Vukmir And Nicholson Stand By GOP As It Backs Roy Moore Print
Elections, Elected Officials, Political Parties
Written by Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Brad Bainum   
Wednesday, 06 December 2017 10:20

leah-vukmirBoth follow top donors and supporters, national party in standing by alleged serial sexual predator.


MADISON -- The Republican National Committee (RNC) last night re-embraced alleged serial sexual predator and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, resuming its official support and fundraising pipeline for Moore ahead of Alabama's December 12 special election. 

Are Wisconsin's GOP Senate candidates speaking out against the Republican Party's embrace of a virulent bigot who stands accused of sexually assaulting and harassing multiple women while they were children and he was a grown man?

kevin-nicholsonFar from it. Both Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson have failed to definitively reject Roy Moore while their biggest supporters and the Republican Party apparatus have continued to support him.

Nicholson has a financial incentive to stand by Moore -- Nicholson's biggest donor, Illinois billionaire Dick Uihlein, is bankrolling Moore's super PAC, and another top out-of-state Nicholson backer, Steve Bannon, is a big Moore supporter, too. 

But that makes Vukmir's continued silence all the more bewildering, especially after Democrats last week called on Nicholson to reject Uihlein's support and return his $5,400 donation

Also silent, is D.C. hedge fund millionaire Eric Hovde, who claims he's looking at launching a U.S. Senate campaign and "not just sitting back," but has similarly lacked the conviction to speak out against his party supporting an accused pedophile.

Statement from Brad Bainum, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson for the 2018 Senate race:

"Now's the time for Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson to cast politics aside, put Wisconsin principles over party and donor allegiances and reject Roy Moore's values. But they aren't; Vukmir and Nicholson are instead standing silently by the Republican Party as it supports and funds an alleged serial sexual predator with whom they hope to serve in the U.S. Senate." 

TIMELINE — Nicholson and Vukmir have failed to definitively reject Roy Moore while their biggest donors and supporters, and national party apparatus have continued to support him...

November 9, 2017

Headline: "Woman Says Roy Moore Initiated Sexual Encounter When She Was 14, He Was 32." [Washington Post, 11/9/17]

November 10, 2017

Nicholson: "If The Allegations Are True, Then Roy Moore Should Step Aside." “Most Wisconsin Republicans are following the lead of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and saying Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama should step aside if a report is true that he pursued teenage girls as an adult. […] ‘If the allegations are true, then Roy Moore should step aside,’ said a statement from businessman Kevin Nicholson. ‘Everyone should have the opportunity to respond to allegations, and the people of Alabama deserve to know the truth.’” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/10/17]

Vukmir: "...If The Allegations Are True, [Moore] Needs To Step Aside." "Most Wisconsin Republicans are following the lead of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and saying Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama should step aside if a report is true that he pursued teenage girls as an adult. […] A spokesman for Nicholson’s primary opponent, state Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) issued a statement Thursday that said: ‘Senator Vukmir was troubled to hear the reports about Roy Moore today. She believes that, if the allegations are true, he needs to step aside so the people of Alabama can elect a conservative senator of integrity.’” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/10/17]

November 13, 2017

Headline: "Roy Moore Is Accused of Sexual Misconduct by a Fifth Woman." [New York Times, 11/13/17]

Headline: "Gov. Scott Walker: 'I Believe Roy Moore Should Step Aside.'" [AP, 11/13/17]

November 14, 2017

Headline: "Paul Ryan Says Moore Should 'Step Aside,' Allegations 'Are Credible.'" [CNN, 11/14/17]

Nicholson Said If He Lived In Alabama, He "Would Want Roy Moore To Move Out Of The Race." “Kevin Nicholson, meanwhile, stopped short of calling for Moore to end his campaign, but said that if he were an Alabama voter, he ‘would want Roy Moore to move out of the race.’” [Wisconsin Public Radio, 11/14/17]

Vukmir: The Allegations Of Sexual Misconduct Against Moore Were Credible And "Should Disqualify Anyone From Serving In Public Office." “The two Republicans running for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat sharpened their criticisms of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore Tuesday, with Leah Vukmir saying the allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore were credible and ‘should disqualify anyone from serving in public office.’” [Wisconsin Public Radio, 11/14/17]

Vukmir Said If The Roy Moore Allegations Were True, Then Moore "Can't Serve." VUKMIR: "In terms of the Roy Moore story, if you look at the conduct that, if it indeed has happened, it is pretty despicable conduct. Then it’s hard for me to see him being elevated to the office of the United States Senate. We have a process to go through and I hope, [UNINTELLIGIBLE] If the allegations are indeed true, then he can’t serve. The people of his state are the ones that are going to be making that decision." [UW-Madison College GOP, 11/14/17]

November 15, 2017

Headline: "Bannon Sticking By Moore 'Through Thick And Thin.'" [Politico, 11/15/17]

November 16, 2017

Headline: "Roy Moore Attacks His Female Accusers As Critics Decry Intimidation." [Associated Press, 11/16/17]


