Say what you want about Sheriff David Clarke but he’s got bank.
According to his latest campaign finance forms, Clarke raised $49,428 since January and spent a mere $10,330. That leaves him with $91,635 ($32,000 of which is personal loan from 2004).
So who’s giving to the sheriff? His biggest donors include lots of folks who cannot vote for himwealthy folks who don’t live in Milwaukee County and therefore cannot cast a ballot for the alleged Democrat, a darling of the tea party circuit (here and here).
According to his latest campaign finance reports, here are some of the prominent Republicans and conservative businesspeople who are among his biggest supportersbut not Milwaukee County residents:
- David and Jane Frank, Germantown residents: $1,000
- John Shiely, Elm Grove resident and CEO of Briggs & Stratton: $1,000
- Tim Michels, Hartland resident: $1,500
- Rich Meeusen, Pewaukee resident, head of Badger Meeter: $550
- Gordon Boucher, Oconomowoc resident: $250
- Mary Stitt, GOP fundraiser and Pt. Washington resident: $250
- JJ Ziegler, husband of conservative, ethically challenged Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler, resident of West Bend: $500
- Russ Darrow of West Bend: $250
- Dennis Kuester, Madison resident and chair of M&I Bank: $250
Well, what do you know? Some Milwaukee County residents also happen to support the sheriff. What’s fascinating is that they’re conservative or Republicans, too:
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- George Mitchell, school voucher champion: $500
- Rick Graber, former head of the Wisconsin GOP and current Scott Walker booster: $250
- Margaret Farrow, former Republican lieutenant governor: $250
- Howard Fuller, school voucher champion: $250
- Fred Luber, chair of Super Steel: $500
- Deborah McGriff, school voucher champion: $250
And the PACs that support the sheriff aren’t all that moderate, either:
- Concerned Realtors Committee: $1,500
- Curt Gielow for Mayor Committee: $250
- Alliance of Bankers for WI: $250
Yeah, that Democratic sheriff. He really knows how to energize his base. Too bad his biggest backers will be voting in the Republican primary and won’t be able to cast a ballot for him as an alleged Democrat.
UPDATE: And then there are the Sheriff's anonymous supporters -- like the dude who just called me a few minutes ago, from a "private" number, who asked why the Shepherd is full of socialists, why we're racist, and informing me that Clarke's opponent, Chris Moews, is Jewish, and that I'm Jewish, too, and only support Jews. Oh, and that I'm racist and socialist -- again. Lovely, hey?