MacIver Institute

<p></p><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">omg</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://wisconsin<b>examiner.</b>com/<b>2021/08</b>/23/conservative-think-tank-end-wisconsin-elections-commission/</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">looks legit</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">
</font></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"> conservative think tank — run by a former staffer for then-Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and connected to former Gov. Scott Walker — has called for abolishing the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) and moving the administration of state elections to the elected secretary of state. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>The think tank, the Institute for Reforming Government,</b> called for the change to state election law in a news release Monday morning. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">“It is time to abolish WEC and implement good government accountability when it comes to Wisconsin’s elections and work to restore confidence among Wisconsin residents,” Chris Reader, executive vice president of IRG, said in a <a target="blank" href="https://reforminggovernment.org/irg-calls-for-state-to-abolish-wisconsin-elections-commission/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">statement</a>. “When unelected bureaucrats oversee Wisconsin’s elections it can lead to the erosion of faith and confidence in our electoral system. Thirty-three other states have elected officials overseeing the election process, providing a good measure of accountability by empowering people across ideological spectrums to provide a check on who manages elections. This is a good government measure that will benefit all Wisconsinites.”</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The think tank’s president is CJ Szafir, who previously worked on Fitzgerald’s staff and served as the executive vice president for the right wing legal outfit, the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"> <a target="blank" href="http://wisconsinexaminer.com/2021/08/10/what-does-it-cost-will-lawsuits/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty</a></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Walker is named on the think tank’s website as its former national honorary chairman. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">According to the think tank’s most recently available </span><a target="blank" href="https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/824/034/2019-824034864-202033179349306953-9.pdf?gl=11lmkpngaMTAzNDkyNTAzOC4xNjI0NjUwMjc4ga_0H865XH5JKMTYyOTc0MTM4MS41LjEuMTYyOTc0MTM5OS4wga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYyOTc0MTM4MS41LjEuMTYyOTc0MTM5OS4w&ga=2.45823399.221335683.1629741381-1034925038.1624650278" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">tax records</span></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, it paid Walker’s consulting firm, the Walker Group, more than $164,000 in 2019. </span></b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">The call comes as Republicans continue an effort to delegitimize state election administration in the wake of the 2020 presidential election and former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">This weekend, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) </span><a target="blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/vos-kisses-trumps-ring/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">met with Trump</span></a></b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> to discuss an ongoing investigation into the election led by former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"> Gableman recently traveled to South Dakota for a conspiracy theory-laden convention, run by MyPillow CEO <a target="blank" href="http://wisconsinexaminer.com/2021/02/15/its-not-surprising-how-the-republican-party-lost-control-from-reopen-rallies-to-insurrection/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">Mike Lindell</a>, where lies were spread about  the 2020 election</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. </span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Gableman was joined by a state lawmaker and Robert Spindell, a member of the Elections Commission who has frequently spread <a target="blank" href="http://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/wisconsin-spindell-election-fraud-investigation-law-forward/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">conspiracy theories about last year’s election</a> as well. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
The conservative group’s call to disband the Wisconsin Elections Commission — made up of six members, three appointed by Democrats and three by Republicans — comes just six years after Republicans themselves created the commission.</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Rep. Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls), who chairs the Assembly Campaigns and Elections Commission, has continued an effort to hold a “<a target="blank" href="http://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/elections-chair-initiates-a-forensic-arizona-style-audit-in-wisconsin/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">forensic audit</a>” of the 2020 election — similar to the widely derided audit held in <a target="blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/blog/appeals-court-senate-cyber-ninjas-must-produce-audit-records-immediately/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">Arizona</a>. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>Fitzgerald, now a member of Congress, and Walker were behind the creation of the WEC in 2015 after they disbanded the Government Accountability Board (GAB) over some similar complaints to the present complaints about the WEC.</b> The GAB was made up of members appointed by a panel of appellate judges and was responsible for administration of the state’s election, ethics and campaign finance laws. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Republicans disbanded the GAB after it began investigating Walker for violations of campaign finance laws through so-called <a target="blank" href="http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/103836734.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;">John Doe investigations</a>. </span></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">GOP leaders, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, </span><a target="blank" href="https://www.wpr.org/gab-chair-blasts-conservatives-wisconsin-supreme-court" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">directly cited</span></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> those investigations as the reason for the disbanding of the GAB and the creation of two new commissions to take its place — the Wisconsin Elections Commission and Wisconsin Ethics Commission. </span></b></p><span style="font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>The legislation that created the WEC was introduced by then-Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson). Knudson is now a member of the WEC and its former chair.</b> </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The current Wisconsin secretary of state is Democrat Doug La Follette. The office is largely responsible for maintaining government records, as Republicans took nearly all of the other responsibilities — and most of the staff — away from the office they now want to run elections under Walker, moving La Follette to a storage room in the Capitol basement. In 2015, a different right wing think tank, the MacIver Institute, called for </span><a target="blank" href="https://www.maciverinstitute.com/2015/02/as-responsibilities-dwindle-does-wisconsin-need-a-secretary-of-state/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent 65%, rgb(229, 233, 237) 0px); background-size: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; transition: background-size 0.4s ease 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">abolishing the position</span></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: Newsreader, serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Institute for Reforming Government did not respond to a request for comment.</span></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><p>
</p><p>=</p><p>The Koch-funded <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity" title="reference on Americans for Prosperity" target="self">Americans for Prosperity</a> (AFP) has teamed up with Wisconsin's right-wing John K. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute" title="reference on MacIver Institute" target="self">MacIver Institute</a> on a website and TV ad to support Governor <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scott_Walker" title="reference on Scott Walker" target="_self">Scott Walker</a> as he faces recall. AFP and MacIver are aiming to convince residents that Walker's fiscal policies have been good for the state.</p>

