New state accountability agency sets time limits on cases

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Wisconsin’s new enforcement agency for government corruption cannot look into cases more than three years old.

That’s what the new Government Accountability Board said when it rejected a complaint against Supreme Court Justice-Elect Michael Gableman.

The liberal group One Wisconsin Now accused Gableman of using tax-funded telephones to call political operatives when he held a campaign fundraiser in Cable in 2002 for former Gov. Scott McCallum.

Gableman was Ashland County’s district attorney at the time. He said he doesn’t remember all the details from back then

District attorneys can investigate criminal activity up to six years old but legislators only wanted the accountability panel to go back three years.

Sen. Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, said he wanted five years but his colleagues hesitated to give the board too much authority.

Ellis said lawmakers were shamed into creating the panel after five of their brethren were convicted in 2006 of using tax money to help them get re-elected.

The new head of the accountability board, Thomas Cane, said it would have helped if lawmakers granted the same powers as district attorney’s for investigating past cases.

As a result, Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now wonders what kind of a watchdog the board will be.

He also filed complaints with local prosecutors against Gableman but they refused to take the case.

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