Organizers Recruiting Workers from Washington DC to Run Recall Efforts Against GOP Senators

Despite claims to the contrary from state Democratic officials, the recall efforts against eight Republican Senators could be coordinated by workers from Washington, DC, the MacIver News Service has learned.

“These aren’t being run by national operatives,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate on the statewide UpFront with Mike Gousha television program. “This is not some prefabbed, manufactured effort.”

However the MacIver News Service has obtained a recruitment advertisement which solicited applicants from the Washington, DC area for the positions of “Field Organizers” for the Wisconsin Recalls.

The ad, for the Madison-based “Wisconsin Progress ” organization, was listed on the website of The Brad Traverse Group.

The Traverse site, operated out of Falls Church, Va, bills itself as “the leading resource for anyone seeking a job on Capitol Hill and off the Hill in the fields of government affairs, public affairs and communications.”

Although Tate asserted the recalls were organic and outside interests from Madison and Washington, DC were merely assisting with the efforts, the Wisconsin Progress advertisement says the duties for the positions include, but are not limited to: “Execute a field operation in a targeted state senate district-Manage a volunteer effort to collect recall signatures-Operate and Manage phonebank-Implement mass canvassing operations-Outreach to other progressive organizations to recruit volunteers-Data Management.”

Here is the job listing

According to the Wisconsin Progress website, their executive director is Kristen Crowell. In 2006, she became the Political Director for Progressive Majority Wisconsin, working to help train and elect candidates into offices ranging from School Board to State Senate. During her three years with Progressive Majority, she worked directly with over 125 different candidates in over 23 counties.

Kathy Daggs is the group’s political Director. From their website: “Getting her start in politics as an intern for Senator Herb Kohl, she went on to serve as an Eau Claire area volunteer coordinator for then Attorney General Jim Doyle. In 2004, she was named Campaign Director for the 68th district in the Wisconsin Assembly Coordinated Committee. In 2006, she joined the State Senate Democrats Committee, working as the Campaign Director for now [former] Senator Pat Kreitlow helping to defeat an 18-year incumbent in a top targeted race. Following the 2006 races, she went on to work for Senator Kreitlow in the State Senate, serving as his Chief of Staff for three years. In 2008, she dove back into campaign life as the Deputy General Election Director for Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change in Wisconsin.”

On Upfront this weekend, DPW’s Tate asserted of the recall operatives, “These are average, normal people…”