Rep. Bob Donovan’s Campaign Finance Coverup Raises the Question: Where’d the Money Go?

MADISON, Wis. — Rep. Bob Donovan’s attempt to cover up his use of campaign funds to help pay his personal housing costs is raising the question, where’d the money go? A recent media report uncovered Donovan has paid himself nearly $6,000 from his campaign to offset his housing costs. While he was dodging attempts to get an explanation about the payments, Donovan hastily amended his campaign finance report and deleted the expenditures. However, the cash balance Donovan is reporting in his account has remained the same.

A Better Wisconsin Together Deputy Director Mike Browne commented, “Based on the amended campaign finance report Rep. Donovan filed, it looks like he’s trying to cover up the payments to himself and still keep the money.”

Under state law, state officeholders and candidates for office are required to regularly file reports detailing who is contributing to their campaigns and how they are spending the money. The law also prohibits politicians from using their campaign funds to pay for personal expenses.

A copy of the campaign finance report Donovan first filed in July, including the payments to himself, shows a cash balance of just over $26,000 and can be seen here: https://cfis.wi.gov/reportsoutputfiles/0101520julycontinuing20253188578202594318amcf-2report.pdf

The revised report in which he is erases the payments to himself but still reports the same amount of cash on hand can be seen here: https://cfis.wi.gov/reportsoutputfiles/0101520julycontinuing20250d44e7232025114940amcf-2report.pdf

Browne concluded, “There are a lot of questions Rep. Donovan needs to answer, but the first one is, where’d the money go?”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.