Bice: Ironworker Randy Bryce being paid undisclosed amount by Democratic firm

If people know anything about Randy Bryce, it's that the Democratic congressional candidate is an ironworker. And that he has a mustache.

His blue-collar roots have defined his candidacy, starting with his launch video.

But few know that Bryce, who is hoping to replace House Speaker Paul Ryan in his southeastern Wisconsin district, is also doing consulting work for a Milwaukee firm headed by the former head of the state Democratic Party. 

In his latest personal financial disclosure form, Bryce reports earning more than $5,000 from Wavecrest Consulting and Analytics since the start of 2017.

Wavecrest is owned and operated by former Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate. The firm works with political campaigns, private corporations and nonprofits. 

Chris Martin, spokesman for the Republican National Campaign Committee, said the disclosure undercuts Bryce's carefully crafted, working-class image. 

"He’s being paid by a liberal political consulting firm to run for office," Martin said. "So much for that working class façade he’s been trying to sell voters for the past year."

But Julia Savel, communications director for Bryce, said there's nothing inconsistent about his day job and his consulting gig. 

She noted that he has been an ironworker for two decades and has become a leader on labor issues in the state. Bryce was a vocal critic of Act 10, Gov. Scott Walker's signature piece of legislation dismantling collective bargaining rights for most public employees.

Savel said Bryce advised Wavecrest on matters related to the local and national labor and liberal communities.

"Randy is not someone who can coast on his millions while running a campaign," Savel said. "He has a son to support and his professional relationship with the firm is one he is passionate about.”

What's not clear from the records is how much Bryce was paid by Wavecrest. 

Bryce discloses that he made a little less than $19,000 from three metal fabricators between Jan. 1, 2017, and April 15. He also reports receiving at least $5,000 from Tate's firm. 

Savel said Bryce doesn't have to provide that figure to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Unfortunately, we will not be disclosing that," Savel said. 

Dennis Hughes, the campaign manager for Bryce's Democratic opponent, teacher and Janesville School Board member Cathy Myers, said Bryce can't keep this information secret. 

Hughes accused Bryce, the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, of "willfully violating House ethics rules" by not saying how much he was paid by Wavecrest and failing to disclose "big money clients his firm is beholden to."

"House ethics rules were established to set a minimum standard for transparency, so voters deserve to know what Randy Bryce is trying to hide," Hughes said. 

Bryce's campaign said this week that he raised $1.2 million in the last three months, pushing his total past $6 million since he announced his candidacy in June 2017. Myers last reported in April that she had pulled in more than $750,000. 

Bryce and Myers are scheduled to debate in Kenosha on Wednesday night. 

The winner of next month's Democratic primary will face the Republican primary winner in November. The candidates in the GOP primary include Bryan Steil, who has been endorsed by Ryan, businessman and former Green Beret Nick Polce, white nationalist candidate Paul Nehlen and former Capitol protester Jeremy Ryan.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.