Walker huddles with GOP donors

Governor goes to NFC title game on group’s dime

Madison — The Republican Governors Association covered the costs for its head, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, to travel with his family to Sunday’s Packers game in Atlanta and represent the political group there.

“The governor and first lady were attending a Republican Governors Association function in his role as chairman, paid for by the organization,” Walker campaign spokesman Joe Fadness said.

The GOP governors group didn’t hold a formal fundraiser at Sunday’s National Football Conference game, but Walker did have an opportunity to meet with influential donors to the association, said Fadness, who stressed the governor follows the law in all such cases.

Walker, his wife, Tonette, and their sons, Matt and Alex, all traveled to the game and drew notice from liberal critics such as the group One Wisconsin Now when the family tweeted a photo of themselves on the field ahead of Green Bay’s disappointing loss in Atlanta.

Wisconsin governors inevitably draw scrutiny whenever they get perks such as travel to a muchhyped sports game.

For instance, in 2006 then-Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, paid a $300 fine for accepting Packers tickets from a utility engaged in lobbying. Though Doyle paid face value for the tickets, the state Ethics Board found that this amounted to Doyle improperly receiving from a lobbyist an opportunity not available to the general public.