Democratic, Republican candidates face scrutiny before primary in state treasurer race

Republican state treasurer candidate Jill Millies did not vote in April to keep the office she seeks to run despite saying otherwise in a recent interview, records show.

In fact, Millies didn't vote at all in the April 3 election.

The discovery comes as Millies' GOP opponent, Travis Hartwig, called on Millies to drop out of the race ahead of Tuesday's primary, saying she displayed "extreme liberal values" in a recent survey when discussing abortion and gun control. 

Millies in July told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin that she voted to keep the state treasurer's office because it can prevent wasteful spending and corruption. But records show Millies did not sign in to vote in the April 3 election in the Town of Vernon where she lives. Town of Vernon Clerk Karen Schuh said Millies did not vote in the election.

Schuh said it is impossible for someone to vote without signing in. Even if someone voted with an absentee ballot, that would be recorded on the sign-in sheet and the person would still be assigned a voter number, she said.

When asked about the inconsistency, Millies insisted she voted on that day at her polling station in the Town of Vernon.

In the survey for iVoterGuide, Millies expressed her support for more gun control and government funding for abortion providers. She indicated in the survey that abortion should be allowed in cases of rape, if the woman is not mentally stable or if there are health issues involved.

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Millies told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin that she is not against guns, but supports conducting more background checks on those want to purchase a firearm. 

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She said her views on those issues have nothing to do with the duties of the treasurer’s office.

Millies drew controversy when she posted a message on Facebook Wednesday saying she hoped Hartwig's fiancée is forced to keep a baby if she is raped. She removed the post and apologized, saying she posted it in frustration and in an attempt to draw distinctions on their views on abortion. 

Millies was classified by iVoterGuide as "liberal." Hartwig was classified as "somewhat conservative" based on his answers.

Hartwig indicated in the survey that he opposes abortion under any circumstance and thinks that government funding should not go toward abortion providers.

He selected "strongly disagree" when asked if more restrictive gun control is necessary for public safety.

Hartwig, however, chose not to answer several questions, including what the government's role in defining marriage is and if it's the government's responsibility to make sure everyone has a livable income and health insurance.

Hartwig said he tried to avoid answering questions that were too far outside the role of the treasurer's office. In answering questions on abortion and gun control, he said he was trying to demonstrate he shared the same beliefs as conservative voters.

On the Democratic side, treasurer candidate Cynthia Kaump is accused of owing $2,800 to accounting firm Sorge CPA and Business Advisors for work on her 2012 and 2013 taxes, which the company said she never paid.

Kaump originally filed a claim of almost $5,400 against the firm In January because she says the company mishandled her taxes, leading to lost refund money. The firm countersued for $2,800 two months later. 

The firm won its countersuit on June 21 after neither Kaump nor her attorney showed up for a court hearing. Kaump says her attorney didn't notify her of the hearing. Her lawyer, Crystal Banse, has since resigned. 

"We expect not only that our client will prevail in the underlying litigation but that she will not be found in contempt and we fully expect this matter to be completely resolved in her favor," said Terrence Polich, Kaump's new attorney.

At a hearing Friday, Kaump was ordered to provide the firm with her financial disclosures, which also was not done within 15 days of the June 21 judgment. Litigation over the original claim will continue. 

Kaump faces former Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass and businesswoman Sarah Godlewski in Tuesday's Democratic primary. 

The winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will go up against each other in the Nov. 6 general election.