Wisc. Lt. Gov. Kleefisch: 'Fragile' Walker rival 'got a sugar daddy' for recall election

Wisconsin Lieutenant Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch accused the Democratic candidate who is hoping to beat Gov. Scott Walker in the upcoming recall election of having to get a "sugar daddy" to run for office.

"Kathleen Falk has spent pretty much her entire adult life in politics, so you would think she might rely on her own record or values or grassroots support to propel her in her desperate race for progressive recall glory," she said on her campaign website. "But instead of pulling out the greatest hits of her own resume, or digging into a reserve of grit and resilience, instead of building a campaign around her own ideas, Kathleen got a sugar daddy."

She claimed Falk, the first female County Executive of Dane County, exchanged her political platform for union money and endorsements. Falk has said she would veto the next state budget if it did not restore public unions' collective bargaining rights.

"It is scandalous, and it reeks of the dependent, fragile woman leaning on a big, strong arm because she doesn’t believe she can do it on her own," Kleefisch stated. "Kathleen Falk is setting women back 50 years."

Democratic Party of Wisconsin's "Women Against Walker" group said accusing Falk of having a "sugar daddy" was "deplorable."

"This vulgar term has been used to demean women for years and, considering that Kleefisch has expressed outrage over language used against her, we find it especially ironic that she cannot see fit to use the same standard she applies to others," the group said in a statement.

A Wisconsin judge has approved dates for an election to recall Walker, Kleefisch and five Republican state senators. Under the agreement proposed by the Government Accountability Board and approved by Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess, the recall vote would be held on May 8. If primaries are necessary then those would be held on May 8 and the general election would be held on June 5.

With prior reporting by David Edwards