_Trust" title="Searle Freedom Trust" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Searle Freedom Trust</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation" title="Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_M.Olin_Foundation" title="John M. Olin Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">John M. Olin Foundation</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Charity_Push_42-0" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Charity_Push-42" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[42]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Since its inception in 1999, DonorsTrust has been used by conservative foundations and individuals to discretely funnel nearly $400 million to like-minded think tanks and media outlets.<sup id="cite_ref-Charity_Push_42-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Charity_Push-42" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[42]</a></sup>&nbsp;According to the organization's tax documents, in 2011, DonorsTrust contributed a total of $86 million to conservative organizations. Many recipients had ties to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Policy_Network" title="State Policy Network" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">State Policy Network</a>&nbsp;(SPN), a wide collection of conservative state-based think tanks and media organizations that focus on shaping public policy and opinion. In 2013, the Center for Media and Democracy released a&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/11909" style="text-decoration: none; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) right center no-repeat, url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E"); padding-right: 13px;">special report</a>&nbsp;on SPN. Those who received DonorsTrust funding included media outlets such as the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Franklin_Center" title="Franklin Center" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Franklin Center</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lucy_Burns_Institute" title="Lucy Burns Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Lucy Burns Institute</a>, as well as think tanks such as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SPN" title="SPN" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">SPN</a>&nbsp;itself, the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Heartland_Institute" title="Heartland Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Heartland Institute</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Illinois_Policy_Institute" title="Illinois Policy Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Illinois Policy Institute</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Independence_Institute" title="Independence Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Independence Institute</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Mackinac_Center_for_Public_Policy" title="Mackinac Center for Public Policy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mackinac Center for Public Policy</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/South_Carolina_Policy_Council" title="South Carolina Policy Council" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">South Carolina Policy Council</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council" title="American Legislative Exchange Council" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">American Legislative Exchange Council</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Manhattan_Institute_for_Policy_Research" title="Manhattan Institute for Policy Research" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Manhattan Institute for Policy Research</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Oklahoma_Council_of_Public_Affairs" title="Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Cascade_Policy_Institute" title="Cascade Policy Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Cascade Policy Institute</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-43" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[43]</a></sup></font></p><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Personnel"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Personnel</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">People affiliated with CRG Network include:</font></p><ul style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A"); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Chris Kliesmet, President/Director, CRG Advocates Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-Adv_2009_990_33-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Adv_2009_990-33" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[33]</a></sup>&nbsp;and Citizens for Responsible Government Foundation, Inc.;<sup id="cite_ref-2007_990_4-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2007_990-4" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup>&nbsp;Communications Director, Citizens for Responsible Government, 2002<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-44" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[44]</a></sup></font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Orville Seymer, Vice President/Director, CRG Advocates Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-Adv_2009_990_33-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Adv_2009_990-33" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[33]</a></sup>&nbsp;and Citizens for Responsible Government Foundation, Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-2007_990_4-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2007_990-4" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup></font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Victor Huyke, Secretary/Director, CRG Advocates Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-Adv_2009_990_33-4" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-Adv_2009_990-33" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[33]</a></sup>&nbsp;and Citizens for Responsible Government Foundation, Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-2007_990_4-4" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-2007_990-4" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup>&nbsp;(President, Citizens for Responsible Government Milwaukee, 2003-2006)<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/CRG_Network#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration: none; background: none; white-space: nowrap;">[45]</a></sup></font></li></ul><h2 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Contact_Information"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Contact Information</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRG Network
P.O. Box 371086
Milwaukee, WI 53237
Phone: 414-801-0800
E-mail: crg@crgnetwork.com
