Wisconsin: Groups accused of voter bribery cleared by DA's investigation

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/groups-accus...



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Milwaukee County prosecutors have cleared two groups - a conservative one opposing abortion rights and a liberal labor organization - of voter bribery charges after conducting a five-month John Doe investigation into the allegations.

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Wisconsin Right to Life had been accused of offering rewards for volunteers who signed up sympathetic voters in a state Senate recall race. The investigation found that no one ended up requesting or receiving the gift or gas cards being offered.

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Also cleared was Wisconsin Jobs Now!, a coalition of community and labor groups led by the Service Employees International Union. It had held parties on Milwaukee's northwest side in which it offered voters free food, raffles and free shuttles to City Hall so they could cast absentee ballots in the recall election against Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills).

The incident had been dubbed "BBQ for votes" by conservative radio and organizations, including Media Trackers, which filed the complaint that led to the John Doe investigation. The group, which digs up dirt on liberals, had posted online stories quoting a single anonymous source describing what happened at the parties and accusing the labor group of breaking the law. But Media Trackers' source - Collin Roth, one of its own staffers - testified in the John Doe that he was never told that he had to vote to get a ticket for free food or prizes.


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So, the wingers didn't commit a crime only because nobody took them up on their offer. The left committed no crime, but was victimized by a right-wing smear campaign.

Politics as usual in Wisconsin.

[drm604]

1. Isn't the offer of a bribe itself a crime?

Didn't Wisconsin Right to Life break the law simply by offering the gifts?