<p>

<a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/11141">http://www.prwatch.org/node/11141</a></p>

<p>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity#Americans_for_Prosperity_and_the_Tea_Party">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity#Americans_for_Prosperity_and_the_Tea_Party</a></p>

<p>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute"> http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute</a>

The <b>John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy</b> is a Wisconsin-based <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Think_tank" title="Think tank" class="mw-redirect">think tank</a> that, according to its web site, promotes free markets, individual freedom, personal responsibility and limited government.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-1" title="">[2]</a></sup> According to One Wisconsin Now, the MacIver Institute is</p>

<blockquote>"a pro-corporate organization founded in 2009 to advance conservative ideas and values...Its top staff is long-time Republican campaign strategists and its board of directors includes leading Republicans, most notably Mark Block, the head of Americans for Prosperity-WI, Fred Lubar, deep-pocketed Republican donor and Jim Troupis, lawyer to leading Republicans such as Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen and ethically-challenged Supreme Court Justices Mike Gableman and Annette Ziegler.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-2" title="">[3]</a></sup></blockquote>

<p>The Institute operates the web site WisconsinOpenGov.org, which is says “provides you with one location for data on Wisconsin public employee salaries, benefits and labor contracts. We have worked hard to not just allow 'access' the way many government information sites do, but to give you all of the data in a format that allows you to select and sort the information as you see fit.”<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-3" title="">[4]</a></sup></p>

<p>

Institute representatives claim to have caught doctors in white coats in February, 2011 directing Madison, Wisconsin protesters to places where they could obtain absentee excuses for the time they were out of work marching in protest of Wisconsin Governor <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scott_Walker" title="Scott Walker">Scott Walker</a>'s "budget repair" bill.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-4" title="">[5]</a></sup> However, irregularities were found in the report. The absentee letters listed the doctor as "Kathy Orton," but no Kathy Orton was found to be listed as a Wisconsin doctor. Also, the contact listed on the doctors notes was "Badgerdoctors@gmail.com," but there was no listing for "Badgerdoctors" which would presume would be the name of the medical group or association that the "doctors" were from.</p>

<h2>Contents</h2>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Method_of_Operation_and_reporting_irregularities"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Method of Operation and reporting irregularities</span></a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#MacIver_reporter_fails_to_reveal_his_identity_to_interviewees"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">MacIver reporter fails to reveal his identity to interviewees</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Irregularities_in_the_MacIver_Institute_.22doctor.27s_note.22_video"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Irregularities in the MacIver Institute "doctor's note" video</span></a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Ties_to_the_Kochs"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Ties to the Kochs</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Staff"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Staff</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Background"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Background</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Board"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Board</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Funding"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Funding</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Sourcewatch_resources"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Sourcewatch resources</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#External_resources"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">External resources</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#Contact"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Contact</span></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#References"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Method of Operation and reporting irregularities</span></h2>

<p>The MacIver Institute claims to be a news service, but it actually gathers, and in some cases seems to create "news" footage designed to advance a conservative, anti-worker agenda.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-5" title="">[6]</a></sup>

<h3><span class="mw-headline">MacIver reporter fails to reveal his identity to interviewees</span></h3>

<p>Former television reporter Bill Osmulski works for the MacIver Institute. In 2009 he was charged with obtaining interviews with two elected Wisconsin officials under false pretenses, by failing to disclose his affiliation with MacIver. Osmulski led the two officials he spoke with to believe he was conducting the interview for a local television station. When asked about the incident, Osmulski claimed he did not reveal his affiliation because the officials did not ask him for it, but Stephen Ward, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Journalism Ethics, said reporters have a duty to disclose their affiliation and the purpose of their interview prior to conducting the interview. "You should be open about all your affiliations in advance," Ward said.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-6" title="">[7]</a></sup>

<h3><span class="mw-headline">Irregularities in the MacIver Institute "doctor's note" video</span></h3>

<p>The MacIver Institute created a video in which the organization claimed to have caught doctors in white coats in February, 2011 directing Madison, Wisconsin protesters to places where they could obtain absentee excuses for the time they were out of work marching in protest of Wisconsin Governor <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scott_Walker" title="Scott Walker">Scott Walker</a>'s "budget repair" bill.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-7" title="">[8]</a></sup> However, numerous irregularities were found in the reporting. The names of the "doctors" listed on the notes could not be verified. The notes listed the doctor as "Kathy Orton," but no Kathy Orton was found to be listed as a Wisconsin doctor. Also, the contact listed on the doctors notes was "Badgerdoctors@gmail.com," but no listing for "Badgerdoctors" existed, which one would presume to be the name of the medical group or association the "doctors" were from. Usually in protest situations, the final negotiation with employers forgives the days missed for protests, but this information was not mentioned in MacIver's "report." It was also revealed that videographer who shot the "doctor's note" footage was Christian Hartstock, a friend of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Andrew_Breitbart" title="Andrew Breitbart">Andrew Breitbart</a>, who is known for putting misleading videos on his web site, BigGovernment.com <sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-8" title="">[9]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-9" title="">[10]</a></sup>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Ties to the Kochs</span></h2>

