Wisconsin’s Indian tribes have spent millions of dollars in the past decade
to influence politics. A review of state and federal donations by the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shows the tribes and gambling interests committed
about $5.5 million in the past 10 years to political spending. That includes
campaign contributions and advertising campaigns. The review showed
Democrats are the biggest beneficiaries of the spending, with Gov. Jim Doyle
getting the most — about $926,000. That includes big donations from tribes
funneled through Democratic Party committees in Washington. U.S. Rep. Mark
Green, the Republican candidate for governor, got virtually nothing from
tribes. Neither did Scott Mccallum, the Republican governor who lost to
Doyle in 2002.