Shelly Moore Caught Campaigning on Taxpayer Dime, RPW Requests Investigation

[Madison] - The Republican Party of Wisconsin filed a verified complaint with the Government Accountability Board today against Shelly Moore for knowingly violating state law by using taxpayer funded resources for political activity.  Moore, a public school teacher and WEAC union leader, is challenging incumbent candidate Sheila Harsdorf in the 10th senate district recall election.
 
Several overtly political emails were turned over to the Republican Party of Wisconsin following an open records request into Moore’s official Ellsworth School District email account. Moore explicitly states in one exchange: “We’re not supposed to use school email, but since all of our rights are being taken away, I don’t frankly care.”
 
The Wisconsin Public Purpose Doctrine prohibits the use of government resources for a non-public purpose such as campaign activity, and political candidates are prohibited from unlawfully accepting anything of value for campaign purposes.¹ 
 
“Thumbing your nose at state law to build a political campaign is unacceptable, and this abuse of taxpayer funded resources deserves a full investigation by the Government Accountability Board,” said Stephan Thompson, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.  “If she feels she is above the laws of this state, she certainly has no business having a hand in creating them.”
 
The email exchanges, which were sent between February and April of this year, reveal a frenzied effort on the part of Moore to organize the recall of her opponent, Senator Sheila Harsdorf.  Moore discusses political activity and union-organized political events over email on several occasions, many of the exchanges occurring during official school hours.  Moore also exchanges emails regarding her potential candidacy for the state senate. 
 
In one email exchange, an unknown sender congratulates Moore on being chosen as “WEAC’s candidate of choice.”
 
“The emails reveal a clear picture of a highly-partisan union organizer seizing an opportunity to jump-start a political career, all while on the taxpayers' dime,” said Thompson.  “True leaders aren’t inspired by anger, and they don’t excuse themselves from following the law.”