Steve O'Malley In Front of La Crosse Democrats

Below is a video of Steve O'Malley making the case for a city administrator in front of the La Crosse County Democrat Party.

Steve O'Malley's Ethic Hearing May 24th

During the first of Mr. Steve O'Malley Ethics Hearings (May 24th), he continued to say he did not use support staff in his effort to campaign for the City Administrator referendum. We have released emails where Mr. O'Malley clearly told others of the Vote Yes PAC that they could leave materials with his secretary. Mr. O'Malley claims all his actions campaigning for the Vote Yes PAC were perfectly in line with his outlined job duties. If campaigning for an Administrator for the city of La Crosse, is part of his responsibility as County Administrator then why would he be careful not to use his staff? His staff is available to assist him in all official capacity to perform his job. Why would it be okay for him to use his county time to campaign for the referendum, but it not be okay for his staff to be involved or used? The logic falls apart. At 8:10 into the video Mr. O'Malley states again he didn't use County resources or support staff.

Download All Of Steve O'Malley's Emails Involving Issue of City Administrator

In the interest of transparency in government, I have decided to make all of the emails we received available for the public to view free of charge. Just click and download on the links below.


Sent Emails: Click To Download


Received Emails: Click To Download



LaCrosseWatchDog is going to continue to post important emails as we uncover them.

News Reports From Steve O'Malley Press Conference

PAC Money Raised From County Office Used To Purchase List From State Democratic Party

The Administrator Yes PAC, the same group that La Crosse County Administrator Steve O'Malley fundraised for from his county office paid $599 to the state Democratic Party for their mailing list on Feb 28th, 2012. But we are told by Mr. O'Malley and others that this isn't a partisan issue. Download Copy here

How You Can Support Us

A caller on La Crosse Talk PM (WIZM 1410) said that they were interested learning how they could donate to LaCrosseWatchDog. On right hand side of the webpage is a donate tab and below is a donate link. We would appreciate your financial support from those who like what we do.


Thanks,


Mike

Steve O'Malley's Emails Included In Ethics Complaint

Below are the emails that we released in a packet to the La Crosse media and the La Crosse County Ethics Board today at our press conference.


O"Malley Proposes Budget For PAC 


Fundraising For PAC (1) (2) 


Handles Funds For PAC Using County Email (1) (2) (3)


Chief Strategizer For PAC; Running A Political Campaign From County Office (1)


Inappropriate Use of Support Staff (1) (2) 


Bob Seaquist used UW-La Crosse Email Account For Campaign Purposes (1)


We believe these emails violated:

La Crosse County Ordinance 3.28(2)(i) (j)states:
In general, the following political activities by employees are prohibited:
….
(i) Directly or indirectly soliciting or receiving subscriptions or contributions for any political party or any political purpose while in a building, office or room occupied for any purpose by the County.


(j)Either orally soliciting or by letter transmitting any solicitation to a County
office or be in any manner concerned in soliciting any assistance, subscription or support for any political party or purpose from any person holding any position with the La Crosse County while on County time or engaged in official duties.
                       
La Crosse County Ordinance 3.24(1) (d)


(d) The internet and County e-mail systems shall not be used to solicit advertise or expound on commercials ventures, religious, political or other causes, or any non-job-related issue(s)…





These releases are just a sampling of what we have uncovered. More is to come!

Ethics Complaint Against Steve O'Malley

Below is a copy of the ethics complaint that I am filing against La Crosse County Administrator Steve O'Malley immediately following a 10 AM press conference in front of the La Crosse County Administrative Center May 23, 2012.

La Crosse County Ethics Board

County Administrative Center,

400 N. Fourth Street

La Crosse, WI 54601

RE:  In re Steve O’Malley’s Ethics Violations

Dear Board Members:

Steve O’Malley broke the law.  La Crosse County Ordinance 3.28(2)(i) (j)states:

In general, the following political activities by employees are prohibited…. 

(i) Directly or indirectly soliciting or receiving subscriptions or contributions for any political party or any political purpose while in a building, office or room occupied for any purpose by the County.

(j)Either orally soliciting or by letter transmitting any solicitation to a County office or be in any manner concerned in soliciting any assistance, subscription or support for any political party or purpose from any person holding any position with the La Crosse County while on County time or engaged in official duties.

La Crosse County Ordinance 3.24(1) (d)
(d) The internet and County e-mail systems shall not be used to solicit advertise or expound on commercials ventures, religious, political or other causes, or any non-job-related issue(s)…

First we need to make it clear that this is not the first time that Steve O’Malley, has used his email account unethically. There is a pattern of abuse. On Feb 24 2011 Steve O’Malley sent an e-mail to all county employees which included several statements that were clear partisan attacks on Scott Walker.

Second, the extensive volume of email traffic [422pgs] with documented times shown, clearly indicates that an enormous amount of time of Steve O’Malley’s and other employees contracted time was spent on this project.

Third, a non profit, [ICMA], opinion has absolutely and unequivocally NO bearing on state statutes, county ordinances and rules of conduct.

