Saturday, November 18, 2006
Does it really matter if Doyle got a ticket for $63?
I mean, seriously, if his campaign got $63,000 from WPS, then there's a problem.
Gov. Jim Doyle paid for a ticket from a state utility for a Green Bay Packers game in December 2003, just days after a meeting scheduled with that company's top executive about the key sale of a nuclear power plant owned by the utility.
The purchase of the ticket raises further questions about the relationship between Doyle and Wisconsin Public Service Corp. of Green Bay - a relationship that is being probed by state and federal authorities.
Investigators are examining whether donations to Doyle's campaign from executives at WPS and other companies involved in the $191.5 million sale of the Kewaunee plant played a role in the sale's approval by state regulators.
Last month, the state Ethics Board found Doyle did not break rules in accepting tickets to attend another 2003 Packers game against the Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, since he met with government and business officials there as part of his official duties.
WPS spokesman Kerry Spees said Doyle purchased a ticket from the company to attend a Chicago Bears game at Green Bay, but paid "face value."
Campaign filings show Doyle's campaign reimbursed WPS $63 for the ticket Dec. 30, 2003.
