TODAY'S TMJ4

Walker To Give Excess Inaguration Cash to GOP, Campaign Fund

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republican Gov.-elect Scott Walker plans to give any excess money raised for his inauguration to his campaign fund and the state Republican Party -- instead of to charity -- in a move that drew ridicule Wednesday.

Outgoing Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle donated all the extra money raised for his two inaugurations to the nonprofit Boys and Girls Clubs, and the state Democratic Party said Walker's decision was especially selfish considering the economy.

But Walker's spokeswoman, Jill Bader, said the incoming governor wants the organization of his inauguration to be "fully transparent" and require that donations be reported the Government Accountability Board.

No taxpayer money goes to the lavish inaugural ball and corresponding events surrounding a new governor taking office. Instead, the campaigns solicit private donations, and money is often left over even after all the expenses are paid.

In 2006, Doyle raised $676,000 and roughly half of that was donated. For Doyle's first inaugural four years prior, $445,000 was raised and $222,000 was given to Boys and Girls Clubs.

Doyle was under no obligation to publically say who donated money for his inaugurations since the Boys and Girls Clubs, a private organization, raised the money and organized the events. But Doyle did list the names of donors and how much they gave on the program of the inaugural ball.

"Inaugurations have been used as fundraising opportunities for some time now and it's another opportunity for big donors to curry favor with a governor. It looks like Walker is looking to make sure his campaign and his party directly benefit from that fundraising opportunity," said Mike McCabe, director of the nonpartisan watchdog group the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

"It would be preferable if you could just have a governor inaugurated without a shakedown associated with it," McCabe said.

Walker's inauguration is being organized as a fundraiser, with 25 percent of any money donated going to Walker's campaign fund and 75 percent going to the state party. Donors can't give more than $10,000 to Walker or the party in any calendar year, meaning those who gave heavily to support him during the recently completed campaign would be forbidden from giving for the inauguration.

Scot Ross, head of liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, said it was unfortunate that only those willing to donate to Walker or the Republican Party will be able to attend inaugural events.

A spokesman for the Wisconsin Democratic Party ridiculed the arrangement.

"Scott Walker has made a pretty living turning his back on those less fortunate than he, so it makes sense in this season of giving that Scott Walker would give to those he cares most about -- himself," Graeme Zielinski said.

Walker plans a celebration at Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel on Jan. 2, then a $17 per-person prayer breakfast in Madison on the morning of his swearing in on Jan. 3 and a $50 per-person inaugural ball at Madison's Monona Terrace that night.