New Investigative Report: Republicans Eliminate Whistleblower Incentives, Protect Corporations |
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Written by Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Melanie Conklin |
Wednesday, 08 November 2017 10:20 |
http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wisconsin-koch-industries-s5.jpgSen. Leah Vukmir was on the budget committee that quietly pushed through the repeal to Gov. Scott Walker who killed the anti-fraud law; while AG Brad Schimel advised repeal even though it means Wisconsin can recoup less money from corporate fraud. MADISON - The False Claims Act was a powerful and effective tool that helped Wisconsin recoup money from corporations that ripped off Wisconsin taxpayers, until Republicans quietly eliminated it two years ago. This initial weakening of the law in 2013 and its 2015 elimination has cost Wisconsin an estimated $11 million. And it’s made Wisconsin one of the worst states for whistleblowers -- the best tool to root out fraud.
Lifelong career politician Walker has always put his national political ambitions ahead of Wisconsin working families, taking every opportunity to sell out taxpayers and protect his national corporate backers. Like Walker, Vukmir has made a career of helping out her big money corporate special interest backers at the expense of Wisconsin's working families. So much so, that Vukmir was actually made national chair of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing, Koch brothers-funded corporate special interest group that not only "acts as a stealth business lobbyist" but also promotes climate change-denial while strongly opposing "false claims" laws that "make it easier to recover money from businesses that defraud" states. Vukmir has let corporate special interests direct her legislative agenda in Wisconsin, and now looks to continue that pattern in the U.S. Senate. “Republicans quietly killed one of one of our best tools for eliminating fraud and getting back money from corporate special interests that rip-off Wisconsin taxpayers,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Martha Laning. “Republicans like Attorney General Brad Schimel, Gov. Scott Walker and Sen. Leah Vukmir claim to want to root out fraud, but when it comes to corporations massively defrauding our state, they took actions knowing it would make such fraud easier by eliminating incentives for whistleblowers and making Wisconsin ineligible for larger settlements against such corporate pharmaceutical bad actors as the makers of the EpiPen.” *** Read New Report: "Wisconsin taxpayers lose out on millions after Scott Walker, lawmakers repeal anti-fraud law" |
Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 November 2017 10:47 |