Money Triumphs in Dane County 47th Assembly District

Dog Days of August and Wisconsin Democracy

Dane County, Wisconsin — Not sure who is more contemptible, white Republican election inspectors and Fitchburg City Hall who work to stop the votes of minorities or the Republican ass-hats who stuck Wisconsin with the Fall Partisan Primary elections in the first days of August.

I know who comes in third.

If a multi-millionaire candidate shopping for the statehouse parachuted into a district, spent six-figures, after refusing on several occasions to support the Recall-Scott Walker movement as a UW-Madison student, after having been outed as devoid of community involvement, elected-office experience, political advocacy, knowledge of public affairs, and paying a D.C. consulting firm $10,000s to write, produce and mail reams of multi-page, glossy campaign literature, then this candidate would likely be disavowed or at the least not endorsed by Democratic Party strategists.

Wrong, wrong decade, wrong century.

The most valuable capital in politics is money of course, but this truism is now foundational law, blacking out any semblance of community democracy and grassroots participation. This epic-failure defect is now acclaimed by too many Dem. Party players with their hands out looking for their cut of the bank account of the new multi-millionaire in town, one Jimmy Anderson.

If you thought helping grassroots, democratic movements were a mission-critical Democratic Party objective in Dane County, you are dead wrong.

The Herb Kohl model of Democratic Party politics reigns supreme at all levels of electoral campaigns.

Gone are the days of William Proxmire, dropping a $100 to get elected, or Russ Feingold, knocking on every door of his district multiple times to get his start in electoral politics in a 1982 campaign for Wisconsin State Senate, though on a positive note Feingold is working to bring back people over money, an endeavor that looks to win in this cycle in Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race.

I refer you to the campaign for Democratic Party nominee for the Wisconsin State Assembly, (District 47), featuring Fitchburg Ald. Tony Hartmann (D), Fitchburg Ald. Julia Arata-Fratta (D) and California native, Jimmy Anderson.

Anderson is the multi-millionaire referenced in the lede paragraph. Anderson won the three-way primary, 44 percent (Anderson) to 38 percent (Arata-Fratta) to 16 percent (Hartmann) on August 9.

Anderson told the Capital Times that he would have opposed Scott Walker in the 2011 Recall campaign, but was forbidden by "law" from signing the Recall petition, a ludicrous suggestion that went uncorrected and virtually unchallenged in the local news media during the last days of this early August low turn-out affair.

I met Jimmy Anderson, he came to our home, nice guy. I sent the guy suggestions about hitting doors, Mark Pocan, Bernie Sanders and voiced my concerns on a number of public policy issues.

As the campaign continued, it became clear that Anderson knew next to nothing about public policy.

Tony Hartman and Julia Arata-Fratta came to our home next, and it was immediately apparent that these two Fitchburg alders were running to win, with deep roots in the community, and a wide knowledge of public affairs, so we, our household, supported Hartman and Arata-Fratta.

Everybody played by the rules, but Mark Pocan disappointed by sitting on the scales blinded by the promise of Anderson's money to come.

Fresh from last month's Democratic National Convention in which Pocan worked to shut down the Bernie Sanders Wisconsin delegation, Pocan hoisted Anderson to victory.

Congratulations are due Pocan, Anderson and political consultants with the Pivot Group and Andy Gussert.

Absent a return to citizen-based, democratic movements defining the Democratic Party, Dane County and Wisconsin need no more such victories.

This morning, Pocan is back in my InBox, shaking the trees for bucks. Didn't strike me as auspicious, post-partisan state fall primary, 2016.

Dane County—Jimmy Anderson Refused to Sign Recall-Scott Walker Petition, Now Claims It Was Illegal

Jimmy Anderson refused to sign Recall-Scott Walker petition in 2011.
Now, Anderson claims he could not sign because it would have been
illegal because he is disabled. This is absolutely, 100 percent wrong.
Wisconsin Elections Commission officials confirmed this morning
Wisconsin election law allows help from anyone a voter or signer
chooses to vote or sign a Recall petition or a candidate nomination paper.
For more information on Accessibility, see Wisconsin Elections Commission

Jimmy Anderson lies about refusal to sign recall-Scott Walker 2011 petition Update - Chapter 2 of the Elections Commission administrative rules states that, "An elector shall sign his or her own name [on a petition] unless unable to do so because of physical disability. An elector unable to sign because of physical disability shall be present when another person signs on behalf of the disabled elector and shall specifically authorize the signing." The administrative rule applies to all election-related petitions, including recall petitions and nomination papers.
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Wisconsin State Assembly, (dist 47), candidate Jimmy Anderson acknowledged he was approached several times to sign the Recall Scott Walker petition and refused.

Now, Anderson claims his refusal was not for ideological grounds but because, Anderson falsely claims, it was unlawful to sign the Recall petition because he was disabled.