<p>ThinkProgress reports that the MacIver Institute has numerous ties to the billionaire <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Brothers" title="Koch Brothers">Koch Brothers</a>, billionaire co-owners of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Industries" title="Koch Industries">Koch Industries</a>, which has numerous business interests in Wisconsin. ThinkProgress writes,</p>

<blockquote>Mark Block, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity" title="Americans for Prosperity">Americans for Prosperity</a> Wisconsin state director and a key figure in the alleged voter suppression plot, sits on MacIver’s board of directors. MacIver and AFP Wisconsin also share two other board members, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Fettig&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="David Fettig (page does not exist)">David Fettig</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fred_Luber&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Fred Luber (page does not exist)">Fred Luber</a>. MacIver also works closely with AFP Wisconsin as part of the Wisconsin Prosperity Network, along with another group with ties to Koch funding, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Majority" title="American Majority">American Majority</a>. The think tank also participates in the Koch-funded Institute for Humane Studies’ Koch Summer Fellows Program and is a member of the Koch-funded State Policy Network.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-10" title="">[11]</a></sup></blockquote>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Staff</span></h2>

<p>Cory Liebman of the <i>Eye on Wisconsin</i> web site discovered that former Republican Assembly Speaker <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scott_Jensen" title="Scott Jensen">Scott Jensen</a> writes press releases for the MacIver Institute, even though his name is not on the releases and the Institute has denied Jensen is formally involved with the organization. Jensen's authorship of the releases, Liebman instructs, can be discovered by accessing one of the organization's <a href="http://eye-on-wisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/03/shady-org-lies-about-jensen-ties.html" class="external text" title="http://eye-on-wisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/03/shady-org-lies-about-jensen-ties.html" rel="nofollow">press releases</a>, right-clicking on it and observing the document properties (e.g. "Author:Scott Jensen"). Jensen also authored a PowerPoint presentation on the Institute's web site.</p>

<p>

Jensen is controversial because was the subject of an eight-year<b> criminal case for misconduct</b> while he was in office in Wisconsin. The case concluded in December, 2010 after Jensen agreed to pay a $5,000 civil forfeiture fine and reimburse the state of Wisconsin $67,174 in legal fees initially borne by taxpayers, according to a plea deal. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Patrick L. Snyder found Jensen guilty of an ethics code violation related to his using his government position for illegal gain. Felony charges against Jensen were dropped under the deal. Jensen also has a 2006 misdemeanor conviction in Dane County for violating the public trust. In 2002, Jensen (along with other GOP leaders in the State Assembly) was charged with using taxpayer dollars to run a secret, illegal campaign machine out of the Capitol. <sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-11" title="">[12]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-12" title="">[13]</a></sup>

The president of MacIver Institute is <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Brett_Healy&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Brett Healy (page does not exist)">Brett Healy</a>, who worked for Scott Jensen for 12 years and was Jensen's Chief of Staff during the time Jensen was brought up on criminal charges.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-13" title="">[14]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-14" title="">[15]</a></sup> During Jensen's trial, Healy contradicted testimony offered by two staffers he supervised, Leigh (Himebauch) Searl and Carrie (Hoeper) Richard -- that Jensen was fully aware of the campaign work they and others did on behalf of Taxpayers for Jensen while at the office. In testimony given prior Healy's in the trial, Leigh (Himebauch) Searl said that for four months in 2000, she worked on Jensen's campaign while drawing a state salary and occupying an office at the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Healy testified that he was unaware of that arrangement. Healy went on to become a lobbyist for School Choice Wisconsin in Milwaukee. <sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-15" title="">[16]</a></sup>

The MacIver Institute's Director of Communications is <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Brian_Fraley&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Brian Fraley (page does not exist)">Brian Fraley</a>, who served as the Senior Vice President for State Affairs at <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=America%27s_Health_Insurance_Plans" title="America's Health Insurance Plans">America's Health Insurance Plans</a> in Washington, D.C. Fraley was also the national Health and Human Services Task Force Private Sector Chairman for the<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Legislative_Exchange_Council" title="American Legislative Exchange Council">American Legislative Exchange Council</a></span>.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-16" title="">[17]</a></sup></p>

<p>

<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Institute's Treasurer, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mark_Block" title="Mark Block">Mark Block</a>, was State Director of the Wisconsin chapter of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity" title="Americans for Prosperity">Americans for Prosperity</a>.</span> Block was banned from politics and fined $15,000 for participating in an illegal scheme in the campaign of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Jon Wilcox. Block served as Wilcox's campaign manager. Block illegally coordinated $200,000 worth of campaign activity with a group that pretended to be operating independently. The person who ran that "independent" group was fined $35,000 and was also banned from Wisconsin state politics for five years. Justice Wilcox also paid a $10,000 fine. The fines were the largest ever assessed against a campaign in Wisconsin's history<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-17" title="">[18]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-18" title="">[19]</a></sup> <sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-19" title="">[20]</a></sup></p>

<p>

The Institute's Educational Policy Analyist, Christian D'Andrea, was formerly a Policy Analyst and State Program Director with the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Friedman_Foundation_for_Educational_Choice&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice (page does not exist)">Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice</a>, which was named after free market economist <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Milton_Friedman" title="Milton Friedman">Milton Friedman</a>. That organization, which has since changed its name to the Foundation for Educational Choice, advocates the use of voucher systems for education, a system that allows taxpayer funds to flow to private schools. <sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-20" title="">[21]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-21" title="">[22]</a></sup>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Background</span></h2>

<p>According to the Eye on Wisconsin blog, the domain name maciverinstitute.com was privately registered in December, 2008, "with no one willing to lay public claim to the new org[anization]."

