MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The head of Wisconsin’s elections commission says no formal complaints have been filed about how Green Bay conducted its November election.
The state Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections held its second hearing Wednesday on the city’s 2020 elections.
Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe wouldn’t say whether Green Bay did anything wrong when it administered its November election.
For more than two hours, Wolfe talked about the WEC’s involvement in broad election matters, and specific interactions it had with the city.
“I personally called the Green Bay Deputy Clerk prior to the election and on Election Day to confirm the clerk’s office was making election decisions,” said Wolfe. “At no time was I offered any specific concerns that were brought to my attention.”
A few weeks ago, Republicans renewed concerns Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich’s office allowed outside groups to take over decision making from the clerk’s office for the election.
Specifically, they’ve been concerned about Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein, a former Democratic operative.
City officials say Spitzer-Rubenstein, who was employed with The National Vote at Home Institute, acted as a consultant, as part of a $1.6 million grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a nonprofit funded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“Is it common for consultants to offer their services to come from out of state and to come to a specific municipality and serve a specific role in that municipality in exchange for services that could have been done by WEC or by the actual clerk that was elected to the position?” State Rep. Ron Tusler (R-Harrison) asked Wolfe during the hearing.
“I would say, yes, it is very common,” said Wolfe. “If you look at even in our emails we provided, you can see offer after offer, unsolicited offers of services.”
City officials were invited to the hearing, but they have said a scheduling conflict prevented them from attending.
The night before the hearing, city attorney Vanessa Chavez told the city council she is still working on a full election report.
“I haven’t seen any new information that has changed my opinion of the integrity of the election,” said Chavez.
Chavez has said the city is open to coordinating a future date to meet with the Assembly committee.
Wolfe also pointed out that two lawsuits were dismissed last year questioning whether the use of private grant money for the election was legal.
She says the commission plays no role in accepting or vetting private grant and that is up to each municipality.
