Open records request leads to hefty settlement against a state senator
From Sunshine Review
[edit] September 18, 2009
Madison, Wisconsin: Because of information found on staffers' personal emails, state senator Dan Kapanke R-La Crosse, was ordered on September 11 to pay a fine in the amount of $100 for misallocating funds.[1] The settlement added $38,000 in legal fees to be paid by Kapanke to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, and it will be paid by the Department of Administration's risk management fund. Kapanke will personally pay the $100 fine.[2]
The settlement in Dane County Circuit Court is a result of a public records request about an economic forum Kapanke held in June, 2009 that was originally intended to be sponsored by Kapanke's office, but ended up being paid for by campaign funds. The Government Accountability Board had ruled that one of Kapanke's staffers failed to request vacation time to work at the event.[2] June 3 and June 8 emails referring to the forum were requested by the DPW who suspected that the event was campaign related. Kapanke's office responded to the order of the WGAB, claiming the emails did not exist. Further investigation by the Legislative Technology Services Bureau did find an email listing the event in Kapanke's chief of staff's personal email account.
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