storyhill.net, Sept. 27, 2006

Complaint eyed over Reynolds' utility bill payments

Sept. 27 -- The campaign of Democratic state senate candidate Jim Sullivan said a complaint may be filed with the State Elections Board over State Sen. Tom Reynolds' use of campaign funds to pay utility costs for his campaign headquarters -- which Reynolds lists as his home.

"It's just the whole ethics question," Sullivan campaign manager Lewis Rosser said. "How ethical is that?"

It is illegal to use campaign funds for non-campaign purposes.

Rosser said Wednesday the Sullivan campaign would not file the complaint, but had been contacted by others who may do so. A decision likely will be made by the end of the week, he said.

Rosser clarified on Wednesday remarks he made Monday indicating the Sullivan campaign may file a complaint.That was never the intent, he said.

"No wonder he (Reynolds) is having trouble raising money," Rosser said, adding that potential donors might be turned off by how Reynolds is using his campaign fund.

Sullivan, a Wauwatosa alderman, is seeking to unseat incumbent Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) in the race for the 5th District state senate seat.

The 5th District includes Story Hill.

Robert Dohnal, publisher of The Conservative Digest and a close ally of Reynolds, said the payments actually were to cover the costs of electricity used to run printing equipment for campaign and other materials.

"It is irrelevant where the machines are located, the electricty (sic) and use has to be logged for any campaign or fundraising for which they are used," Dohnal wrote in an e-mail to the blog Milwaukee Rising.* "Since Reynolds is constantly using them for fundraisng (sic) letters, invites to other events that cannot be state business he must report that use otherwise he would get ited (sic) by the state. When these things come up he confers with the election and ethics board.. Wwhenever (sic) the liberals cannot debate the real issues of education, taxes, immigration, transportation they resort to vicious personal smears."

Reynolds has spent $2,564 from his campaign fund on utility bills since Sept. 2002. The 40 payments range from $23.42 to $239.85.Reynolds said on campaign finance reports that most were for his campaign headquarters.

The Reynolds' campaign gave the following explanations for the utility spending on its finance reports:

• "Electric bill," listed three times.
• "Campaign headquarters utilities," listed three times.
• "Electric and heat for headquarters," listed once.
• "Electric expense," listed once;
• "Electric/gas for campaign headquarters," listed once;
• "Gas and electric for campaign headquarters," listed twice;
• "Gas and electric for campaign office," listed once;
• "Gas/electric bill for campaign headquarters," listed once;
• "Heat and electricity for office space," listed once
• "Utilities for campaign headquarters," listed 23 times; and
• "Utilities for campaign office," listed three times.

*Full disclosure: storyhill.net editor Gretchen Schuldt writes for Milwaukee Rising