These Democratic candidates have the “Scott Jensen Seal of Approval”

So it appears the American Federation for Children (AFC), the right-wing education “reform” outfit tied to disgraced and convicted former Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, is pouring an awful lot of money into helping elect African-American Democrats in Milwaukee.

According to the GAB-7S linked to above, the AFC has spent over $100,000 to assist Democrats who no doubt would be amenable to implementing AFC’ conservative education agenda, an agenda that could include such things as “Education Savings Accounts” that would create financial incentives for families to take their children out of the public school system and put them in for-profit primary and secondary schools. It’s worth noting that in addition to being a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) AFC was also a “Trustee” level sponsor of 2011 American Legislative Exchange Council Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The American Federation for Children is also the same group that while operating under the name “All Children Matter” in Ohio in 2008 had a $5.2 million fine imposed on it by Ohio election officials after the group illegally funneled $870,000 in contributions from its Virginia political action committee to its Ohio affiliate.

This is the group that has spent over $100,000 helping the following Democratic candidates and elected officials in Milwaukee to win their elections:

  • Jason Fields – AFC has spent over $23,000 to assist Fields’ campaign
  • Jarrett Fields – AFC has spent over $37,000 to assist Fields’ campaign
  • Millie Coby – AFC has spent over $11,000 to assist Coby’s campaign
  • Elizabeth Coggs – AFC has spent over $12,000 to assist Coggs’ campaign
  • Tracey Dent – AFC has spent over $15,000 to assist Dent’s campaign

$100,000 is no small sum of money, and the fact that the right-wing American Federation for Children is throwing that kind of money to help elect specific Democratic candidates tells me a lot about what AFC thinks those Democrats will do to help promote their conservative education reform agenda if those Democrats are elected. What’s more, the fact that not one of the five Democrats that have benefited from AFC’s largesse has disavowed the help of that groups tells me all I need to know about what kind of Democrats the candidates in question would be be if elected.

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6 thoughts on “These Democratic candidates have the “Scott Jensen Seal of Approval”

  1. This is how the hard right wingers took over Memphis and Shelby County in Tennessee.

  2. At the risk of being called “paternalistic” by Lena Taylor while she’s claiming to be acting in Democrats’ interests (vouchers/school choice!?), let’s continue to expose the fact that she has also been heavily involved with the American Federation for Children, which is bankrolled by a very wealthy, conservative interests.
    I’m waiting to hear Lena complain about the fact that the Bradleys and Waltons don’t live in their district.
    Could the Bradleys and Waltons ever be accused of “paternalism”? Not when you’re getting political and financial backing from them.

  3. Certainly the American Federation for Children is being deceptive in their support of these candidates, by being something that they are not. But I am not surprised that African American candidates have supported and continue to support voucher schools. Many Milwaukee children aren’t getting the educations they need or deserve from MPS…and voucher schools at one time seemed like a panacea. Too bad voucher schools have for the most part, proven to be less than satisfactory. I haven’t seen Rep Fields nor Rep Coggs position on holding voucher and charter schools to the same standards as public schools…but would hope they support equal responsibilities and accountabilities across the board.

  4. As someone who has been inside a great may voucher schools I can’t understand how any politician with an interest in the education of children can support the programs. The voucher schools test worse than MPS, are staffed with less qualified people and are housed in buildings that in many cases should be condemned. All that after cherry picking students without special needs. This has been a failed experiment and any member of the Democratic Caucus should be able to see that clearly

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