Daniel Bice

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Dark money is playing a big role in Tuesday's relatively small primary contests.

Two outside interest groups — Milwaukeeans for Self Governance and the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund — are jointly pouring as much as a half-million dollars into the Democratic primary contest between Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm and challenger Verona Swanigan. There is no Republican in the race.

Milwaukeeans for Self Governance is a nonprofit run by conservative operative Craig Peterson and political activist Eric O'Keefe, who was targeted by Chisholm in a John Doe investigation. Greater Wisconsin is a liberal political outfit from Madison that has been active in Milwaukee races in the past.

Right now, there is no way of telling for sure who is putting up all the money to fund those two groups, which will be instrumental in deciding the area's next top cop. Spending by the candidates represents just a fraction of what Greater Wisconsin and Milwaukee for Self Governance are dropping on the contest.

Chisholm put out a statement late last week criticizing the attacks on both candidates by the outside groups.

"I ask for your vote based on our records and experience, not based on what these independent dark money groups are saying — on either side," Chisholm wrote.

At least one more dark money group is very active in several local races.

Leaders for a Better Community, headed by radio talk show hostSherwin Hughes and former Assembly candidate Bria Grant, is running a TV ad attacking state Rep. LaTonya Johnson and putting out multiple mailers backing one of her opponents, Thomas Harris.

Johnson and Harris and a third candidate, Milwaukee School Board member Michael Bonds, are vying for an open state Senate on the city's north side.

Leaders for a Better Community has also aired an ad in support of state Sen. Lena Taylor, a Milwaukee Democrat being challenged by state Rep. Mandela Barnes, and done mailers for former state Rep. Jason Fields.

Again, it is not clear who is writing the checks for Hughes' operation, with much of speculation focusing on school choice groups.

But Hughes wouldn't discuss the matter last week. "I need to make a call, and I'll get right back to you," Hughes said.

He has not yet called back, nor has he returned several calls.

One Democratic operative monitoring the Tuesday primaries said it's not surprising dark money groups don't want to talk about their activities or funding sources.

"They all scurry like roaches when the lights turn on," the operative said.

Dark money groups have proliferated since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that corporations can spend unlimited cash on efforts to influence voters. Unlike candidate and political action committees, these nonprofits — most of which are organized under 501(c)(4) of the tax code — do not have to disclose their donors.

A fourth outside group, Wisconsin Working Families Party, is active in more than a half-dozen Democratic primaries.

The nonprofit arm of the organization has endorsed eight candidates, and the group's state director, Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic, is working with those campaigns. This side of the group doesn't have to disclose its contributors or expenditures.

Wisconsin Working Families also has an independent expenditure committee run by Peter Rickman that is aiming to spend between $50,000 and $100,000 on Milwaukee primary contests.

This committee discloses both how it is spending its cash and where it is coming from — in this case, mostly from labor groups and liberal community organizations. In recent months, the Service Employees International Union's political committee has given Wisconsin Working Families $45,000, and Voces de la Frontera donated $15,000.

Most of the group's money will be spent on an intensive canvassing effort in the neighborhoods with contested elections, Rickman said. Wisconsin Working Families has also sent out a mailer in support of Johnson.

"We're not shadowy," Rickman said.

Peterson made the same claim of his group, Milwaukeeans for Self Governance.

He said the group recently registered with the state and has a board of directors, which includes Peterson, O'Keefe and former aldermanic candidate Chris Wiken. The group's efforts are being paid for by "private individuals with an interest in the (DA's) race."

Among those contributing to its efforts are Peterson and O'Keefe. "We make sure we have skin in the game," Peterson said.

So far, the group has bought $75,000 worth of air time for two ads, one critical of Chisholm and the other lauding Swanigan. In addition, it has aired a half-dozen radio ads, including one featuring Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. Peterson said the group is also planning a massive get-out-the-vote effort.

Chisholm's team has sent out fundraising appeals estimating that Milwaukeeans for Self Governance will spend as much as $500,000 on its own. Peterson declined to provide a figure last week.

But insiders say the amount is likely to be between $300,000 and $400,000.

Peterson argued that his group is much more transparent than Greater Wisconsin, the other outside group active in the DA's contest.

"We have no idea who is behind Greater Wisconsin," Peterson said. He then added of Chisholm, "For a guy who doesn't approve of dark money, he's certainly benefiting from it."

Rich Judge, head of Greater Wisconsin, did not return calls last week.

In 2014, his group spent heavily in an unsuccessful bid to knock off Clarke in his re-election campaign. Greater Wisconsin's efforts were funded in part by Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, a Clarke foe.

This time, Judge's group has sent out large mailers praising Chisholm, touting his endorsements from local elected officials and criticizing Swanigan. Greater Wisconsin has also posted a website at veronaswanigan.com with an anti-Swanigan digital ad blasting the first-time political candidate for having represented sex offenders, strip clubs and slumlords.

In his Facebook post, Chisholm said he has been attacked unfairly during this campaign by outside groups. But he suggested that Greater Wisconsin was also "wrong headed" in its criticism of Swanigan.

"There's nothing wrong with being a defense attorney," Chisholm wrote. "I respect and admire the hard work of my colleagues in the defense bar. No one should attack a lawyer based on who her clients are."

Greater Wisconsin has many arms through which it can spend money. Its efforts in the DA's race are being funded through its 527 arm, which is named for the section of the IRS code under which it is organized.

That means Greater Wisconsin will eventually have to disclose its donors and expenditures — but not until months after Tuesday's primary election.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @ DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.