Press Release:

Winnebago County Democratic Party: Underheim Needs to Explain Lobbyists, Felons Gathering Signatures

1/10/2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jef Hall
920.203.6883
jef@jefhall.com

OSHKOSH – The Winnebago County Democratic Party (WCDP) Chair is calling on State Representative Gregg Underheim to explain why he had lobbyists and convicted felons gathering signatures for the Secretary of the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) ballot.

“It was disturbing to discover that two of the individuals that were hired to help Underheim collect his signatures have, in the past, pleaded guilty to felony forgery,” said Jef Hall, Chair of the WCDP. “disturbing, but also illegal.” These felons were Jennifer Kaltenberg, who plead guilty in 2002 and Tammy Drinkwater who plead guilty in 2004.

Underheim, recently re-elected with a less than 47% of the vote, serves as Chair of the Health committee and is a member of the Public Health, Insurance, Corrections and Courts, as well as Colleges and Universities Committees. Several lobbyists with direct interests in these committees’ work have circulated nomination papers for Underheim. They include Alice O’Conner (Wisconsin Medical Society), Eric Borgerding (Wisconsin Hospitals Association), R.J. Pirlot, Christine Mangi, Joan Hansen (Wisconsin Manufacturers Commerce), Michelle Mettner (Broydrick & Associates), Sandra Lonegran (Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association), James Boullion (Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin), and Chad Taylor (Michael Best & Friedrich).

“For a long-term candidate who will often tell you of all the doors he knocks, it is ironic that Mr. Underheim’s group of circulators read like a Madison insider’s party,” said Hall. “While it may be legal to have lobbyists gather signatures for sitting legislators, it appears unethical, one minute they are gathering signatures, the next they are encouraging favor on legislation. Why does a candidate from Oshkosh need felons and Madison lobbyists gathering signatures, instead of true supporters? I think Mr. Underheim owes an explanation to his constituents in Oshkosh and all of Wisconsin’s voters in the spring election.”