Creativity, Vision, Leadership, Commitment, Winning Kyle Maichle’s Portfolio

Wisconsin Election Watch (Election Watch LLC)

Since May 2013, I have been honored to be the Editor and Project Manager for Wisconsin Election Watch which is a start-up political news website that produced non-partisan reporting and research content. During my tenure, I supervised a team of four individuals including interns and an advertising salesperson. My key responsibilities included ensuring proper day-to-day operation, pitching stories to the mainstream media, approving the work of subordinates under my supervision, creating e-mail marketing blasts, writing press releases, and hiring interns and staff. Some of my key accomplishments as Editor include:

1.1 million page views

Earned Media from local, state, and national mainstream media.

Produced over 4,500 pages of content.

Credentialed press by the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly Sergeant at Arms. In the next pages of the portfolio, you will see examples of an e-mail marketing blast, along with a press release, and articles I written and edited. Some of the key skills I have learned at Wisconsin Election Watch were:

E-Mail Marketing

WordPress

Mobile Website Development

Advanced Copywriting

Advanced Microsoft Office

Advertising Sales

Writing Sample 1-Example of an enterprise story I wrote

NOTE: Writing Sample 1-Can be accessed at: http://wisconsinelectionwatch.com/17213/governor-walker-tripled-outstanding-debts-2011/

Governor Walker tripled his outstanding debts in 2011

By Kyle Maichle, Editor of Wisconsin Election Watch,

MADISON – Governor Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin) tripled his outstanding personal debts in 2011, but has seen a decline since 2012. Wisconsin Election Watch has investigated the Statements of Economic of Interests of Wisconsin’s elected officials on file with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. The analysis of Governor Walker’s economic interest statements includes all data on file from when he ran for Governor in 2010 up to 2013.

Walker Had Nominal Debt in 2010

While running for Governor in 2010, Walker held at least $5,000 to $50,000 of investments. The only investment he held was a mutual fund from T. Rowe Price. His debts were at least $55,000 to $100,000 according to his 2010 economic interest statement. There were only two creditors disclosed on the Governor’s economic interest that year but the reason for the debts owed were not disclosed.

The Legal Bills Pile Up in 2011

One year later, the Governor reported debts at least $170,000 to $350,000 and did not disclose the T Rowe Price Mutual Fund listed on his 2010 economic interest statement. Legal bills to two law firms that include Terschan, Schile, and Nass in Milwaukee along with Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago was the reason his debts nearly tripled. The legal bils alone were at least $55,000 to $100,000. Four other creditors were disclosed in 2011 including two credit cards. Additionally, the Governor disclosed expense reimbursements of $704.68 from NBC News, $687.90 from the Goldwater Institute, and $1,177.66 from the Young America’s Foundation for the 2011 calendar year.

Governor Scott Walker’s Assets and Debts-2010-2013

Year Assets Debts

2010 $5,000-$50,000 $55,000-$100,000

2011 $0 $175,000-$350,000

2012 $5,000-$50,000 $160,000-$250,000

2013 $20,000-$200,000 $115,000-$250,000

DISCLAIMER-The numbers are disclosed in the statement of economic interest is a range and not as the exact amount.

Source: Wisconsin Government Accountability Board

(Continued on the next page)

Walker Paid Off Some Legal Bills in 2012

Walker paid off his outstanding legal fees from Terschan, Schile, and Nass in Milwaukee, but reported debts at least $160,000 to $250,000 on his 2012 economic interest statement. Some of those debts included credit cards that the Governor held. Governor Walker did disclose holdings in a T-Rowe Price Mutual Fund he held in 2012, but did not disclose in 2011. The T-Rowe Price Fund was the only investment he held during 2012.

2013-Legal Bills Paid in Full, More Investments Held

Governor Walker paid off all outstanding legal fees from Sidley Austin while increasing his investment holdings in 2013. The Governor obtained three additional investments in the 2013 calendar year in addition to the T-Rowe Price Mutual Fund he currently held. Those included two investments in the Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program and a Washington Mutual R6 Fund. The Governor disclosed investments at least $20,000 to $200,000 while his debts dropped to at least $115,000 to $250,000. Two credit cards were reported by Governor Walker as outstanding debts for the 2013 calendar year.

Wisconsin’s Methodology on Financial Disclosure

All the numbers disclosed in the statements of economic interests are reported as a range and not the exact dollar amount. The Statement of Economic Interest does not display the value of the home owned by the Governor and his wife First Lady Tonette Walker located in Wauwatosa nor any outstanding mortgages. Wisconsin Election Watch talked to three accounting firms in the Madison Area to get a net worth valuation of the Governor, but declined our requests citing that the statement of economic interest alone does not provide sufficient information to determine an elected officials net worth.

Writing Sample 2-Example of post I edited

NOTE: Writing Sample 2-Can be accessed at: http://wisconsinelectionwatch.com/17153/59th-assembly-district-candidate-bill-

savage-history-financial-problems/

59th Assembly District candidate Bill Savage has a history of financial problems

By Ryan Wittmann, Staff Contributor for Wisconsin Election Watch,

HARTFORD – Bill Savage (R-Hartford, 59th District), who is currently seeking the Republican nomination for the 59th Assembly District seat, has a record of not paying his bills on time and being taken to court because of it.

