Assembly Democratic Caucus --- The Players

Tanya Bjork--- Bjork served as Assembly Democratic Caucus (ADC) Director under Representative Shirley Krug (D) Milwaukee in 2000. Bjork gave detailed testimony regarding the political activity of ADC staff which included; compiling voter and contributor lists, fundraising, recruiting candidates, training candidates, assisting political pollsters, developing campaign finance software, and editing campaign television and radio scripts.

Bjork named several legislators including Krug who used their State Capital offices, staff and equipment to conduct political fundraising and track contribution for individual legislative candidates and the Assembly Democratic Caucus Committee. Bjork said she helped Krug set up and administer a conduit called Badger 2000 as well as Political Action Committee (PAC) called the Wisconsin Voter Education Fund (WVEF). WVEF registered as an independent expenditure group and spent $311,500 in support of Democratic Assembly candidates in the 34th, 70th, 86th and 88th Assembly Districts in 2000.

During her testimony Bjork discussed extensive contact with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee in Washtington D.C.

Bjork left the ADC to work for former State Senator Brian Burke. She was charged with 2 misdemeanors in 2002 in connection to Burke. She later entered a plea of no contest and was ordered to pay a $250 fine and complete 50 hours of community service.

Barbara Candy --- Candy is a Milwaukee-based fundraiser with strong ties to Governor Jim Doyle’s campaign. Candy’s husband, Charles Pruitt was appointed by Doyle to serve on the UW Board of Regents.

ADC Finance Director, Devaguptapu said he called Candy from his state office to discuss fundraising. Candy was also cited in testimony regarding Brian Burke’s fundraising activity.

Raghu Devaguptapu --- Devaguptapu’s testimony states that Shirley Krug and Tanya Bjork instructed him to work exclusively on campaign fundraising. He specifically recallled organizing fundraisers for candidates, Lary Swoboda, Terry Van Akkeren, Laurent Soucie, Sondy Pope-Roberts, Steven Peggs and Sandi Cihlar.

Devaguptapu later worked for former State Senator Brian Burke and pleaded no contest to non-criminal charges in connection with Burke.

Rich Judge --- Judge served as Assembly Democratic Caucus Director under Representative Shirley Krug. Judge told investigators that he and the other ADC staff participated in a variety of political activities on state time including fundraising, compiling voter lists, preparing candidates for debate, managing campaigns and creating materials for campaign schools. Judge said his interview for the state paid position was conducted by a panel of Democratic legislators and the bulk of the panel’s questions centered around “campaign related issues and topics.”

Judge currently serves as Campaign Manager for Governor Jim Doyle’s re-election committee.

Ron Legro --- Legro was designated by Krug to serve as Treasurer of the Wisconsin Voter Education Fund, a PAC committee that spent $316,000 on independent expenditures on behalf of Democrat legislative candidates in 2000. Tanya Bjork sent Legro an email asking him to send her blank checks so she could pay vendors like the Dixon Media Group.

Legro was given immunity from prosecution in 2001 in exchange for his testimony and currently serves as a Community Relations Officer with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA).

Michelle McGrorty ---McGrorty worked for ADC during the same time as Rich Judge. Judge testified that McGrorty was one of several ADC staffers who spent significant time working on campaigns out in the field. Bjork testified that she hired McGrorty who also did fundraising for ADC.

McGrorty later worked for the Senate Democratic Caucus and was given immunity from prosecution in the case against former State Senator Chuck Chvala.

McGrorty is currently the Executive Director of the Greater Wisconsin Committee.

Ted Osthelder --- Osthelder was an assistant to former State Representative Wally Kunicki in 1997. Tanya Bjork testified that she believed Osthelder worked as a fundraiser for ADC. Osthelder currently serves as Director of External Operations for Governor Jim Doyle.

Antonio Riley ---Riley was the Democratic State Representative from the 18 Assembly District from 1992 – 2002. Bjrok testified that Riley was one of several legislators who knew caucus staff was compiling voter lists at the ADC offices and that Riley also knew that money was transferred from the DLCC to the WVEF as he was very involved in fundraising.. Judge testified that Riley was on the panel that conducted the interview for his position as Director of ADC.

Riley was appointed to serve as Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority by Governor Doyle in 2003

State Representative Spencer Black --- Black has represented the 77th Assembly District in Madison since 1984. Judge said Black was part of the panel that conducted the interview for his position as ADC Director. Judge specifically recalled Black asking him what he was going to do to “help political campaigns in big city suburbs.”

Judge further testified that Black wanted to know how Wisconsin Democrats could get money back to Wisconsin from the DLCC, and that State Senator Chuck Chvala went to D.C. to attend a meeting with Black. Judge referred to it as “the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Trip.”

Shirley Krug --- Krug served as the Democratic Assembly Leader during the 2000 election cycle. Tanya Bjork, and others testified that Krug was fully aware of the political activities of the ADC. Bjrok also said that Krug not only used her State Capitol office to raise money for herself, but she also raised money for targeted candidates, the Assembly Democratic Caucus Committee, and Badger 2000, a separate conduit committee.

Bjrok further stated that she and Krug set up the Wisconsin Voter Education Fund an independent expenditure group. Bjork said Krug told her to recruit Ron Legro to serve as Treasurer.

State Representative Marc Pocan ---Pocan was elected to represent the 78th Assembly in 1998. Judge testified that Pocan was on the panel that interviewed him for the position as ADC Director. Devaguptapu testified that he and Bjork would meet with Pocan and then State Representative Jeff Plale in Plale’s Capital Office every few weeks to discuss candidate recruitment and fundraising.


Wisconsin Voter Education Fund ---- WVEF is a PAC fund that was started by Representative Shirley Krug and ADC Director Tanya Bjork . The group registered to do independent expenditures in support of nine Democratic candidates for the state Assembly in October of 2000. WVEF got all of its money from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee of Washington, DC.

WVEF spent $311, 500 in support of Democratic candidates in the 34th, 70th, 86th and 88th Assembly Districts and was the third highest independent spender in 2000.