Update 5 pm CST 4/23/2015 - See my update at the end of the diary. This issue has gone to the highest level of the DPW. Other delegates have reported receiving this phone poll, and we have an originating number for the polling. There is an active, ongoing effort to determine who is making the calling and how they obtained the convention delegate list. Until we know more, I will not write any more on this topic and would discourage speculation in open channels that could damage the party and/or party chair candidates. Thanks to all who have helped to make this story go viral through the DPW.
I just received a phone call from someone who asked me if I was going to be a delegate to the DPW (Democratic Party of Wisconsin) convention. I replied yes - I have attended in the past, but I have not yet registered for the upcoming convention. (Edit - it turns out that although I have not yet registered, I'm on the county delegate list - so yes, I am on "the list".) But I think it's safe to say that I'm "SD" ("Strong Democrat") on anyone's political list.
(I've written diaries about this race here, and here, and here, as to why this race for chair is important for making the party responsive to the people.)
The caller then asked me whether I would support Jason Rae, Martha Laning, Joe Winecke, Jeff Smith, or Steve Smith for chair. At this point my spidey sense started tingling, and I asked who he was with and who was paying for this poll. He told me that he was working for "WT Polling", and that they were hired by the "Democratic Party Convention".
"Democratic Party Convention???" No one associated with the convention would use that term. We call ourselves the DPW.
More details under the orange cheese curl.
I asked why the Democratic Party of Wisconsin was polling, and he told me that the "Democratic Party Convention" wanted to get a better sense of where the election was going. Well, my wife is on the elections committee for chair - I turned to her and she had no knowledge of any polling.
He refused to give me any further information on who was paying for the poll. I got a sense that he had a script that he wanted to go through but that I'd just interrupted it by asking impertinent questions. I hung up - wondering who might be doing the polling.
I had one hint - "WT Polling". An internet search for WT polling reveals that "WT polling" is short for "WomenTrends Polling",
WomanTrend, a key division of the polling company inc., was founded in 1993 to better connect corporate America with the female consumer.
a subsidiary of "polling company inc.".
Who has polling company inc. worked for?
Yeah. When I see a list that includes the National Republican Congressional Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Ken Blackwell, Newt Gingrich, Steve King, and Michele Bachmann... well, I don't think this polling group is looking out for the best welfare of the DPW.
But it gets better. When you click on the tab for their "Nonprofit and Advocacy Customers", you get this nest of vipers:
Some of tpc’s non-profit and advocacy-oriented clients include:
American Legislative Exchange Council
American Life League
Americans for Fair Taxation
Americans for Prosperity
Center for Education Reform
Center for Military Readiness
Citizens United
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Family Research Council
Federalist Society
Federation for American Immigration Reform
Focus on the Family
FreedomWorks
The Heritage Foundation
National Organization for Marriage
National Right to Life
National Rifle Association
Aha. ALEC. AFP. Citizens United. The Family Research Council. FreedomWorks. National Organization for Marriage.
Why the hell would a group that polls for these organizations be calling a hard-core Democrat see note above, I'm on the delegate list DPW delegate about his choice for the upcoming election for DPW Chair?
Did this RW polling group get the DPW delegate list? If so, how?
Either someone in the chair's race has hired a RW polling firm (unlikely??), or some RW outfit is trying to ratfck the chair selection process.
Has anyone else received a phone call and/or have any additional information?
6:16 AM PT: The diary was unpublished & republished, with minor changes made to reflect more recent information.
6:27 AM PT: I've received word through back channels that other DPW convention delegates have received the same phone call.
6:50 AM PT: Any DPW delegate who's received a polling phone call should contact their county party chair.
2:51 PM PT: I apologize for being away, but I am a government employee and cannot engage in political activities during work hours.
This diary has been shared over 120 times on Facebook, and as such has come to the attention of the DPW (Democratic Party of Wisconsin) at multiple levels.
The DPW leadership has stated that they have not authorized any polling and has promised to investigate.
Many convention delegates have reported getting the polling calls, and some have used Caller ID to identify the originating phone number for the polling, apparently from Big Bend, WI (Waukesha County).
This is, essentially, an investigation in progress. I will not comment on this further until or unless credible information comes forwards.
I would insist that, in the absence of credible information, we not speculate in the open whether this might have come from someone in the DPW. We do not want to damage the party nor any of the party's candidates.
Thank you.