Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Major Walker backer gets major Foxconn contract

Walker's office says the state had nothing to do with this.
The Taiwan-based electronics giant said it chose Hammes Co. to be the lead developer on the $10 billion project that will house a display-screen factory on a campus spread over 2,900 acres. Foxconn could qualify for up to $4.5 billion in state and local taxpayer incentives if it employs 13,000 workers as envisioned. 
Hammes is led by Jon Hammes, Walker’s campaign finance chairman for his re-election bid this year.
And why not take Team Walker at its word?

Remember, it's been a few years since we saw stories and headlines like this about the lead, Walker-created WI development agency that worked on the deal with Foxconn and wrote the guiding contract:
Nearly 60% of WEDC funds have gone to Walker, GOP donors
And I'm sure there's nothing to see in this recent accounting of more than $350,000 in donations on record to Walker from some already-announced contractors.
Hat tip, One Wisconsin Now:
An initial review by One Wisconsin Now of the political donations of the owners and their families of businesses revealed today by the Rhode Island based general contractor Gilbane shows they have flooded Gov. Walker’s campaign coffers with at least $359,000.
And from a public policy perspective, after al=ll, the project is pledged to follow all the environmental rules left over after its many exemptions, and Walker keeps reminding everyone that the project is really all about Appleton, Wausau, Eau Claire and La Crosse.

A full Foxconn archive is here.

Walker will continue to scrupulously avoid Foxconn matters just like he didn't do on a recent statewide, three-locale, campaign-style, taxpayer-funded photo op bonanza - - "Walker announces Foxconn Contracts." 

He'd never repeatedly use his official Twitter account and milk Foxconn for all the p.r. possible:
  
At Hoffman Construction Company, I enjoyed meeting many of the businesses & workers who will benefit.

More

He'll avoid politicizing or exploiting the project 
and let Foxconn simply consult The Google.
In the year leading up to the announcement of his presidential campaign, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker championed a high-profile proposal to spend a quarter of a billion dollars of taxpayer money to help finance a new Milwaukee Bucks arena -- all while pushing to slash roughly the same amount from state funding for higher education. One of those who stands to benefit from the controversial initiative is a longtime Walker donor and Republican financier who has just been appointed by the governor to head his presidential fundraising operation.
Real estate mogul Jon Hammes, who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican candidates and causes, is a prominent member of the investor group that owns Milwaukee’s NBA team. 
More, here, from Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

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