In a race to replace retiring Joint Finance Committee member Dan LeMahieu, who was one of the architects of the 2011 Wisconsin State budget that eliminated a $3.6 billion dollar deficit, Savage has defaulted on his personal credit cards three separate times. Those include $525.22 at the West Allis Savings Bank in 1998, $574.40 at the First Service Credit Union in 1997, and $2,165.34 for a Best Buy credit card in 2001 according to records obtained from the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Wild Bill’s Tavern, which is owned by Savage, was sued in Middlesex County, Massachusetts District Court in 1999 by LeaseComm for $1,987.78. Wisconsin Election Watch contacted the Waltham District Court located in Middlesex County to obtain the records, but a court clerk said that the records were not on file and directed us to LeaseComm. LeaseComm could not release documents pertaining to this case without the consent of Bill Savage.

In September of 1995, Savage was evicted from his apartment in Milwaukee for failing to pay $805 and any additional costs related to the apartment. He has also been sued on two separate occasions for failing to pay dentist bills both to Falls Dental Associates SC in the Washington County Circuit Court. One of the cases involving Falls Dental Associates remains open.

Wisconsin Election Watch reached out to Bill Savage, and all the other candidates in the 59th Assembly District, including Ralph Prescott (R-Brothertown), Jesse Kremer (R-Kewaskum) and Tim Ramthun (R-Kewaskum). Savage did not respond to our phone call, Prescott had no comment, and Ramthun did not respond to our request. Jesse Kremer did talk to Wisconsin Election Watch.

“I have learned integrity and honesty from my Christian family upbringing and my military service,” Kremer told Wisconsin Election Watch. “These values have influenced my life as a full time employee and as a small business owner. I always strive to provide the best service for customers and have never had a dissatisfied client.”

Kremer owns two rental properties and told a story about a tenant and keeping him in their property. “He was behind a few years on his rent but we wanted to work with him to keep him living there. Everyone falls on hard times and I can empathize with that.”

Kremer did not want to comment directly about his opponent, but instead offered this, “If you take a look at us (the candidates) we are similar on the issues, but we have very different personalities and backgrounds. The voters of the 59th district will do their research and determine who will best look out for their interests going forward.”

Writing Sample 3-Press Release

NOTE: Writing Sample 3-Can be accessed at: http://thewheelerreport.com/wheeler_docs/files/0205wew.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 5, 2014 Contact: Kyle Maichle, 608.620.3392 kyle.maichle@wisconsinelectionwatch.com

Wisconsin Election Watch Launches Per Diem Database

MADISON – Wisconsin Election Watch has launched a database tracking the per diem payments

received by elected officials in the State Assembly and Senate. The database will be open and available

to Wisconsin citizens, giving them the ability to view how much per diem their legislators are reporting.

Editor Kyle Maichle, along with staff contributors Nile Porter and Ryan Wittmann, began compiling the

information back in November. The per diem figures are based on records obtained from the Wisconsin

Assembly and Senate Chief Clerk’s offices for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013.

“Wisconsinites will now be able to know how much their elected officials receive in per diem payments,”

said Kyle Maichle, Editor of Wisconsin Election Watch. “Readers now have another way to hold their

representatives accountable for the taxpayer dollars they spend, in this case on items like travel

expenses.”

The Wisconsin Election Watch database can be found at the following links:

http://wisconsinelectionwatch.com/14172/wisconsin-assembly-per-diem-figures-released/ and

http://wisconsinelectionwatch.com/14176/wisconsin-senate-per-diem-figures-released-2011-2013/. We

would like to thank the Assembly and Senate Chief Clerk’s offices for their cooperation in providing us

with per diem data.

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Kohl’s Corporate

In 2012, I was brought on as a temporary employee of Kohl’s Corporate as I worked on improving their social media strategy. This picture shows a strategy paper in which I recommended how Kohl’s should construct apps on Facebook. This was in response to a large-scale scamming incident that happened with Walmart.

Skills I have learned with Kohl’s include:

B2C-Business to Consumer Marketing. Creation of themed campaigns (i.e. Hashtags). Cross-Pollination of Social Networks. Mac OS Social Media Integration Advanced Microsoft Office Set-up and Deployment of Social Media Accounts.

Franklin Center

In 2011, I became a contract researcher and videographer for the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. My work was geared towards assisting its Wisconsin affiliate known as Wisconsin Reporter. The picture above shows an original reporting article created by Wisconsin Reporter’s Kevin Binversie based off of my research. I conducted research for their team of journalists, created online video content, along with being a correspondent during protests and other events.

Skills that I have learned are:

Investigative Reporting and Research Video Production Video Editing File Transfer Protocol Use of state and federal open records laws to obtain documents for stories iMovie (Mac) LexisNexis

Lucy Burns Institute For two years, I was the full-time Technical Researcher and Writer for the Lucy Burns Institute based in Madison. Lucy Burns Institute is a non-profit organization.

The picture above describes a sample of a news article I have wrote for Ballot News which is an accompanying news site to Ballotpedia. I wrote articles relating to state governments across the nation on a variety of issues. In most cases, these are stories that were not reported by traditional media. Also, I created long-form research articles for Ballotpedia on varying topics such as school bond and tax laws along with campaign finance regulations.

Skills that I have learned are:

Copywriting Integration with Social Networks to promote articles. Interviewing Individuals and Organizations Google Analytics News Gathering WordPress

Sam Adams Alliance

My first job out of college was working for the Chicago-based Sam Adams Alliance. When I was at the Sam Adams Alliance, I was the full-time resident writer for their wiki-portal called Judgepedia. This example above is a long-form research article on Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick. The content I wrote was centered towards individual federal judges and issues surrounding the federal judiciary. During my tenure at Sam Adams, I also received training in how to use social media before it was popular and went to conferences across the nation to market the organization’s programs. Some the skills I learned were:

Short and long form writing

Wiki formatting

Microsoft Office

Google Drive and Analytics

Search Engine Optimization

Social Media Strategy