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Board</span></h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fred_Luber&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Fred Luber (page does not exist)">Fred Luber</a>, Board Chair</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Steve_Fettig&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Steve Fettig (page does not exist)">Steve Fettig</a>, of Delavan, WIBoard Vice Chair,</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jim_Troupis&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Jim Troupis (page does not exist)">Jim Troupis</a> of Madison</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Laurie_McCallum&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Laurie McCallum (page does not exist)">Laurie McCallum</a>, former First Lady of Wisconsin</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Carl_Kuehne&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Carl Kuehne (page does not exist)">Carl Kuehne</a> of Green Bay (is Secretary of the Green Bay Packers and a member of its Executive Committee.)</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Gerardo%28Jerry%29_H.Gonzalez&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Gerardo (Jerry) H. Gonzalez (page does not exist)">Gerardo (Jerry) H. Gonzalez</a> of Milwaukee is a partner with Gonzalez, Saggio and Harlan LLP. <sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-22" title="">[23]</a></sup></li>

</ul>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Funding</span></h2>

<p>The MacIver Institute receives funding from the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation" title="Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a>, and has reportedly received $300,000 from them from 2008-2010 to support general operations.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-23" title="">[24]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_note-24" title="">[25]</a></sup>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Sourcewatch resources</span></h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation" title="Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a></li>

</ul>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">External resources</span></h2>

<h2><span class="mw-headline">Contact</span></h2>

<p>The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy

Brett Healy, President

44 East Mifflin Street, Suite 201

Madison, WI 53703

Phone: 1.608.588.6477

<h2><span class="mw-headline">References</span></h2>

<li id="cite_note-0"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> MacIver Institute <a href="http://maciverinstitute.com/about/" class="external text" title="http://maciverinstitute.com/about/" rel="nofollow">About</a>, Organizational web page, accessed March 11 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-1" title="">↑</a> MacIver News Service <a href="http://maciverinstitute.com/tag/state-budget/" class="external text" title="http://maciverinstitute.com/tag/state-budget/" rel="nofollow">State Budget</a>, Organizational web site, accessed March 10, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-2" title="">↑</a> Scot Ross <a href="http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/blog/2010/01/CHcQ.html" class="external text" title="http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/blog/2010/01/CHcQ.html" rel="nofollow">Progressive Alert: MacIver Institute's Phony 'Reporting'</a>, blog, January 8, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-3" title="">↑</a> Beverly Betula <a href="http://wislawjournal.com/blog/2011/03/08/wisconsin-open-government/" class="external text" title="http://wislawjournal.com/blog/2011/03/08/wisconsin-open-government/" rel="nofollow">Bev Betula: Wisconsin Open Government</a>, Wisconsin Law Journal (blog), March 8, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-4" title="">↑</a> Tom Held <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/116635288.html" class="external text" title="http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/116635288.html" rel="nofollow">Doctor's excuses for protesting teachers in Madison draws scrutiny</a> Milwaukee, Wisconsin <i>Journal-Sentinel,</i> February 21, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-5" title="">↑</a> Scot Ross <a href="http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/blog/2010/01/CHcQ.html" class="external text" title="http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/blog/2010/01/CHcQ.html" rel="nofollow">Progressive Alert: MacIver Institute's Phony 'Reporting'</a>, blog, January 8, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-6" title="">↑</a> Jason Stein <a href="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_43751011-0980-527f-be38-63ee4a4530bf.html" class="external text" title="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_43751011-0980-527f-be38-63ee4a4530bf.html" rel="nofollow">Claims of misrepresentation in reporter's first MacIver story</a>, <i>Wisconsin State Journal,</i> September 5, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-7"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-7" title="">↑</a> Tom Held <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/116635288.html" class="external text" title="http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/116635288.html" rel="nofollow">Doctor's excuses for protesting teachers in Madison draws scrutiny</a> Milwaukee, Wisconsin <i>Journal-Sentinel,</i> February 21, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-8"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-8" title="">↑</a> Karoli <a href="http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/wisconsin-protesters-breitbarted-over-bogus" class="external text" title="http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/wisconsin-protesters-breitbarted-over-bogus" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Protesters Breitbarted Over Bogus Teachers' Excuses</a>, <i>Crooks and Liars</i>, February 19, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-9"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-9" title="">↑</a> Priscilla <a href="http://www.newshounds.us/2011/02/20/fox_news_gets_punked_by_breitbart_pal.php" class="external text" title="http://www.newshounds.us/2011/02/20/fox_news_gets_punked_by_breitbart_pal.php" rel="nofollow">Fox News Gets Punked By Breitbart Pal?</a>, <i>NewsHounds,</i> February 20, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-10"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-10" title="">↑</a> Josh Dorner <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2010/09/22/koch-voter-suppression/" class="external text" title="http://thinkprogress.org/2010/09/22/koch-voter-suppression/" rel="nofollow">Koch-Backed Groups Helped Kill Law Designed To Prevent Voter Suppression Plot Hatched By Koch-Backed Groups</a> ThinkProgress.org, September 22, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-11"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-11" title="">↑</a> Mike Johnson, Jason Stein <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/112195794.html" class="external text" title="http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/112195794.html" rel="nofollow">Jensen settles misconduct case; felonies dropped; He is likely barred from running for office, must pay fine, court costs</a>, Milwaukee <i>Journal Sentinel</i>, December 20, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-12"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-12" title="">↑</a> Democratic Party of Wisconsin <a href="http://www.wisdems.org/news/press/view/2009-03-exposed-indicted-felon-scott-jensen-crafting-message-" class="external text" title="http://www.wisdems.org/news/press/view/2009-03-exposed-indicted-felon-scott-jensen-crafting-message-" rel="nofollow">EXPOSED: Indicted Felon Scott Jensen Crafting Message for MacIver Institute: MacIver Institute Caught Lying to Public About Jensen’s Role, Documents Show</a>, March 16, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-13"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-13" title="">↑</a> Cary Liebman <a href="http://eye-on-wisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-maciver-forgot-to-mention-today.html" class="external text" title="http://eye-on-wisconsin.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-maciver-forgot-to-mention-today.html" rel="nofollow">What MacIver Forgot to Mention Today</a>, Eye on Wisconsin (blog) March 13, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-14"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-14" title="">↑</a> Greg Bump <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/us/13wisconsin.html" class="external text" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/us/13wisconsin.html" rel="nofollow">Healy Next on the Stand</a>, WisPolitics.com, WisCourtWatch Blog, March 6, 2006</li>

