U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson aide asked felon convicted of fraud for an opinion on Democrats' campaigning

MADISON - During the final weeks of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's reelection campaign, a top aide sought an opinion on Democrats' campaign activities from a felon convicted of fraud who once claimed without evidence that a "sect" of Milwaukee officials illegally printed ballots for Joe Biden in 2020.

Records released under Wisconsin's public records law show Johnson's deputy chief of staff emailed Peter Bernegger in October 2022, asking whether a get-out-the-vote operation aimed at Black residents was legal.

The program in question was described as including a "'Protect our vote' black SUV with a picture of Congressional Black Caucus leader John Lewis on its side." The driver said "these vans are all over the city, they had a caravan on Sunday and they're trying to 'get everyone to register to vote,'" according to an email from Julie Leschke in Johnson's office to Bernegger. Leschke asked Bernegger if he was aware of the effort and whether it was legal.

The email was shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by liberal watchdog group American Oversight, which received it as part of a response to a request to state Rep. Janel Brandtjen for records under the public records law. The email was forwarded by Bernegger to Brandtjen.

Corinne Day, a spokeswoman for Johnson, said Bernegger "has never advised the senator on election matters."

"Senator Johnson has fought for transparency in election integrity like Mr. Bernegger," Day said.

Bernegger didn't answer whether he has provided guidance to Johnson before or after the email.

Republicans gave Peter Bernegger opportunity to testify before Wisconsin's Assembly elections committee

Bernegger got support from some Wisconsin Republicans in the aftermath of the 2020 election as he launched an investigation into voting practices while former President Donald Trump promoted false claims of widespread voter fraud.

Brandtjen invited Bernegger to testify before the Assembly's elections committee while she led the panel, before she was removed by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in 2022 after she supported Vos' primary opponent.

Democratic Sen. Mark Spreitzer, who was a member of the Assembly committee at the time and sparred with Bernegger over his claims, said the email showed Johnson was seeking legal advice from someone known for bending the truth about elections.

"Republicans are so worried about efforts to register people to vote that, instead of asking this question to an attorney or a nonpartisan clerk or the nonpartisan Elections Commission staff, his legislative office contacted a convicted fraudster who is best known for spreading conspiracy theories and lies about elections," Spreitzer said.

Wisconsin Elections Commission fines Bernegger over $2,000 for frivolous complaints

At one point, the Wisconsin Elections Commission fined Bernegger more than $2,000 for filing frivolous complaints. Bernegger, who was convicted of bank fraud and mail fraud in 2009, spent two hours in February 2022 presenting his voting claims to an Assembly committee.

Around the time Bernegger made his public accusations, he also asked the Elections Commission to privately consider a raft of allegations of voting improprieties.

In a series of unanimous votes, the commission determined Bernegger had made thousands of frivolous claims, according to documents released under the state's open records law.

A majority on the commission ordered Bernegger to pay $2,403 — $1 for each claim that it considered meritless, the records show.

Bernegger's claims and the 'election denial movement' are all about 'undermining democracy'

Claire Woodall-Vogg, the executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission and a target of some of Bernegger's complaints, said Bernegger’s claims about city election officials were absurd. In a public records lawsuit Bernegger filed in December 2021, he claimed Woodall-Vogg was part of the so-called sect that he alleged "planned, conspired and implemented a massive election fraud" by using fake names and fake addresses to cast ballots.

Heather Sawyer, American Oversight's executive director, said "the election denial movement has never been about protecting the people’s right to vote — it’s about undermining democracy for partisan gain."

"We saw this with the Wisconsin Assembly’s sham election inquiry, and we continue to see it as we uncover more evidence of the influence wielded by election deniers and conspiracy theorists," she said.

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson aide asked felon for opinion on Democrats' campaigning