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CORRECTION: The photos on this weeks top front page article were incorrectly identified. Jason Rae, candidate for chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin is NOT pictured. Pictured currently are: Left: Jason Rae, candidate for chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Middle: Thad Nation, founder and senior partner at Nation Consulting. Right: Sachin Chheda is partner at Nation Consulting of Wisconsin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Robert Miranda, Editor, Wisconsin Spanish Journal and Chris Johnson, Editor/Publisher, Kingfishmke.com

Tax records for years 2011 and 2012 show that the non-profit groupCoalition for the New Economy, tied to Thad Nation, founder of theNation Consulting company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, provided unrestricted funding to ultra-conservative Tea Party and Koch brothers supported non-profit organizations working on a variety of anti-worker, anti-poor, anti-middle-class and pro-Governor Scott Walker groups.

As first reported by blogger Aaron Camp of The Progressive Midwesterner (this blogger was threatened with multiple law suits recently and forced to make minor changes to the original article) Nation Consulting, founded in 2003 by Thad Nation, listed on the company website as the senior partner went into business to offer services to business, non-profit, and political clients.

Wisconsin Democratic chairperson candidate Jason Rae employed by firm founded by individual that provided money to Koch-funded organizations

Thad Nation is a well known Democratic Party “strategist” and party consultant. He sells his services working for Democratic candidates seeking political office. He is considered one of the most influential behind-the-scenes players in Democratic politics.

But with the revelation about his company, it seems he’s playing both sides.

Also listed as a partner in the company is former Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle’s aide Sachin Chheda.

Chheda arrived at Nation Consulting in 2006. He was also Chairman of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party and is considered a key Democratic Party insider at the state and national level. He played a major supportive role to former State Representative Pedro Colon’s election for Milwaukee County Judge.

Chheda was a major backer and defender of Colon after a controversial decision by Colon was made to support Gov. Scott Walker supporter Supreme Court Justice David Prosser to the Wisconsin Supreme Court over JoAnne F. Kloppenburg. Justice David Prosser in turn endorsed Colon’s election.http://bloggingblue.com/2011/04/pedro-colon-endorses-justice-prosser/

Listed as well as a senior associate at the company is Jason Rae, currently a candidate for the position of Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW), a position being vacated by current chairmanMike Tate.

The bulk of the over $83,000 given to the pro-Tea Party & Koch Brothers groups was doled out in 2012. Tax records show over $69,500 was provided to the following organizations:

National Taxpayers Union – $15,000

Center for Individual Freedom – $5,000

Americans for Prosperity – $5,000

Freedomworks, Inc. – $10,000

Institute for Policy Innovation – $5,000

Taxpayers Protection Alliance – $15,000

60 Plus Association, Inc. – $14,740

In 2011, Nation Consulting handed Freedomworks, Inc., $15,000 in unrestricted funds.

Sachin Chheda and Jason Rae were working at the company during the year 2012, when the bulk of the money given to these organizations was transacted.

Chheda and Rae have many close ties with the Democratic Party and both have worked closely together for a number of years. In fact, both are considered part of the establishment of the Democratic Party. So it is eye opening that two high level Democratic Party insiders are linked to a firm that funds extremist right-wing groups.

While Rae’s position as senior associate at Nation Consulting gives him some cover from knowing how his employer spends his money, Sachin Chheda, who directs Nation Consulting’s political campaign practices and is a partner of the firm, and who also was campaign manager for JusticeLouis Butler’s failed Supreme Court reelection race, would have more insight into the firm’s distribution of money and has to have firsthand knowledge of where the firm’s money was invested in that year.

Rae supporters do not appear dismayed by the revelation of Nation Consulting’s funding of organizations dedicated to destroying the social safety net, public education, worker rights, and the Democratic Party while reelecting Governor Scott Walker.

Still, there are those, mostly Rae’s opponents, who point out that being a top executive for a firm that has provided funding to groups opposed to the Democratic Party should prompt Rae to resign from the firm.

As for Sachin Chheda, being a partner in the firm exposes him to questions demanding from him an explanation as to how he could allow his company to fund organizations opposed to his political campaign practices.

According to sources, this matter is only just starting to draw scrutiny from Democrats around the state.