Web:&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://crgnetwork.com/" style="text-decoration: none; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) right center no-repeat, url("data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E"); padding-right: 13px; word-wrap: break-word;">http://crgnetwork.com</a></font></p></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">crooks and liars 2014?</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Irresponsible Citizens For Responsible Government</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By capper</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the home base for a right wing, small government group with the ironic name of Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG). CRG consists of two socially inept misfits named Orville Seymer and Chris Kleismet.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>CRG's usual modus operandi is to threaten liberal elected officials with a recall in an order to try to intimidate them. (This, by the way, is how Scott Walker got to be Milwaukee County Executive. CRG recalled the former executive and paved the way for Walker)</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>Their other activities include trying to interfere with John Doe</b> investigations, using federal court to interfere with John Doe investigations, trying to intimidate teachers and other public sector workers by giving out their personal information and filing false criminal complaints against innocent bloggers in retaliation for writing unfavorably about Scott Walker.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ironically, at least one of them, Seymer, doesn't feel responsibility should apply to him:</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Long a local government watchdog and critic, conservative activist Orville Seymer is now asking the federal government to help him sort out his money troubles.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Seymer -- a top official with Citizens for Responsible Government -- filed for bankruptcy last month, listing $147,126 in assets and more than $1 million in liabilities. He is seeking Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, which stops all legal actions and could allow him to write off many of his debts.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Seymer is pinning much of the blame for his financial woes on City Hall, saying he has been targeted by city building inspectors for speaking out against local officials.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[...]</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In his federal petition, Seymer said he and his wife owe the city more than $50,000 for everything from property taxes to what he dubs "nuisance fees." The couple lives in Franklin.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">He reported owing $742,000 to Waterstone Bank in Wauwatosa for mortgages on four properties and another $103,000 to Sunset Bank in Waukesha for two additional mortgages. He said six of his seven rental properties have no equity in them.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">He listed his gross income from his real estate business at $13,776 a month, or roughly $165,000 a year. Of that, he said he pays more than $8,000 a month on his various mortgages.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, a court trustee liquidates some of a debtor's assets to pay off as many creditors as possible. Once this is done, most of a bankrupt individual's debts, including credit card and medical bills, are wiped from the books. Seymer hopes to exempt six of his rental properties from liquidation.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In sum, a guy who thinks that paying public sector workers $40,000 a year is being lavish can't make it on more than four times that. On top of that, Mr. Small Government wants Big Government to bail him out of the mess he made for himself.</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div><div id="bodyContent" style="position: relative; width: auto; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px 1em 1em;" open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Citizens for Responsible Government</b>&nbsp;is a&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin" title="Wisconsin" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Wisconsin</a>&nbsp;based organization specializing in&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Recall" title="Recall" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">recall</a>&nbsp;initiatives. It is run by&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Chris_Kliesmet" title="Chris Kliesmet" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Chris Kliesmet</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Orville_Seymer" title="Orville Seymer" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Orville Seymer</a>&nbsp;and is part of the CRG Network.</font><h2 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); width: auto;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Government_transparency_projects"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Government transparency projects</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The organization launched the Government Accountability in Spending Project (GASP) which will create a searchable database for state expenditures.&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Milwaukee_County,Wisconsin" title="Milwaukee County, Wisconsin" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Milwaukee County</a>&nbsp;was the first county to be completed.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[1]</a></sup></font></p><h2 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); width: auto;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Recalls_Assisted"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Recalls Assisted</font></span></h2><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" images="images" bullet-icon.png="bullet-icon.png"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Tom_Ament_recall,Milwaukee_County,Wisconsin,2002" title="Tom Ament recall, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, 2002" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Tom Ament recall, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, 2002</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Ordinans_recall(2002)" title="Karen Ordinans recall (2002)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Karen Ordinans recall (2002)</a><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government#cite_note-2" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[2]</a></sup></font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Kathleen_Arciszewski_recall(2002)" title="Kathleen Arciszewski recall (2002)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Kathleen Arciszewski recall (2002)</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">David Jasenski recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LeAnn Launstein recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">James McGuigan recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Penny Podell recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Linda Ryan recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Basil Ryan recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Mary Heins recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Jeff Nowak recall, 2005<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government#cite_note-3" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[3]</a></sup></font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Neal Weare recall</font></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Jim_Doyle_recall,2009" title="Jim Doyle recall, 2009" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Jim Doyle recall, 2009</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Dave_Hansen_recall,Wisconsin_State_Senate(2011)" title="Dave Hansen recall, Wisconsin State Senate (2011)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Dave Hansen recall, Wisconsin State Senate (2011)</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Jim_Holperin_recall,Wisconsin_State_Senate(2011)" title="Jim Holperin recall, Wisconsin State Senate (2011)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Jim Holperin recall, Wisconsin State Senate (2011)</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Robert_Wirch_recall,Wisconsin_State_Senate(2011)" title="Robert Wirch recall, Wisconsin State Senate (2011)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Robert Wirch recall, Wisconsin State Senate (2011)</font></a></li></ul><h2 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); width: auto;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Recent_news"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Recent news</font></span></h2><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms&nbsp;<b>Citizens&nbsp;for&nbsp;Responsible&nbsp;Government.