<li id="cite_note-15"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-15" title="">↑</a> Dee J. Hall <a href="http://host.madison.com/news/article_8a378fc5-92ed-53f8-9d7c-7998a7ceb3d4.html" class="external text" title="http://host.madison.com/news/article_8a378fc5-92ed-53f8-9d7c-7998a7ceb3d4.html" rel="nofollow">Jensen Didn't Know, 3 suggest Aides Testify as Defense Starts its Presentation</a>, Madison.com, March 7, 2006</li>

<li id="cite_note-16"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-16" title="">↑</a> Brian Fraley <a href="http://www.brookfieldnow.com/userstoriessubmitted/43421417.html" class="external text" title="http://www.brookfieldnow.com/userstoriessubmitted/43421417.html" rel="nofollow">MacIver Institute Hires Fraley to Lead Communications Efforts</a>, Press release, April 22, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-17"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-17" title="">↑</a> xoff <a href="http://uppitywis.org/block-nixon-are-not-convicted-crooks" class="external text" title="http://uppitywis.org/block-nixon-are-not-convicted-crooks" rel="nofollow">Block, Nixon are not convicted crooks</a>, Uppity Wisconsin (blog), June 14, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-18"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-18" title="">↑</a> The XOff Files <a href="http://thexofffiles.blogspot.com/2006/07/being-married-heterosexual-means-never.html" class="external text" title="http://thexofffiles.blogspot.com/2006/07/being-married-heterosexual-means-never.html" rel="nofollow">Being a married heterosexual means never having to say your partner's guilty</a>, blog, July 12, 2006</li>

<li id="cite_note-19"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-19" title="">↑</a> Xoff <a href="http://thexofffiles.blogspot.com/2006/02/new-anti-tax-group-features-familiar.html" class="external text" title="http://thexofffiles.blogspot.com/2006/02/new-anti-tax-group-features-familiar.html" rel="nofollow">New anti-tax group features familiar face</a>, blog, February 17, 2006</li>

<li id="cite_note-20"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-20" title="">↑</a> Greg Forster, Christian D'Andrea <a href="http://www.edchoice.org/CMSModules/EdChoice/FileLibrary/383/FL%20Poll%200709.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.edchoice.org/CMSModules/EdChoice/FileLibrary/383/FL%20Poll%200709.pdf" rel="nofollow">Empirical Issues in the State: An Empirical Evaluation of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program</a> Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Report; August, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-21"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-21" title="">↑</a> The Foundation for Educational Choice <a href="http://www.edchoice.org/The-Friedmans/Milton-Friedman-s-Bio.aspx" class="external text" title="http://www.edchoice.org/The-Friedmans/Milton-Friedman-s-Bio.aspx" rel="nofollow">Milton Friedman bio</a>, organizational web page, accessed March 15, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-22"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-22" title="">↑</a> MacIver Institute <a href="http://maciverinstitute.com/about/board-members/" class="external text" title="http://maciverinstitute.com/about/board-members/" rel="nofollow">About Board Members</a>, organizational web page, accessed March 15, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-23"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-23" title="">↑</a> Lee Fang <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/21/zombie-johnbirch-walker/" class="external text" title="http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/21/zombie-johnbirch-walker/" rel="nofollow">How John Birch Society Extremism Never Dies: The Fortune Behind Scott Walker’s Union-Busting Campaign</a>, <i>ThinkProgress</i>, February 21, 2011</li>

<li id="cite_note-24"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute#cite_ref-24" title="">↑</a> Media Matters Action Network <a href="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/The_Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation/grants" class="external text" title="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/The_Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation/grants" rel="nofollow">Conservative Foundations/Funders/The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a>, List of Fund Recipients], accessed March 15, 2011</li>

</ol>

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<h1 class="title"><font size="4">Consider the Source: MacIver News Service</font></h1>

<div class="meta"><span class="submitted">Submitted by <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/user/5684" title="View user profile.">Anne Landman</a> on March 15, 2011 - 7:51am</span></div>

</div>

<p>The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MacIver_Institute" title="reference on MacIver Institute" target="_self">MacIver Institute</a>, also known as the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, is a Wisconsin-based, free-market think tank formed in 2009 which also acts as a "news service," supplying videos and reports to media outlets, like newspapers and television broadcasters. But just who is the MacIver Institute?</p>

