In the first six months of 2016, the Forest County Potawatomi Community in Wisconsin racked up more political spending than in the past six years combined, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan watchdog group.
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Executive Director Matt Rothschild said, “It’s dramatic that the Potawatomi tribe has spent more than $70,000 from its PAC to political committees and candidates here in Wisconsin the first seven months. It’s the biggest PAC contributor in the state, except for the Realtors, and it’s just curious.”
Rothschild speculated the Potawatomi most likely will oppose “the betting on fantasy football that is just a craze across the country right now. Or maybe they’re worried about a move down the road to legalize gambling in Wisconsin, as other states have, outside of Indian casinos.”
Rothschild said the tribe spent three times as much on Republicans as on Democrats—and most of the funds went to two Republican legislative campaign committees that raise money from special interests to spend on elections.
Rothschild noted the Potawatomi PAC gave a total of $9,000 to Governor Scott Walker’s campaign in 2011 and 2013. The tribe, which operates a lucrative casino in Milwaukee and another in Carter, benefited from Walker’s decision last year to reject the Menominee tribe’s proposed $800 million casino in Kenosha.
None of the state’s other 10 tribes have increased political spending as dramatically as the Potawatomi, Rothschild said.
