Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Press Release

“Outsider” Opportunist Kevin Nicholson Self-Promoted for Insider Job

New report details Nicholson's "arm twisting of insiders" to secure a Gov. Walker appointment

By - Jun 1st, 2018 01:04 pm
Kevin Nicholson. Photo from Nicholson for Senate.

Kevin Nicholson. Photo from Nicholson for Senate.

MADISON — In case you missed it, opportunistic U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson’s personal narrative is continuing to fall apart.

New reporting reveals that the self-styled “outsider” in fact spent years lobbying for an appointment from Gov. Scott Walker’s administration

Though Nicholson claims to be an “outsider,” records expose Nicholson’s self-promotional campaign for a position within the Walker administration — including Nicholson’s attempts to cozy up to Walker administration insiders, as he sought political appointments for himself and his wife.

From the Associated Press

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson is running as an outsider looking to shake up the GOP establishment.

But records obtained by The Associated Press show that he successfully lobbied top officials in Gov. Scott Walker’s administration to land a coveted appointment to the influential state Department of Veterans Affairs Board.

Nicholson rarely talks about his four years on the board on the campaign trail and does not mention the Walker appointment on his campaign website biography.

Nicholson has emphasized his military background in his campaign, but not his time working for Walker’s administration. Instead, he repeatedly says he’s not a politician and won’t play by the rules of the establishment.

Records show he did a lot of arm twisting of insiders to win Walker’s appointment five years ago.

In 2012, Nicholson submitted his resume and that of his wife, Jessie, for consideration by Walker to veteran-related boards or other relevant appointments. He met with members of Walker’s staff, including the head of gubernatorial appointments and then-Veterans Department Secretary John Scocos.

He repeatedly expressed interest in serving on the state veterans board, telling Scocos to “please keep me posted, and let me know if there’s anyone else I should contact in the vets community going forward.”

In May 2013, Walker appointed Nicholson to the board and his wife to the Women’s Council Board, where she remains a member. Nicholson’s four-year term on the board ended last year, just as he ramped up his Senate run.

Read more here from the Associated Press.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us