La Crosse County Ordinance 2.04, which fully incorporates Wis. Stat. § 19.59, has additional ordinances that Mr. O’Malley broke.  Section 2.04(7)(a) states that you cannot use government resources for “unauthorized non-governmental purposes or for unauthorized personal convenience or for profit, unless such services or use are available to the general public and are consistent with practices and policies of the county.”  We argue that Mr. O’Malley’s flagrant abuse of his power was both an unauthorized non-governmental purpose and for his unauthorized personal convenience.   

Ordinance Section 2.04(7)(b) states, “An official or employee shall not grant or receive any special consideration, treatment or advantage beyond that which is available to every other citizen.”  The e-mails are littered with government time being used to assist a select few people accomplish goals that are consistent with Mr. O’Malley’s beliefs.  Again we are arguing that his abuse of power breached this section as well.  It can also be argued that Mr. O’Malley received value from his activities in pushing his own agenda on the City of La Crosse as well as using his office to coerce, influence, and directly or indirectly affect a political action.

To dispute this charge, Mr. O’Malley cites an opinion of a non-governmental and non-profit institution known as the ICMA, which carries no legal weight against the overwhelming evidence against him. 

His haste in requesting the county ethics committee for a ruling on his activities indicates his trepidation in this matter.

We believe that Steve O’Malley acted in such a manner that sufficiently interfered with his own contracted duties, and while on duty, and on county property, inside and outside normal business hours, did directly and indirectly solicit, receive, collected, handled, disbursed, and accounted for contributions and other funds for a political purpose.

Further Steve O’Malley, using his position of governmental influence as a sole administrative spokesman for La Crosse county did influence, and directly or indirectly affect a political action. We believe that Steve O’Malley acted in a such a manner as to not serve as a role model for other county employees, directly implicated and involved other county employees, failed to properly supervise his and other employees compliance of county rules and such conduct interfered with the efficient, timely discharge of his own and other employees contracted duties.

Mr. O’Malley stated falsely in his original letter to the ethics board that he did not use his support staff. We have included in this complaint copies of emails where Mr. O’Malley clearly made use of his assistant Terri Pavlic.  

We ask that the ethics committee review all 422 pages of the original open records request which include Mr. O’Malley’s email communication involving the issue of La Crosse City Administrator referendum before any ethics hearing is conducted. We ask that Mr. O’Malley return a portion of his salary in proportion to the amount of time he spent on the City Of La Crosse’s City Administrator issue, $1,000 fine, and mandatory ethics classes on top of any other form of justice that the Ethics Board considers.

 Included with this letter is a packet for you that is just a sampling of the many emails Mr. O'Malley did send from his county email account.                                                                                           

Steve O'Malley Lies About Use Of Support Staff On Administrator Yes Campaign

On May 9th,the La Crosse County Board held an executive board committee meeting where La Crosse County Administrator Steve O'Malley was given a chance to explain his involvement in campaigning in support of the city administrator referendum for the city of La Crosse. At the meeting Mr. O'Malley flatly denied using any support staff. In the video below Mr. O'Malley say around the 2:50 mark that he "at no time used support staff" to help with his involvement of the "Administrator Yes" campaign. He also denied using the help of his support staff in his letter to the La Crosse County Ethics Board available here on page two.

LaCrosseWatchDog has uncovered at least two different emails where La Crosse County Administrator Steve O'Malley instructs others involved in the Administrator Yes PAC to leave materials with his Assistant Terri Pavilic. The first email dated (3/25/12 8:07PM) he instructs Administrator Yes treasurer Dave Morrison to leave "stamps and any other material with my Assistant Terri Pavlic during the day." In another email dated (3/26/12 12:01am) to city council member Chris Olson, Mr. O'Malley instructs him to "Please leave anything you'd like about the radio & newspaper ads with my Administrative Assistant Terri Pavlic." Then towards the bottom of the email Mr. O'Malley says that his assistant should be able to make the county speaker phone system work in order to conduct a meeting by phone.

At least three separate times Mr. O'Malley used help of his administrative staff to assist him on his work for the "Administrator Yes" campaign.  Emails below. Link 1 Link 2

Was Administrator Yes PAC Involved In Campaign Finance Fraud?

Dick Swantz, Andrew Londre, Bob Seaquist, and Steve O'Malley were all recipients of an email from  Laura Hundt involving fundraising for the Administrator YES PAC. The email was dated February 10th, but highlighted under point 4, Miss Hundt instructs the fundraisers:

 "All checks must be dated after 2/14/2012."

She goes on to state that this will prevent the checks from appearing on the February 13th campaign finance report. Did the YES PAC intentionally engage in campaign fundraising fraud by changing the date that checks were received in order to avoid the money from appearing on the Feb 13th finance report? A legitimate question, see email below.

Calls To WIZM On Steve O'Malley Ethics Investigation

La Crosse Resident Complains To City Council About Openness In Government

Steve O'Malley Fundraising For PAC On County Time Using County Resources?

