Here’s a quick look at Jeff Plale’s legislative career and his work on behalf of big campaign donors like Richard Strong and AT&T:
| A timeline of Jeff Plale’s legislative career | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Then State Rep. Plale – along with State Sen. Alberta Darling – co-authored legislation to transform Wisconsin’s small, state-managed college savings plan into the USA’s ninth-largest 529 plan. Strong Capital Management, founded by Richard Strong, was then chosen to administer the program. It’s worth noting Strong was a big donor to Darling, Plale, and then-Governor Tommy Thompson, who hand-picked the panel that chose Strong’s bid to manage Wisconsin’s college savings plan. Strong was later indicted for illegal trades that resulted in him pocketing around $600,000 in illegal profits. (link) |
| 2003 | Jeff Plale hires Katy Venskus as his State Senate campaign’s fundraiser, and upon winning the election hires her as an aide. (link) |
| 2007 | Sen. Plale – no doubt aided by Venskus in her role as his chief of staff – helps pass legislation to cut regulations on cable TV providers, no doubt making AT&T, a major contributor to Sen. Plale, very happy. At the time, consumers were promised the legislation would result in cost savings for consumers, but not surprisingly, those savings never materialized. (link) |
| January, 2008 | Venskus leaves Sen. Plale’s office to work for lobbying firm Public Affairs Co., and among her clients is AT&T. |
| 2009-2010 | AT&T and Sen. Plale work together to write a bill Sen. Plale sponsored to cut regulations on landline telephones. (link) |
| April, 2010 | Earlier this year, Sen. Plale helped kill the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), a bill he sponsored, citing concerns about its cost, despite an analysis by the Public Service Commission that found that an amended version of the bill would save ratepayers more than a billion dollars over the next 15 years. (link) |
While Sen. Plale has done a great job of representing the interests of donors representing companies like Xcel Energy, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, and WEPCO, I’m not sure he’s done a great job of representing the rest of us.
Plale Campaign: Boilermakers endorse Plale for Senate
7/15/2010
Contact: Friends of Jeff Plale
414.762.2740
Milwaukee – State Senator Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) today received the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers. Plale is running for re-election to Wisconsin’s 7th Senate District.
The union noted that Plale shares its commitment to economic justice for working families, protecting workers’ rights, and strengthening our economy.
“I am humbled by the outpouring of endorsements from so many hard-working groups,” Plale said. “There is a unique pride that follows an endorsement from a union and I have been so fortunate to have so much union support.”
The list of organized labor groups that have enthusiastically endorsed Plale continues to grow steadily. He has already received the support of the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin, Operating Engineers Local 139, Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council, Plumbers Local 75, Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters, and WEAC.
Why am I not shocked that yortly’s posting from a Wisconsin Electric Power Company server (we0.wepco.com)?
This kinda proves my point about who’s really backing Sen. Plale.