<p>

<span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-" style=" display: block; margin: {margin-top=0, margin-right=0, margin-bottom=0, margin-left=0}; float: left; width: 190px;"><img src="/927ca808-4279-55a3-bef2-d5f938aa645b.jpg"/><span class="image-caption" style=" display: block;">Harry Bradley, a founding member of the John Birch Society</span></span>In the last three years, the MacIver Institute has gotten at least $300,000 in funding from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation" title="reference on Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation" target="self">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a>, which advocates eliminating labor unions under the <a href="http://www.bradleyfdn.org/cm-window.asp?ID=1220" title="reference on guise" target="blank">guise</a> of "restoring worker rights" and "modernizing labor laws." Harry Bradley, after whom the Foundation is named, was one of the original charter members of the 1960s right-wing extremist group, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Birch_Society" title="reference on John Birch Society" target="self">John Birch Society</a>, along with another Birch Society board member, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fred_Koch" title="reference on Fred Koch" target="self">Fred Koch</a>, the father of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Industries" title="reference on Koch Industries" target="self">Koch Industries</a>' billionaire brother-owners, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Charles_Koch" title="reference on Charles" target="self">Charles</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Koch" title="reference on David Koch" target="_self">David Koch</a>.</p>

<h2>MacIver's Ethically-Challenged Staff</h2>

<p>The MacIver Institute's staff contains a number of notorious former Wisconsin state public officials who got into legal trouble for political campaign violations and violations of the public trust.</p>

<p>

Chief among those is the Republican former Wisconsin Assembly Speaker, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scott_Jensen" title="reference on Scott Jensen" target="_self">Scott Jensen</a>. The Institute has worked to distance itself from Jensen, to the point of denying he had any "formal role" with the group, and for good reason.

Cory Liebman, who writes for the <em>Eye on Wisconsin</em> Web site, discovered that Jensen writes press releases for the MacIver Institute, even though his name doesn't appear on them. Jensen's authorship of the releases, Liebman points out, can be discovered by accessing a PDF copy of some of the organization's press releases online, right-clicking on them and observing the document's properties, e.g. "Author:Scott Jensen." Jensen also authored a PowerPoint presentation on the MacIver Institute's web site.</p>

<p>

<span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-" style=" display: block; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; float: right; width: 190px;"><img src="/e8207bca-418e-5c0f-bc53-9ac53b98f784.jpg"/><span class="image-caption" style=" display: block;">Convicted former WI State Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen</span></span>

It makes sense that the Institute would want to hide Jensen's involvement. While he was in office, Jensen was the subject of an eight-year <a href="http://www.wicourts.gov/html/ca/03/03-0106.htm" title="reference on criminal case" target="blank">criminal case</a> for misconduct. In 2002, Jensen, along with other GOP leaders in the State Assembly, were criminally charged with felony misconduct for using taxpayer dollars to run a secret, illegal campaign machine out of the Capitol. Waukesha County, Wisconsin Circuit Judge Patrick L. Snyder found Jensen guilty of using his government position for illegal gain. In court documents, Jensen denied any wrongdoing. The case concluded in December, 2010, after Jensen took a plea deal in which the felony charges were dropped in exchange for his agreeing to pay a civil forfeiture fine of $5,000 and reimburse the state of Wisconsin $67,174 in legal fees that were initially paid by taxpayers. Jensen also has a 2006 misdemeanor conviction in Dane County, Wisconsin for violating the public trust. That conviction <a href="http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20101222/OSH06/12220469/Editorial-Wisconsin-still-suffering-from-caucus-scandal" title="reference on may have" target="blank">may have</a> prohibited Jensen from seeking public office in Wisconsin.</p>

<p>

The MacIver Institute's president is Brett Healy, who worked for Scott Jensen for 12 years. Healy was Jensen's Chief of Staff during the time Jensen was brought up on criminal charges. Healy testified in Jensen's trial, but his sworn statements contradicted the testimony of two staffers he supervised at the time, who testified that Jensen was fully aware of the campaign work they and others did on behalf of Jensen while they were paid state employees. One staffer said that she worked on Jensen's campaign for four months in 2000, while at the same time drawing a state salary. Healy claimed he was unaware of the arrangement.</p>

<h2>But Wait ... There's More</h2>

<p>The MacIver Institute's treasurer, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mark_Block" title="reference on Mark Block" target="self">Mark Block</a>, was State Director of the Wisconsin chapter of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity" title="reference on Americans for Prosperity" target="self">Americans for Prosperity</a>. As part of a settlement of charges of violating election laws, Block was exiled from political campaigns and fined $15,000 for allegations arising out of an illegal scheme in the campaign of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Jon Wilcox. Block, who served as Wilcox's campaign manager, was charged by the election board with illegally coordinated $200,000 worth of campaign activity with a group that pretended to be operating independently. The person who ran the purported "independent" group was fined $35,000 and banned from Wisconsin state politics for five years. Justice Wilcox -- who, astonishingly, was running for the state's Supreme Court -- also paid a $10,000 fine. The fines were the largest ever assessed against a campaign in Wisconsin's history.</p>

<p>

The Institute's Director of Communications is Brian Fraley, who served as the Senior Vice President for State Affairs at <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=America%27s_Health_Insurance_Plans" title="reference on America's Health Insurance Plans" target="self">America's Health Insurance Plans</a> in Washington, D.C., a lobbying group that represents big insurance companies. Fraley was also the national Health and Human Services Task Force Private Sector Chairman for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Legislative_Exchange_Council" title="reference on American Legislative Exchange Council" target="self">American Legislative Exchange Council</a>, an industry-funded <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=front_group" title="reference on front group" target="_self">front group</a> that helps advance the legislative agenda of global corporations.</p>

