Friday, July 17, 2015

Local media missing arena $$ plan/Walker fundraising link

The International Business Times is today focusing on an element of the Bucks arena deal that should be a bigger story now that Scott Walker - - lead proponent of the arena deal that involves hundreds of millions of public subsidy dollars - - is a declared GOP presidential candidate:

Real estate developer John Hammes has been named co-fundraising chairman of Walker's campaign while also being a member of the Bucks ownership group.


The Business Journal noted the connection  a week or so ago, and Urban Milwaukee has reported that Hammes is also involved in real estate deals near the probable arena site in downtown Milwaukee.


The IBT story takes the connections and contradictions between Walker's purported free-market fiscal conservatism and his support for massive public subsidies to wealthy sports' team owners to a new level. 


The headline shines a bright light on the story:

Scott Walker Push For Milwaukee Bucks Arena Subsidy Could Benefit His Fundraising Chief
And will remind readers of a long-standing story about Walker's jobs agency and its habit of lending or granting subsidies to Walker donors when he served as the agency's only chairman:
Nearly 60% of WEDC funds have gone to Walker, GOP donors
And follow-up stories, including the blockbuster:
Top Scott Walker aides pushed for questionable $500,000 WEDC loan

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