10/18/06 Diocese Accused Of Not Disclosing Referendum Activity
Wisconsin State Journal
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press
A watchdog group on Tuesday accused the Catholic Diocese of Madison of failing to disclose its attempts to influence a Nov. 7 referendum on gay marriage and civil unions.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which opposes the proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage, asked the state Elections Board to take action against the diocese for failing to register its activities supporting the proposal.
The group's informal complaint cited a flier prepared by the diocese and distributed outside a Catholic church in Madison.
"A YES vote upholds the Catholic teaching that marriage is a union between a man and a woman," the flier said.
Diocese spokesman Brent King said he was looking into the matter. He emphasized that the brochures were produced and distributed only to parishes, not the general public.
State law requires groups that spend more than $25 to support or oppose a state referendum to register. Those that spend more than $1,000 must disclose their fundraising and spending.
Some supporters of the ban have avoided the disclosure requirement by stopping short of advocating a yes vote.
The Family Research Institute of Wisconsin says most of its efforts have been educational in nature and as a result do not have to be disclosed. Its political arm, Vote Yes for Marriage, reported spending $547 as of June 30.
As a result, Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said citizens are in the dark about who is paying for efforts advocating the amendment. The Elections Board should use the case to send a message to other churches that have gotten involved in the campaign in support of the amendment, McCabe said.
Elections Board spokesman Kyle Richmond said the board would need a more formal complaint before it would consider the matter. A violation would typically lead to a fine.
Bill Bartz, pastor of Monona Oaks Community Church, said he doubted the registration requirement applies to churches like his. He has urged his members to vote for the amendment, put together a telecast for a local public access channel and left literature urging the proposal's passage at hundreds of homes.
Bartz said his congregation hadn't printed most of the literature and hadn't spent more than $25 in its efforts.