If the Government Accountability Board approves the recall petitions on Friday, Hansen will face a field of Republicans interested in his 30th Senate District seat. This includes David VanderLeest, a wind farm developer who led the recall effort against Hansen. VanderLeest's record speaks for itself. It includes bankruptcy, a home foreclosure, an unpaid judgment, building code violations and a misdemeanor conviction. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
Specifically, he was convicted of disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor, in 2007. He said the conviction was part of a plea deal in a domestic dispute.
That same year, a bank foreclosed his Green Bay house, which was sold at a sheriff's sale.
Another bank, Associated Bank, won a court judgment for nearly $30,000 against VanderLeest and his company, VanderLeest Enterprises. That sum has never been paid, VanderLeest acknowledged.
In addition, VanderLeest and his then-wife filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2006, meaning he did not have to repay most of his creditors. The bankruptcy filings show that they reported $118,341 in assets and $291,674 in liabilities, including unpaid credit card debts, health care bills and loans.
VanderLeest said he expects to be targeted by top officials in Green Bay. The city has taken him to court over building code violations at properties he owns, leading to more than $1,300 in fines for VanderLeest. His buildings were deemed nuisance properties.
Vanderleest, former second vice chairman of the Brown County Republican Party, said he expected his past problems to become an issue. He vowed to post all of the records related to his troubles on his campaign website, which is not yet online.Yesterday the GAB cleared the way for a July 12 recall election for three GOP Sens. Dan Hanky-Kapanke, randy Randy Hopper and Lex Luther Olsen.
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