After just briefly going through the stack of emails that the Open Records Request on La Crosse County Administrator Mr. O'Malley produced LaCrosseWatchdog has learned that Mr O'Malley was coordinating fundraising efforts for the Political Action Committee (PAC) Administrator Yes from his county email account. One email written (Feb 13, 6:24PM) Mr. O'Malley appears to set out a preliminary campaign budget for the Administrator Yes PAC. Total non-staff budget $12,795.


 He also says that he would seek $6,397 from the ICMA ( International City/County Management Association) of which he is a member of.  He also writes (using his county email address) that he would submit the information packet necessary to receive funding from the ICMA. Below is a copy of the email.

On the second page of the email he says the Administrator Yes committee is "scrambling to raise adequate funds and fulfill our campaign plan to get adequate attention." Below is a copy of that email.

Another email dated Wednesday March 21, at 6:13PM Mr. O'Malley is quite pleased that the ICMA has granted the Administrator Yes group $ 5,000. He goes on to explain that city councilmen Chris Olsen is developing radio and newspaper ads. Below is a copy of the email as well as a video of Mr. Olsen arguing with local Tea Party activists about the city admin proposal. 


 


Email:

Just based on these emails alone it appears that Mr. O'Malley may have violated Wisconsin Laws 19.59 - Codes of ethics for local government officials, employees and candidates.


http://www.lawserver.com/law/state/wisconsin/wi-laws/wisconsin_laws_19-59

  La Crosse County Ordinance 2.04
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.co.la-crosse.wi.us%2Fcode%2Fpdf%2FChapter%25202%2520Governing%2520Body.pdf
La Crosse County Ordinance 3.28
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.co.la-crosse.wi.us%2Fcode%2Fpdf%2FChapter%25203%2520Personnel%2520Administrative%2520Rules.pdf


Mr. O'Malley said in the is article in the Lax Trib just today that:

the ICMA does encourage its members to advocate for professional government management, O’Malley said. 

“I believe my participation in support of the referendum was simply part of my job,” O’Malley wrote in his Ethics Board request.

So Mr. O'Malley considers it part of his job to use his county email account to campaign for other cities to hire administrators? How much time did he spend doing this from his county office on his county computer and on his county email account? Were those actions part of his job description laid out by the county board? We must keep in mind Mr. O'Malley does not answer to the ICMA he answers to the La Crosse County Board and La Crosse County taxpayers. LaCrosseWatchDog will be releasing more emails in the near future. Stay tuned. 

Taxpayers Speak In Opposition To Proposed Kiwk Trip TIF

These are videos of three La Crosse Tax Payers speaking in opposition to the proposed Kiwk Trip TIF.

Craig Nestor Speaks Against Kiwk Trip TIF

Steve Gores Of Citizens For Responsible Government Speaks Against Kiwk Trip TIF Proposal Jerry Every Speaks In Opposition To Kiwk Trip TIF Policy

La Crosse County Administrator's (Steve O'Malley) Open Records Request: 422 pages for $105.50

This is a picture of the sheer volume of pages I received for my open records on Steve O'Malley and his involvement on the issue of La Crosse hiring a City Administrator. 422 pages at a cost of $105.50. Going to take sometime to go through.

Steve O'Malley Unethical ?

On April 16th LaCrosseWatchdog submitted an open records request for any emails or written communication La Crosse County Administrator Steve O'Malley may have made in regarding the issue of the city of La Crosse hiring a City Administrator between and including the dates January 1st 2012-April 4th 2012. We were told by David Lange of La Crosse County Corporation Council that the request may include up to 200 pages of emails dealing with this subject matter and most in excess of $50 to obtain. LaCrosseWatchdog is still waiting for the county to turn over the documents. 

On April 27th Mr. O'Malley submitted a request for an advisory opinion with the La Crosse Ethics Board regarding his actions in support of the La Crosse City Administrator referendum that failed on a vote April 4th.  You can view his letter here. Below is a copy of his letter as well. 

It appears Mr. O'Malley may be in violation of the Hatch Act which which prohibits civil servants including state and local who's departments receive federal funding (23% of the 2010 county budget came from federal/state revenues) from engaging in partisan political activity while:

• on duty
• using government resources (email) 
• in a government office
• wearing an official uniform
• using a government vehicle

 It also bars civil servants from using official authority or influence to interfere with an election. 
This is not the first time Mr. O'Malley actions have come into question in regards to violation the Hatch Act. See one of the most popular blog post LaCrosseWatchdog posted from 2011. 


Information on filing a Hatch Act Complaint. 


We also know that Mr. O'Malley was involved in leading multiple public forums in favor of hiring an administrator. 

Scott Walker's Speech In La Crosse; May 5th

Scott Walker Greets Volunteers in La Crosse

Scott Walker greeting volunteers today in La Crosse at GOP Headquarters.

Mark Neumann's Constitutional Plan

Mark Nuemann On Audit The Fed