In separate interviews Tuesday, Mikalsen and Olson stopped short of indicating threats were made -- but it's clear plenty of pressure was applied.

"Well, I think (Olson and Potter) recalled that Rep. Nass had once tried to cut (taxpayer) funding for the School for Workers, and that is still something he believes should be done," says Mikalsen. "But we mostly reminded them that Rep. Nass and other Republicans are working closely with UW-Extension on WiscNet and some other pretty important issues, and that if this issue were to go bad and upset conservatives and our supporters around the state, we'd have a problem working together."

"Was it a threat or was it a statement or was it a concern?" poses Olson. "Language is tricky. The whole thing about pulling our sponsorship was to ensure the long-term interests of the people we serve."

The School for Workers was the lead sponsor of the arts festival, which was scheduled for March 29-31 at the Pyle Center on the UW-Madison campus. And some of those who have been working on putting the event together since this past fall were outraged that it had been called off.