Anderson's claim is the most uninformed, easily disconfirmed line of garbage uttered in Wisconsin the last six years. To say it is unlawful to sign a Wisconsin Recall petition because of a disability is a lie that would make Scott Walker blush.

Applicable Wisconsin statutory language takes a decided will-of-the-voter stance on election rules. Federal law prohibits discrimination against differently abled voters from participating in any electoral process in any manner.

Reads Wisconsin Statute: Recall Petition –9.10(2)(j) (j) If a challenger demonstrates that someone other than the elector signed for the elector, the signature may not be counted, unless the elector is unable to sign due to physical disability and authorized another individual to sign in his or her behalf. (emphasis added)

Officials contacted this morning at the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) confirmed the above facts in an email.

Anderson told the Madison Capital Times in a piece by Todd D. Milewski that, "Whenever (Recall organizers) would approach me, I would tell them that of course I would love to sign it but I just physically can't. And I know that you can't sign it for me because that'd be against the law. I had to decline at the time."

Anderson is a liar.

Anderson also claims to be an attorney and lawyer in Wisconsin, but leaves out the fact he is forbidden to practice law or offer legal advice, (Mal Contends).

Dane County Assembly Candidate Misrepresented Status as Attorney

James Anderson as described in State Bar of Wisconsin;
an inactive status means Anderson may not practice law
in Wisconsin (State Bar of Wisconsin)

"No individual other than an enrolled active member of the state bar may practice law in this state or in any manner purported to be authorized or qualified to practice law."
- Wisconsin Supreme Court rule, SCR CHAPTER 10 REGULATION OF THE STATE BAR ... SCR 10.03  Membership

Updated - Jimmy Anderson cannot practice law in Wisconsin. But the state assembly candidate points to his status as an "attorney" and a "lawyer" as qualifications for elected public office.

Jimmy Anderson misrepresented his professional status as an attorney, show statements Anderson made in a candidate questionnaire, and a video forum.

One of three candidates for an open seat in Dane County's 47th assembly district election, (Fall 2016 Wisconsin Partisan Primary), Anderson said in part, "As the only lawyer in the field, I have a unique understanding of our legal system. I’m extremely confident in my ability to guide good policy from idea to law," in a candidate questionnaire on the online League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc., conducted by email and published July 13.

In a different question-and-answer candidate video by the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, a video of Jimmy Anderson shows Anderson explaining his qualifications for state assembly and why he is running. The exchange is moderated by Jim Cain, and was conducted on July 22, co-produced by the League of Women Voters of Dane County, Inc. and the City of Madison.

Jim Cain asks, "What is your professional, educational and civic background, that qualifies you for the state assembly and why are you running?" Anderson says in part, "I believe I am the only attorney that's currently running for the position in this district."

Anderson's status as an inactive attorney indicated at the State Bar of Wisconsin's website is confirmed by an August 1, 2016 email to Mal Contends from the State Bar of Wisconsin that reads in part, "Atty. James P. Anderson was admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin on 1/31/2013. He maintained an Active license until voluntarily changing his status to Inactive on 5/23/2014."

An inactive status means Anderson is unlicensed to practice law in Wisconsin, according to Wisconsin Supreme Court rules governing the practice of law in Wisconsin.

Reads Wisconsin Supreme Court rule, SCR CHAPTER 10 REGULATION OF THE STATE BAR ... SCR 10.03  Membership (3)  Classes of membership: "(a) The members of the state bar are divided into 4 classes: active members, judicial members, inactive members and emeritus members.  ... The class of inactive members includes those persons who are eligible for active membership but are not engaged in the practice of law in this state and have filed with the secretary of the association written notice requesting enrollment in the class of inactive members.

b)Any inactive member in good standing and any judicial member who is no longer serving in a judicial office may change his or her classification to that of an active member by filing with the secretary a written request for transfer to the class of active members and by paying the dues required of active members.  No inactive member who has not actively practiced law in this state or in another state during the last 10 years may be transferred to active membership until the transfer is approved by the supreme court except a judicial member who is no longer serving in a judicial office shall be classified as an active member upon his or her written request.

(c) No judicial or inactive member may practice law in this state or hold office or vote in any election conducted by the state bar.  No person engaged in the practice of law in this state in his or her own behalf or as an assistant or employee of an active member of the state bar, or occupying a position, the duties of which require the giving of legal advice or service in this state, may be enrolled as an inactive member.

(4)  (a)  No individual other than an enrolled active member of the state bar may practice law in this state or in any manner purported to be authorized or qualified to practice law. ...

