MADISON – Republican Brett Davis opposed measures to reform campaigns by regulating third-party attack ads, the same ads that are now benefiting his campaign by smearing his Democratic challenger John Waelti on the airwaves.

“John Waelti is getting smeared by out-of-state groups who don't have to follow the rules and are blatantly spreading lies on the airwaves, while Brett Davis is benefiting from his pandering to these groups,” said Jim Smith Director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee.

Davis voted against common sense legislation to require third party groups, who currently operate outside the law, to follow the same rules as everyone else. The measure simply required organizations running ads within 60 days of an election to disclose where they get their money from and was approved with an overwhelming bipartisan vote in the State Senate. (Source: AB 272)

“These negative third-party campaign ads are wrong for Wisconsin and Brett Davis is wrong for not opposing them,” said Smith. "Time and time again Brett Davis could have made a difference for the people of the 80th Assembly District but time and time again he got in line behind his party bosses and did what he was told.”

In the past four years, 11,226 voters in the 80th Assembly District have voted against Brett Davis twice. In both the 2006 and 2004 elections, 11,226 voters opposed Brett Davis because they understand that he is wrong on the issues that matter most to middle class families in Wisconsin. 11,226 voters also agree that Brett Davis supports unregulated negative attack ads.