November 27, 2017

Richard Uihlein, Who Was Single-Handedly Bankrolling Super PACs Supporting Nicholson, Was Also The Chief Financier Of A Pro-Roy Moore Super PAC. “The chief financier of a leading pro-Roy Moore super PAC is a deep-pocketed Republican businessman who dropped eight figures on 2016 races alone and is looking to continue propping up the party’s most conservative candidates.  Illinois businessman Richard Uihlein provided $100,000 to the group, Proven Conservatives PAC, since September, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission, making him by far the group’s top donor. […] Uihlein is single-handedly bankrolling a pair of super PACs supporting the Wisconsin Senate campaign of businessman and Marine veteran Kevin Nicholson. That spending has led Democrats in the state to accuse Uihlein of trying to buy the Senate seat for his preferred candidate.” [Daily Beast, 11/27/17]

November 28, 2017

Headline: "Bannon To Campaign With Roy Moore Next Week" [CNN, 11/29/17]

November 29, 2017

Headline: “Democrats Call On Republican Senate Candidate Nicholson To Reject Mega-Donor” [Associated Press, 11/29/17]

    • Democrats Called On Nicholson To Disavow Richard Uihlein Who Was Backing Him And Roy Moore. “The Wisconsin Democratic Party is calling on Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson to disavow a mega-GOP donor who is backing both his campaign and that of embattled Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.  A super PAC created to back Nicholson's candidacy has received at least $3.5 million from donor Richard Uihlein, the founder of Uline Corp. in Pleasant Prairie. Uihlein has also given $100,000 to a super PAC helping Moore in Alabama.” [Associated Press, 11/29/17]
    • Uihlein Donated $5,400 To Nicholson's Campaign. "GOP mega-donor Richard Uihlein has given $3.5 million to a group backing Nicholson and also made a $5,400 donation to Nicholson’s campaign." [Associated Press, 11/30/17]

November 30, 2017

Nicholson Spokesperson: "Kevin Has Forcefully Called On Roy Moore To Step Aside Already." "Democrats have been hammering Nicholson on the connection to Moore through Uihlein, even though Nicholson has said if he were a voter in Alabama he would want Moore to step aside. Nicholson has said that he’s 'honored and humbled' to have Uihlein’s support. Nicholson’s two campaign advisers also recently left, with plans to join the Uihlein-backed super PAC, furthering the ties between the two. Nicholson has not returned the money his campaign got or called on the Uihlein-funded super PAC, Solutions for Wisconsin, to take action. Nicholson spokesman Brandon Moody downplayed the connection to Uihlein. 'Democrats are living in fantasy-land because our campaign doesn’t control the actions of outside groups and Kevin has forcefully called on Roy Moore to step aside already,' Moody said in an emailed statement." [Associated Press, 11/30/17] Vukmir: "You Should Ask [Kevin Nicholson]" If He'll Return His Dick Uihlein's Money And Reject His Support. "What Roy Moore is certainly very concerning. And we're dealing with a lot of episodes all across -- and we're dealing with this in the legislature, across the country, and in Washington as well. If indeed -- I have said, if indeed the allegations are true then he needs to step out. But ultimately, this is an issue that I believe that people in Illinois -- in Alabama have to decide. I'm really focused in on what I'm trying to do here in Wisconsin. I'm going to let Kevin Nicholson run his campaign and decide what he needs to do. I'm going to be focused in on what I think is right for what I have to do. And that's a question that he's -- you should ask him." [Jefferson County GOP Pints and Politics Event, 11/30/17]

December 1, 2017

Nicholson Refused To Return Donations From The Roy Moore Backing Richard Uihlein Or Call On His Uihlein-Funded Super PAC To Take Action. “The divesting by Democrats stands in sharp contrast to Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson and Gov. Scott Walker who have been less willing to distance themselves from a prominent backer who is also supporting Moore. […] Democrats have been hammering Nicholson on the connection to Moore through Uihlein, even though Nicholson has said if he were a voter in Alabama he would want Moore to step aside. Nicholson has said that he’s ‘honored and humbled’ to have Uihlein’s support.  Nicholson’s two campaign advisers also recently left, with plans to join the Uihlein-backed super PAC, furthering the ties between the two.  ‘Richard Uihlein is underwriting a campaign to try to elect an accused pedophile to the United States Senate,’ said Scot Ross, director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. ‘Anyone associated with him and his campaign cash should be appalled and should immediately give the money back.’  Nicholson has not returned the money his campaign got or called on the Uihlein-funded super PAC, Solutions for Wisconsin, to take action. Nicholson spokesman Brandon Moody said Democrats are ‘living in fantasyland because our campaign doesn’t control the actions of outside groups and Kevin has forcefully called on Roy Moore to step aside already.’” [Associated Press, 12/1/17]

December 3, 2017

Headline: Majority Leader Mitch "McConnell Walks Back Roy Moore Criticisms: It’s Up to Alabama to Decide." [The Daily Beast, 12/3/17]

December 4, 2017

Headline: "Trump Formally Endorses Roy Moore Despite Sex Allegations Against The Alabama Senate Candidate." [CNBC.com, 12/4/17]

Headline: "Woman Shares New Evidence Of Relationship With Roy Moore When She Was 17." [Washington Post, 12/4/17]

Headline: "RNC to support Roy Moore in Senate race in Alabama, weeks after cutting ties with his campaign." [Washington Post, 12/4/17]

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