A conservation group says it is spending $1 million dollars on advertising in the next few weeks that will criticize Gov. Scott Walker’s record on environmental issues.
The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters’ new TV commercial focuses on Walker’s support for a mining law that could help open a large iron ore mine near the northwestern Wisconsin village of Mellen. The ad suggests campaign donations partly revealed by one of the John Doe investigations helped influence Walker.
The League’s executive director Kerry Schumann said that the ad will start running first in the Wausau and Green Bay markets, which are relatively close to the proposed mine.
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“We actually have found that this mining issue, and this threat to our health and the health of people living near the mine, is something that people care about, and resonates with people,” said Schumann.
Schumann also said the Walker administration has been weak on environmental enforcement and on developing renewable energy. Walker, for his part, has said he’s tried to improve both the economy and the environment.
“There are some that want us to focus in areas that would exclude economic opportunities,” said Walker. “It’s hard to be pro-jobs in this state if you are not pro-development. What we’re doing is finding a way to balance the interest of sustaining our natural resources and at the same time … help grow the economy.”
The John Doe investigation that revealed the mining company donations to the conservative group Wisconsin Club for Growth is now on hold. No one has been charged with a crime in the case.
You can watch the League’s TV ad below:
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