UNION GROVE — State ethics officials have started assessing fines against a group that has failed to disclose financial information about its campaign to recall Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
The Wisconsin Ethics Commission said the first fine of $100 will be followed by additional fines, and possibly litigation.
Reports were due July 15 showing who donated to the recall effort and how the group spent its money.
After 30 days, the state begins enforcement actions to achieve compliance.
Recall organizer Matt Snorek said others in the group are responsible for submitting reports to the state and referred questions to Conrad Reynolds, a Republican from Arkansas who traveled to Wisconsin to help run the recall petition drive, which was based in a storefront office in Union Grove.
As of two weeks ago, Snorek said, Reynolds was back in Arkansas and was preparing the finance reports.
“He said he was working on it,” Snorek said. “He’s got all the records.”
Reynolds could not be reached for comment.
The recall group sought to remove Vos from his state legislative seat after the Assembly speaker refused calls to decertify President Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election.
In two separate efforts, the group fell short of the number of signatures needed on a petition calling for a recall election in Vos’ legislative district.
The group registered with the state ethics commission in January under the name “Recall Vos,” and again in March under the name “Racine Recall Committee.” Both committees are required to file campaign finance reports with the state.
David Buerger, staff counsel to the ethics commission, said the recall committees will continue to be assessed fines for the next four months, up to $500 total.
The ethics commission then will consider filing a civil lawsuit asking a judge to order the recall group to submit the reports. The dispute could be settled through a negotiated agreement without litigation, Buerger said, but officials would not agree to waive the financial disclosure requirement.
“Our settlements do not allow them to skip out on the reporting,” he said.
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