Mandela Barnes’ campaign for governor and PAC violated state campaign finance laws, complaint alleges

Official complaints have been filed with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission against Mandela Barnes’ campaign and a political action committee benefiting the former lieutenant governor, alleging violations of state law. 

Two complaints obtained by the Milwaukee Courier were filed July 27 by Claudia Pogreba of Madison against Mandela for Wisconsin, Barnes’ gubernatorial campaign, and The Long Run PAC, which is the successor PAC to Barnes’ U.S. Senate campaign in 2022. 

The complaints were written by Michael Maistelman, a Milwaukee attorney for Pogreba, a Madison voter. Maistelman has been publicly supportive of David Crowley’s campaign.

The complaint states The Long Run PAC sponsored a statewide poll for Barnes in October 2025, but the PAC did not register as a Wisconsin political committee over two months later — a violation of state law. 

The poll was conducted Oct. 2 to Oct. 8, 2025. The PAC paid Impact Research $62,000 on Oct. 14 for “polling consulting,” according to Federal Election Commission reports. 

Barnes announced his candidacy for governor on Dec. 2, 2025. The PAC did not register with the state until Dec. 22, 2025, according to state campaign finance records. 

State law says every PAC that makes or accepts contributions, makes disbursements, or incurs obligations in excess of $2,500 must register with the state no later than the 10th business day commencing after receipt of the first contribution, and before making any disbursements, and before incurring obligations. 

On Dec. 29, the PAC contributed $50,000 to Barnes’ campaign, bringing the total support provided by the PAC to the campaign up to $112,000 — another violation of state law. 

Maistelman argues the polling expense contribution was contributed in-kind. “This was not an in-kind contribution,” a Barnes spokesman said.

State law says a PAC may contribute to a candidate committee no more than $86,000 for candidates for governor. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published a story on July 27 focused on what exactly the PAC spent money on as opposed to the violations of state law. A campaign spokesperson told the outlet that PACs are allowed to conduct “testing the waters” research and that they are “completely confident the campaign is acting within campaign finance law.”

However, “testing the waters” is a federal doctrine and has nothing to do with state requirements, although it has been tested at the state level, like in 2017 during Andy Gronik’s campaign for governor.

Barnes’ campaign said in a statement: “The campaign did not violate any Wisconsin campaign finance law. Similar complaints have been brought before the Wisconsin Elections Commission and have been routinely rejected.”