</b>&nbsp;These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles; they are included to provide readers with the most recent news articles on the subject.&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Google_News_Feed_Search_Results_on_Ballotpedia_Articles" title="Google News Feed Search Results on Ballotpedia Articles" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Click here</a>&nbsp;to learn more about this section.</font></p><div class="rss-feed"><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em;"><b><a target="blank" class="external text" href="http://google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&q=Citizens+for+Responsible+Government&um=1&ie=UTF-8" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" images="images" external-link-ltr-icon.png="external-link-ltr-icon.png" background-position="background-position" right="right" center="center" background-size="background-size" initial="initial" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" background-attachment="background-attachment" background-origin="background-origin" background-clip="background-clip" padding-right="padding-right" px="px"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Citizens for Responsible Government - Google News Feed</font></a></b></p><ul id="rss581235386" style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" images="images" bullet-icon.png="bullet-icon.png"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFgDFGh4oi2qaWyy2FBgKShiEWQ1A&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.jsonline.com/picture-gallery/news/special-reports/2016/11/26/photos-scott-walker-uses-recall-as-springboard-to-governorship/94426714/" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Photos: Scott Walker uses recall as springboard to governorship - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNEhOwzaH2_MltT8Iwbfmc864PqBbg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/04/elon-musk-trolling-us-conservatives-green-tech" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">The trolling of Elon Musk: how US conservatives are attacking green tech - The Guardian</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNEgaPe23MOulh7xwtuJEhNs7qr7jQ&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article105669851.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Citizens for Responsible Government fined for ethics violation - Kansas City Star</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNH1mMkb6UnEPEs6HTRvjda97MeOHA&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779291088714&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/12/02/world/asia/ap-un-united-nations-japan-north-korea.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Japan Seeks to Keep Pressure on NKorea Over Abductions - New York Times</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNEx-r837y4XudXE4_3E9BVTjbjB9w&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.srqmagazine.com/srq-daily/2016-11-26/5222_Gratitude-in-the-SRQ" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Gratitude in the SRQ - SRQ Magazine</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNEo59b0mamRNLVt9PHXP9IDYUzXgA&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779291890372&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.emissourian.com/opinion/editorials/filing-season-near/article_e92ab4c0-b8c6-11e6-b7a5-8beee7f361b8.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Filing Season Near - The Missourian</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFyKqw_YcNdaPHtjjALj1vGfb58UQ&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779290950453&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/whos-afraid-of-a-little-russian-propaganda-214497" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Who's Afraid of a Little Russian Propaganda? - POLITICO Magazine</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNECrmNz-4r5CCBuL4yu2tpShcRaAw&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779291121239&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://junkee.com/federal-government-threatening-fremantle-australia-day-ceremony-date-change/91291" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">The Federal Government Is Threatening Fremantle Over Its Australia Day Ceremony Date Change - Junkee</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNFd2lYZHZSacVsS9BIXW-HlTS6HzA&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/2016/12/03/introducing-new-citizen-board-members/94797972/" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Introducing new citizen board members - The News-Press</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNGNK7RXb0ZgttqRD9R9FWVHQt3U2w&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779281021679&ei=v2ZDWMiUG8Hl3gG9kZNY&url=http://qz.com/844425/fake-news-is-the-newest-strategy-for-taking-down-elon-musk-tesla-tsla-and-solarcity/" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">With Hillary Clinton out of the way, right-wing and fake news writers are going after Elon Musk instead - Quartz</font></a></li></ul><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em;" /></div><h2 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); width: auto;"><span class="mw-headline" id="See_also"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">See also</font></span></h2><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" images="images" bullet-icon.png="bullet-icon.png"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Chris_Kliesmet" title="Chris Kliesmet" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Chris Kliesmet</font></a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Orville_Seymer" title="Orville Seymer" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Orville Seymer</font></a></li></ul><h2 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); width: auto;"><span class="mw-headline" id="External_links"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">External links</font></span></h2><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(" images="images" bullet-icon.png="bullet-icon.png"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a target="blank" class="external text" href="http://www.crgnetwork.com/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" images="images" external-link-ltr-icon.png="external-link-ltr-icon.png" background-position="background-position" right="right" center="center" background-size="background-size" initial="initial" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" background-attachment="background-attachment" background-origin="background-origin" background-clip="background-clip" padding-right="padding-right" px="px"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">CRG Website</font></a></li></ul><h2 style="background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); width: auto;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Footnotes"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Footnotes</font></span></h2><div class="references-small" style="max-height: 20em; padding: 10px; overflow: auto;"><div class="mobile-columns"><ol class="references" style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li id="cite_note-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="mw-cite-backlink" style="user-select: none;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government#cite_ref-1" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">↑</a></span>&nbsp;<span class="reference-text"><a target="blank" class="external text" href="http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Milwaukee_County_GASP_Database" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" images="images" external-link-ltr-icon.png="external-link-ltr-icon.png" background-position="background-position" right="right" center="center" background-size="background-size" initial="initial" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" background-attachment="background-attachment" background-origin="background-origin" background-clip="background-clip" padding-right="padding-right" px="px"><i>Sunshine Review</i>, Government Accountability in Spending Project</a></span></font></li><li id="cite_note-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="mw-cite-backlink" style="user-select: none;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government#cite_ref-2" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">↑</a></span>&nbsp;<span class="reference-text"><a target="blank" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://crgnetwork.com/Pages/2/Who_Are_We.aspx" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" images="images" lock-icon.png="lock-icon.png" background-position="background-position" right="right" center="center" background-size="background-size" initial="initial" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" background-attachment="background-attachment" background-origin="background-origin" background-clip="background-clip" padding-right="padding-right" px="px"><i>CRG</i>, Who are we?</a></span></font></li><li id="cite_note-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="mw-cite-backlink" style="user-select: none;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government#cite_ref-3" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">↑</a></span>&nbsp;<span class="reference-text"><a target="_blank" class="external text" href="http://www.livinglakecountry.com/lakecountryreporter/news/94945629.html" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" images="images" external-link-ltr-icon.png="external-link-ltr-icon.png" background-position="background-position" right="right" center="center" background-size="background-size" initial="initial" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" background-attachment="background-attachment" background-origin="background-origin" background-clip="background-clip" padding-right="padding-right" px="px"><i>Living Lake Country</i>, Ex-mayor faces financial woes</a></span></font></li></ol></div></div></div><div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" style="border: 0px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249); padding: 5px; margin-top: 1em; clear: both; font-family: " open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Categories</a>:&nbsp;</font><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style: none none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><li style="margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left: none; padding: 0px 0.5em 0px 0.25em; zoom: 1;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Category:Wisconsin_influencers" title="Category:Wisconsin influencers" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Wisconsin influencers</a></font></font></font></font></li><li style="margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Category:Organizations" title="Category:Organizations" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Organizations</a></li><li style="margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Category:501(c)(3)" title="Category:501(c)(3)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">501(c)(3)</a></li><li style="margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Category:Conservative_influencers" title="Category:Conservative influencers" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Conservative influencers</a></li></ul></div></div></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court</font></div><div><h3 style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: none; width: auto;" open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif"><span class="mw-headline" id="Responses"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Responses</font></span></h3><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: " open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Brandon Scholz, an organizer of the pro-amendment group&nbsp;<i>Vote Yes for Democracy</i>, made the following statement in response to the lawsuit:</font></p><table open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" border-collapse="border-collapse" collapse="collapse" border="border" none="none"><tbody><tr><td width="20" valign="top" style="border: none;" times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" font-weight="font-weight" bold="bold" padding="padding" px="px"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“</font></td><td valign="top" style="border: none; padding: 4px 10px;"><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">I find it surprising that someone who has served as long as Justice Abrahamson has, for what would appear to be self-serving reasons, files the lawsuit in federal court against the will of the people.<sup id="cite_ref-lawsuittwo_9-1" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court#cite_note-lawsuittwo-9" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[9]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_10-3" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-10" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[10]</a></sup></font></p></td><td width="20" valign="bottom" style="border: none;" times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" font-weight="font-weight" bold="bold" text-align="text-align" right="right" padding="padding" px="px"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">”</font></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: " open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Both the&nbsp;<i>Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</i>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<i>Beloit Daily News</i>&nbsp;called on Abrahamson to drop the lawsuit.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court#cite_note-19" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">[19]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">[20]</a></sup>&nbsp;<i>The Capital Times</i>&nbsp;editorial board, on the other hand, backed Abrahamson's lawsuit.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">[21]</a></sup></font></p><p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: " open="Open" sans="Sans" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On April 14, 2015, members of&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Citizens_for_Responsible_Government" title="Citizens for Responsible Government" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Citizens for Responsible Government</a>, a political action committee, asked the court to allow it to intervene in the case. The group argued against the validity of Abrahamson's lawsuit and sought to have the case thrown out. David Rivkin, an attorney for those asking to intervene, contended, "The office of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin is not Justice Abrahamson's personal property. It belongs to the people of Wisconsin, and their will is clear."<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court#cite_note-22" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">[22]</a></sup></font></p></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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