Dane Co Assembly Race Has Two Great Candidates

Three candidates—Julia Arata-Fratta, Tony Hartmann, and Jimmy Anderson running to fill an open seat in Dane County's progressive 47th assembly district—lead the Fall 2016 Wisconsin Partisan Primary, now held in summer after legislative Republicans engineered election changes, (Wisconsin Legislative Council).

The 47th assembly district comprises neighborhoods on Madison's east side and a Democratic-progressive mix of several small municipalities in Dane County.

The August 9 Democratic primary winner will succeed outgoing State Rep. Robb Kahl  (D-Monona).

The three candidacies—Tony Hartmann, Jimmy Anderson, Julia Arata-Fratta—feature in a wide-open race as perceptions of the strongest opponent to Republican governor Scott Walker will likely decide the winner, (pp. 29-30, Wisconsin Elections Commission).

The winner of the Democratic Party primary will face no Republican opposition in November

Julia Arata-Fratta is a long-time public critic of Scott Walker, and along with Tony Hartmann, signed the 2011-12 Recall Scott Walker petition. In Dane County this visible support of a progressive agenda against Walker is political ambrosia. Jimmy Anderson did not sign the Recall-Scott Walker petition.

Two of the candidates—Arata-Fratta and Hartmann—have proven track records, and long histories of community involvement.  One candidate, Anderson, does not.

Both Arata-Fratta and Hartmann serve as city of Fitchburg alders, and have long advocated for public education and the environment against the hostile Walker administration and its donors (DeFour, Wisconsin State Journal).

Analysis of District 47 Assembly Race

Anderson Not Qualified for State Assembly

Jimmy Anderson has a compelling life story and would make an effective candidate for municipal or county office in the future.

A compelling life story is not sufficient to merit an endorsement from this site.

Anderson has scant public policy experience, no history of effective progressive advocacy, and has never held elected office in Wisconsin. But he does have $10,000, $50,000, $25,000, $2,000, and $500 donations to his Wisconsin assembly primary campaign.

Who wants this guy in office? Jimmy Anderson does, and the above donations are Anderson's personal loans to his campaign comprising over $87,000, according to Anderson's Campaign Finance Report (July Continuing - covering all activity from Jan. 1, 2016-June 30, 2016).

A newcomer to district 47, Anderson moved into the district from the neighboring assembly district, the result of an apparent assembly seat-shopping excursion.

Anderson was reportedly urged by local activists to wait or get experience before running for assembly district 47. Anderson ignored the advice and instead loaned his campaign the large infusions in an effort to win the seat this August 9.

Anderson has missed numerous important votes as a citizen, including statewide Supreme Court races and a statewide race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, according to data obtained from the Wisconsin Elections Commission site, comparing Anderson's voting activity, (BD - 08-26-1986), with elections held the past four years.

Jimmy Anderson's candidacy appears more for the benefit of Anderson, and less for the residents of the 47th assembly district.

This is not to question Anderson's ethics or decency, rather to state public service is for the benefit of the public and not for the prospective public servant.

It would be an insult for an assembly candidate to parachute into a district, attempt to buy the seat, and criticize the outgoing state representative in campaign literature while the candidate expects to gain the loyalty of would-be constituents for whom their local state representative is the most intimate connection to state government.

This is precisely what Jimmy Anderson is attempting to pull off. Such an effort should be discouraged.

Tony Hartmann Qualified Now to Serve

Tony Hartmann is qualified now to serve as a state rep. for Assembly District 47.

Born in Dane County, a longtime resident of the district, current Fitchburg alder, small business owner and MATC instructor, Hartmann would hit the ground running in the Capitol. He handles difficult policy and politics questions with apparent ease and obvious candor.

Residents may have noticed Hartmann fairly haunting doors this spring and summer, as Hartmann invites and fields an array of policy questions.

Brilliant, decent and hardworking, Hartmann would make an excellent state rep. against a sociopathic and doctrinaire Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Julia Arata-Fratta Qualified Now to Serve

"Outraged" at Scott Walker, reads Julia Arata-Fratta's latest campaign literature, repeating a central theme of her candidacy supporting the UW System, public education and a restoration of funding for technical colleges.

Julia Arata-Fratta is an outstanding candidate and is qualified now to serve as a state rep. for Assembly District 47.

Arata-Fratta moved to Fitchburg over 12 years ago and this policy wonk would be Wisconsin's second Latino serving in the state assembly, (Julia for Assembly), (Madison.365).

Nearly every Fitchburg resident contacted has either met or heard of the rising star who, if elected, has the policy acumen, intellect and dynamic personality to become a U.S. senator in the next 10 years.

As Arata-Fratta's campaign biography indicates, it's difficult to find a sector of society that this proud mother, successful professional service woman and Fitchburg alder is not involved.

Whether District 47 voters elect Tony Hartmann or Julia Arata-Fratta, the future of this progressive, growing, and hyper-educated district looks bright.