Republican Tim Michels announced he has taken a leave from his job with his family’s road building and infrastructure company as he runs for guv.
Michels, who formally entered the race on Monday, also pledged to divest from the company if he wins the guv’s office this fall.
Michels Corp. has more than $622 million in work over 22 contracts with the state in this fiscal year alone, according to a search of Open Book Wisconsin. The work runs from a contract for $43,990 with the Department of Natural Resources for maintenance and repairs to $260.9 million in contract work with the Department of Transportation.
Michels tweeted Thursday he stepped away from the Michels Corp. to “focus on running an aggressive, successful, statewide campaign.”
State Dem Chair Ben Wikler noted Michels said in a radio interview he hoped the company would keep bidding for projects even if he’s elected.
“Tweeting that he would personally divest from the company where his brother is the CEO is a laughable attempt to distract from the central fact that Tim Michels, as a candidate for governor, is a walking, talking conflict of interest,” Wikler said.
See the Twitter thread here.
