Despite having been dead for about two decades, the signature of Bob Pocan, father of state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, showed up on the petition to recall state Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Kenosha, and the Wirch campaign is claiming the signature was planted.
Chairman of the Recall Wirch campaign Dan Hunt confirmed the signature was forged and registered at Pocan's former address, but that it in ""no way shape or form that it was forged by anyone having to do with recall efforts.""
Hunt said the signature was logged at a drive-through station for the recall effort and the name was knowingly planted.
However, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate pinned the forgery on GOP activists, and called it ""a new low for Wisconsin.""
""It is voter fraud at its most abhorrent and it must be investigated and explained,"" Tate said in a statement.
Hunt also agreed it was voter fraud, but insisted there was ""no question"" his campaign had nothing to do with it.
The Recall Wirch campaign collected over 18,000 signatures, several thousand more than the required number. Wirch is one of nine state senators facing recall elections this summer.
