State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, has withdrawn a controversial bill that would have lowered child support payments for a wealthy GOP donor after it was revealed that the donor helped write the plan.
Kleefisch issued a statement saying that after careful deliberation and consulting with his colleagues, he decided to pull back a bill that would have limited child support payments for people who earn more than $150,000 a year. Kleefisch declined a request to record an interview.
Legislative records reported on by the Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week showed that Kleefisch got extensive help drafting the bill by Michael Eisenga, a wealthy GOP donor who stood to have his child support decreased if this bill became law.
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Attorney Michael Collins, who represents Eisenga’s ex-wife, applauded the news, calling the bill a favor to a “political crony.”
“This was tailor-made to be a private bill for Mr. Eisenga,” said Collins. “Whatever collateral damage may have been done to help other people who make more than $150,000 I think was absolutely incidental.”
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Burlington, said he didn’t personally ask Kleefisch to pull the bill, but that it was the right call:
Vos: “I think that the issue that swirled around – the fact of why he did it, who was involved in the drafting – I think that got to be a distraction from the main goal of what was the concept of the bill, which is one I think that is probably supported by the public. That’s why I thought having a hearing on it was a good idea, but with everything else that swirled around it, it just became too distracting and I respect Representative Kleefisch’s decision.”
Still, Vos said, the underlying issue involving child support could be back, possibly next legislative session.
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