It’s Time’s Complaint Against AFP is Thrown Out

FYI.

A national group advocating lower government spending did not violate state election laws when it sponsored computer-generated telephone calls to West Bend school district residents regarding a proposed $119.3 million school referendum, Washington County District Attorney Todd Martens said today.

The message in the calls from Americans for Prosperity did not expressly promote or oppose a particular vote on the referendum so the group was not required to register to campaign on the issue, Martens said.

Martens was responding to a complaint he received from It’s Time, a citizen group supporting passage of the referendum.

“I believe the language in the call comes dangerously close to express advocacy,” Martens said in a letter to It’s Time. In his letter, Martens urged Americans for Prosperity and its state director, Mark Block, “to scrupulously adhere to the requirements of Wisconsin elections and campaign financing law.”

Wow.  One day to be thrown out.  That complaint sure had a lot of merit. 

Kudos to the D.A. for resolving this prior to the election.