Back in June, I highlighted the curious case of Asher Heimermann, and at the time I wondered whether Heimermann was a passionate (thought misguided) young political activist or a political scam artist.
As I wrote at the time, shortly after getting just 38 votes in the Sheboygan mayoral recall primary, Heimermann quickly pivoted into a run for the State Assembly as a Democrat. Just three months later (April 23, 2012 to be exact) Heimermann suspended his Assembly campaign due to “unforeseen circumstances,” and not too long after that Heimermann announced the formation of his own Political Action Committee (PAC), immodestly called AsherPAC.
Upon the formation of AsherPAC, Heimermann set up an ActBlue page to raise money for his PAC, but the ActBlue page in question (which has since been removed) raised money under the auspices of that money being used to help elect Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the Democratic challenger to Republican Gov. Scott Walker in the June 5 recall election. The page in question made it seem as if individuals making a donation were actually making a donation to Mayor Barrett’s gubernatorial recall campaign. The page indicated it was set up by “Wisconsin United for Tom Barrett,” which was not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with Barrett’s gubernatorial recall campaign, instead being a “project of AsherPAC,” according to Asher Heimermann. However, unless an individual looking to make a donation were to actually scroll down on the “Wisconsin United for Tom Barrett” ActBlue page, that individual wouldn’t have known that the page was actually set up by AsherPAC.
As if Heimermann’s confusing ActBlue page weren’t curious enough, Heimermann (pictured, left) also set up a Twitter account (@Barrett2012) and a Facebook page (Wisconsin For Tom Barrett) from which he had posted links to the AsherPAC ActBlue account. Heimermann had also purchased the domain “wisconsinforbarrett.com,” which was very similar to Barrett’s actual site, barrettforwisconsin.com Before the “wisconsinforbarrett.com” website came under the control of the real Barrett campaign, Heimermann had his Barrett website re-directing visitors to his ActBlue account.
Reached for comment about his confusing ActBlue page at the time of my original report, Heimermann indicated “Wisconsin for Tom Barrett” was a project of AsherPAC and that the money raised through that page was used on “Targeted Facebook Ads.” However, a look at the July Continuing Report filed by AsherPAC on July 16, 2012 of the $642 raised from individuals during the reporting period, only $50 was spent on targeted ads on Facebook, while Asher Heimermann paid himself $200 on May 29 for “consulting.” AsherPAC also spent over $200 to Boost mobile for a cell phone and over $200 on a digital camera. In fact, AsherPAC spent more on food (over $70) than it did on the targeted Facebook ads Asher Heimermann said AsherPAC was raising money for on ActBlue.
While the expenses I’ve noted may all be legitimate (or at least legal), I can’t help but question the motives of a PAC (and the individual running the PAC) when it spends more money on food, cell phones, digital cameras, and “consulting fees” than it does on actual donations to candidates or for costs directly associated with political advocacy.
So here’s what I’m wondering: is Asher Heimermann simply a passionate yet misguided young activist, or is he a political scam artist?
Heimermann seems a young, misguided political activist, and, in the process, became a political scam artist. I’m only a few years older than Heimermann is, and I’m still finding out who I am politically.
Precisely. Asher Heimermann’s main concern seems to be the advancement of Asher Heimermann, rather than the advancement of a specific issue or cause.
I would love to see this kind of scrutiny of the many other groups that cashed in on our recent activity in Wisconsin. I suspect that examining the finances of many would find that a whole lot of the dollars make their way back to the founders and executives.
Ben, there’s this and this just from Blogging Blue, but to be honest as much as I’ve wanted to do more digging, I simply haven’t had the time.
I’m starting the CJ McD PAC. I’m also starting the CJ McD Early Retirement Charity Fund, as well as the CJ McD Life Skills Training Institute. At the Life Skills training institute I will teach yard care (mine), changing auto oil (mine), home care and maintenance (mine) and other skills you will need to excell in my world to others. There will be short introductories to each skill, then copious amounts of hands-on training until I see the task accomplished and/or the skill mastered, whichever comes first.
Don’t overlook the CJ McD Defense Fund!
Darn right Ed! For when I accidentally put my hands on the keyboord of my secret, I mean, alternate communications network. Oh my god! My hands are on
To answer your question, he’s a scam artist. I was going to warn you, but I would’ve been accused of “bullying” the poor boy.
Oh heck yes he’s a scam artist-and has far more irons in the fire than just the political scams…much, much more!
I know this is an old article, but Asher is nothing but a kid with delusions of grandeur. He wants to be a famous politician but isn’t competent enough to even fake it. Failing at politics he started listening to the scanner and following the police, fire, ambulances around and taking pictures, posting them on his website calling it “news”. This is what happens when a kid grows up basically on their own and without guidance~ He has a screwed view of the world.