<p>

The MacIver Institute's Educational Policy Analyist, Christian D'Andrea, was formerly a Policy Analyst and State Program Director with the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, named after free market economist Milton Friedman, who was controversial for teaching that the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html" title="reference on only " social="" responsibility="" that="" corporations="" have="" is="" to="" increase="" their="" profits="" target="_blank">only "social responsibility" that corporations have is to increase their profits</a>. The Friedman Foundation has since changed its name to delete the reference to Milton Friedman. It is now known as the Foundation for Educational Choice, and advocates the use of voucher systems for education, which would divert taxpayer funds from public schools and let them to flow to private schools instead.</p>

<p>

From this roster of employees, it seems that 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations like the MacIver Institute are the next stop for convicted or disgraced -- but still ideologically driven -- right-wing political figures who still want to influence the public agenda.

That's the way it works in the U.S., and it's all fine and legal. But when considering whether to pay credence to "news" that emanates from the MacIver News Service, it would be prudent to be aware of the backgrounds of the people associated with this organization, and as always, to consider the source.</p>

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<p> ===

Sykes might think that he and Stormfront have a uniquely discerning eye for art, but by any measure the video is highly offensive. It shouldn't be used by any news source and Journal Communications should make it clear to Mr. Moocher that he shouldn't be using it either.

<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font color="#FF0000">Journal Communications </font>has given Sykes a lot of rope lately. He is the center of their new experiment called <a href="http://www.rightwisconsin.com/" target="blank">"Right Wisconsin"</a> <span class="print-footnote">[10]</span> a subscriber-based, paid content news site for right-wingers which Sykes touted in January as a means of <a href="http://www.620wtmj.com/blogs/charliesykes/187731381.html" target="blank">helping to get more Republicans elected</a> <span class="print-footnote">[11]</span>. One of the sponsors and "partners" is the phony issue-ad group <a href="http://wicfg.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/wisconsin-club-for-growth-right-wisconsin/" target="_blank">Wisconsin Club for Growth</a> <span class="print-footnote">[12]</span>, which has spent millions in the state defending Governor Scott Walker and GOP candidates. The site features long-time GOP operatives like Brian Fraley, now at the MacIver Institute, and "reporting" by Media Trackers, a Breitbart-style attack dog operation. Both the MacIver Institute and Media Trackers are funded by the Bradley Foundation.</span></p>

===</div>

<div class="date-txt" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4">WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27, 2013</font></div>

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<h1 style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(168, 1, 0); line-height: 40px;"><font size="4">Masters of Manipulation</font></h1>

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<h2 style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 27px;"><font size="4">Right-wing billionaires, corporations and the Bradley Foundation pay for junk studies that prop up their agenda</font></h2>

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<div class="authors-txt" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">By <a href="http://expressmilwaukee.com/by-author-6-1.html" style=" margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Lisa Kaiser</a></div>

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<div id="content-content" class="content-content"><span style=" font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A clearer picture is emerging of a well-funded network of right-wing experts and think tanks that promote corporate interests in the media and state legislatures around the country.</span>

<p style=" margin: 12px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-indent: 0in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to a new study by the Madison-based watchdog group Center for Media and Democracy, the 63 think tank members of State Policy Network (SPN) have worked hand in hand with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to craft pro-corporate, anti-democratic legislation that boosts their donors’ bottom line.

The allegedly independent, nonpartisan think tanks in SPN—including the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute and the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy—provide and share the ideologically skewed data and analyses that form the justification for bills to sabotage Obamacare, gut workers’ rights and ban unions, reform the tax code to benefit the wealthy and corporations, roll back environmental protections, expand school vouchers and privatization, abolish Common Core standards and more.

<b>ALEC then uses SPN studies</b> when drafting the cookie-cutter bills that conservative legislators introduce in statehouses around the country.

“They call themselves independent policy think tanks,” Nick Surgey, Center for Media and Democracy’s research director, told the <i style=" margin: 0px;">Shepherd</i>. “But the reality is that they are often corporate-funded groups that are entirely focused on a legislative agenda that benefits the corporations that fund them.”</p>

<p>

<b style=" margin: 0px;">Dark Money and Tax Deductions</b>

Although these entities claim to be independent, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) found that SPN and ALEC have overlapping deep-pocketed donors, interests and personnel.

But despite its relatively low profile, SPN is a magnet for far more right-wing funding than ALEC. In 2011 alone, CMD found, right-wing individuals, major corporations and tax-exempt foundations poured an astounding $83 million into the State Policy Network (SPN) and its affiliates. That dwarfs ALEC’s $7 million in funding that year.

Not surprisingly, a vast number of the donors are tied to the billionaire Koch brothers—and they get a nice tax break for donating to a nonpartisan educational organization.

CMD found that major donors of this SPN-ALEC echo chamber are secretive funds tied to the Koch brothers, Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, organizations that <i style=" margin: 0px;">Mother Jones</i>has called the “dark-money ATM of the conservative movement.” These tax-exempt foundations are required to report the groups they fund, but they don’t have to reveal their own donors. In fact, that seems to be the point of Donors Trust and Donor Capital Fund, CMD found.

“Very, very wealthy individuals have increasingly been using nonprofits to hide their fingerprints on these donations,” Surgey said. “Donors Trust and Donors Capital are organizations that allow high-dollar donors to pool their donations and fund these organizations to a very significant degree.”

In addition to benefiting from the cloak of anonymity that these organizations provide, the billionaire and corporate donors get to write off their donations on their taxes.

“They want to be able to get the advantage of a tax deduction without people being aware that they are giving the money,” Surgey said. “It’s a way of hiding the identity of the donors.”</p>

<p>

<b style=" margin: 0px;">Coordinating With ALEC</b>

The State Policy Network argues that its member think tanks are independent truth-tellers. But a report by Jane Mayer in <i style=" margin: 0px;">The New Yorker</i> found that SPN members follow what the network’s president, Tracie Sharp, calls “the IKEA model,” in which the central organization would provide the “raw materials” and “services” while the state-based think tanks would assemble the parts to suit their needs.

Mayer quotes Sharp telling SPN members at its annual meeting in September that “the grants are driven by donor intent” and “the donors have a very specific idea of what they want to happen.”

CMD’s investigation also shows the tight links between SPN and ALEC. SPN spent more than $100,000 to sponsor ALEC’s annual conferences and Sharp is on ALEC’s education task force.

CMD found that SPN think tanks have written many pieces of ALEC’s model legislation, including bills to privatize education and public pensions, create a “right to work” state, withdraw states from regional climate initiatives and implement voter ID.

In addition, Surgey said that SPN held a workshop at ALEC’s meeting this summer called “You Can Too.”

“What ‘you can too’ is reform Medicaid, reduce taxes and enact right-to-work laws,” Surgey said. “It’s pretty clear that what they’re talking about is a legislative agenda.”</p>

<p>

<b style=" margin: 0px;">Bradley Foundation Outspends Koch Brothers</b>

<b>Besides the Koch-connected Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, a major SPN funder is the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, which is led by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign chair, Michael Grebe.</b>

With more than $550 million in assets, the Bradley Foundation sunk at least $31 million into its voucher studies and programs, according to a report by One Wisconsin Now (OWN). But its funding is sent to other conservative, free-market foundations and think tanks around the country.

“They are the biggest funder of right-wing causes in the nation,” said Mike Browne, OWN’s deputy director. “They spend more money than the Koch brothers.”

<b>The Bradley Foundation is a huge supporter of members of the State Policy Network </b>in Wisconsin and elsewhere. According to OWN’s research, the Bradley Foundation has given more than $16.5 million to the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute and $635,000 to John K. McIver Institute for Public Policy. The two groups are SPN members that have provided voucher-supporting studies and analysis at the same time they attempt to pass themselves off as independent, straight-shooting think tanks.

WPRI, which bills itself as “Wisconsin’s Free Market Think Tank,” has precious few scholars on staff—none, in fact. Its president is former <i style=" margin: 0px;">Journal Sentinel </i>columnist Mike Nichols and its lead commentators are WTMJ’s Charlie Sykes (whose current wife works for the Bradley Foundation), political consultant Deb Jordahl and former Department of Administration Secretary George Lightbourn.

WPRI’s board is dominated by the state’s corporate chiefs, including Tom Howatt, chair of Wausau Paper Corp.; Bank Mutual President David Baumgarten; ex-MillerCoors Vice President Michael Jones; former Thompson administration official and We Energies Senior Vice President James Klauser; Milwaukee investor David Lubar; and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) President Tim Sheehy.

So it’s no wonder why WPRI has churned out studies supporting the agenda shared by Walker and the Bradley Foundation, including attacks on public schools, climate change, public employee benefits and the state’s renewable energy targets while promoting highway expansion, commercial bail bonds and fracking.

The board of directors of MacIver Institute includes Milwaukee businessman Fred Luber; Michael, Best and Friedrich attorney James Troupis; and former Republican First Lady Laurie McCallum. Its president is Brett Healy, a former aide to disgraced Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, now a school voucher lobbyist.

Other Wisconsin partners of SPN are the Lucy Burns Institute, Bradley Foundation-funded Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin, the Dick Armey-led FreedomWorks-Wisconsin, the Taxpayers Network Incorporated and the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.</p>

<p>

<b style=" margin: 0px;">Crossing the Line?</b>

As One Wisconsin Now’s report notes, the MacIver Institute props up Walker’s pro-privatization agenda not just with its studies and news bulletins, but by actively campaigning for it. The nonprofit, tax-exempt institute isn’t allowed to get involved in political activities, elections or lobbying. Yet <b>MacIver Institute, the Koch-funded Astroturf group Americans for Prosperity Foundation and the Heartland Institute—all SPN members</b>—spent $3.7 million on ads and other activities to help Walker in his recall, activities that spurred the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign to file a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service arguing that the groups were “gaming the tax code to play electoral politics while masquerading as charitable organizations.”

More recently, MacIver took credit for providing the groundwork for state Rep. Dale Kooyenga’s (R-Brookfield) $648 million tax cut proposal, which Walker incorporated into his budget. MacIver’s Healy, its communications director and members of Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin participated in five “tax townhalls” in May to discuss tax reform, which SPN heavily implies influenced Walker’s and Kooyenga’s regressive tax breaks.

Walker seems to be a fan of SPN’s work. According to his official schedule provided to the<i style=" margin: 0px;">Shepherd</i>, he set aside an hour to tape a video for the State Policy Network on March 4, at the executive residence.

The Bradley Foundation, WPRI and MacIver Institute did not respond to the <i style=" margin: 0px;">Shepherd’s</i>request to comment for this article.</p>

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