| schema:text
| - Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
Why Herb Kohl nephew Dan Kohl, opponent of Glenn Grothman, straddles line on being a 'politician'
When Randy Bryce -- who is running for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Paul Ryan — declared he is not a politician, our rating was Mostly False.
"IronStache," as he is known, is making his fourth run for public office in six years — arguably, enough to make him a perennial candidate. And he’s taken leave from his job as an ironworker, collecting more than $6 million in campaign contributions along the way.
But what about another Democrat running for the House — wealthy Dan Kohl, the nephew of multimillionaire and former 24-year U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl? He is seeking the east-central Wisconsin seat held by Republican Glenn Grothman.
In not one, not two, but three TV ads released Sept. 4, 2018, Dan Kohl declares: "I'm not a politician."
The National Republican Congressional Committee actually said in ripping one of the ads that Kohl is correct in saying he’s not a politician. But the group, which works to elect Republicans to the House, also cited to us evidence that he is a politician.
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
So, let’s take a look.
Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter: @PolitiFactWisc.
No clear definition
As we noted in our Bryce fact check, dictionaries aren’t much help, given how widely the definitions of politician vary:
Experienced in the art or science of government; especially one actively engaged in conducting the business of a government.
Active in party politics.
Engages in a career either in government or in a political party on a full-time, usually professional basis.
Campaigns for or holds a position in government.
But the more, and more deeply, involved you become in politics, the closer you are to being a politician.
Kohl’s resume
Kohl has never held office, and has run only once before. So, that differentiates him from Bryce.
But Kohl has been involved in politics, in a more behind-the-scenes way.
Here’s more detail on Kohl’s professional life after he earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1992, based on information from his campaign website; the business networking site LinkedIn; Vote Smart, a website that backgrounds candidates and elected officials; and news accounts:
1992-2006
Featured Fact-check
Works for the Milwaukee Bucks, a National Basketball Association franchise then owned by Herb Kohl. Dan worked in a variety of positions, ultimately serving as assistant general manager.
2008
Defeated in the Democratic primary in a run for a suburban Milwaukee seat in the Wisconsin Assembly. At the time, he was director of new schools development in Wisconsin for the Washington, D.C.-based SEED Foundation, which develops boarding schools for at-risk students.
2009-2012
Vice president of political affairs and political director of J Street, a liberal pro-Israel advocacy group. According to Kohl’s campaign website, he "oversaw the development of the nation’s largest pro-Israel political action committee." J Street described Kohl as a veteran political activist and fundraiser "with close ties to the senior leadership of the Democratic party." He served as a "bundler" of contributions for the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
2013-2017
Senior adviser and lobbyist at BakerHostetler, a large law and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
2017
Settles in Mequon, an upscale suburb of Milwaukee, in May, announces his campaign for Grothman’s seat in June.
Our rating
Kohl says: "I'm not a politician."
In a strict sense, he’s not, given that he’s never held public office and this is only his second run in the past 10 years.
But Kohl also spent a total of eight years as a Washington, D.C., lobbyist and senior member of a Washington-based advocacy group, in addition to being a major fundraiser for presidential candidates.
We rate his statement Half True.
Read About Our Process
Our Sources
YouTube, Dan Kohl "This Money" TV ad, Sept. 4, 2018
YouTube, Dan Kohl "This Vote" TV ad, Sept. 4, 2018
YouTube, Dan Kohl "This Limit" TV ad, Sept. 4, 2018
Email, Dan Kohl campaign spokeswoman Micki Duncan, Sept. 5, 2018
Email, Glenn Grothman campaign spokesman Tim Svoboda, Sept. 6, 2018
National Republican Congressional Committee, news release, Sept. 4, 2018
Email, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Chris Martin, Sept. 5, 2018
J Street, news release, Nov. 28, 2016
PolitiFact Wisconsin, "He's on his 4th run for office in 6 years, but 'IronStache' Randy Bryce says he's not a politician," May 16, 2018
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Glenn Grothman, Dan Kohl headed for 2018 Wisconsin congressional showdown," Nov. 24, 2017
Dan Kohl campaign website, "About Dan," accessed Sept. 4, 2018
OnMilwaukee.com, "Dan Kohl steps down as Bucks' assistant GM," May 9, 2006
VoteSmart.org, Dan Kohl biography, accessed Sept. 4, 2018
LinkedIn, Dan Kohl biography, accessed Sept. 4, 2018
Politico, "House Republican goes after J Street in an effort to lure Jewish donors," Feb. 8, 2018
Ballotpedia, Dan Kohl biography, accessed Sept. 4, 2018
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "7 area Assembly incumbents hold off challengers in primary," Sept. 10, 2008
Milwaukee Magazine, "This Year, Could Even Republican Glenn Grothman Lose?" Aug. 3, 2018
Shepherd Express, "Dan Kohl, State Assembly District 22 Candidate," Aug. 13, 2008
Forward, "J Street founder with famous name launches bid for Wisconsin Congress seat," June 8, 2017
Center for Responsive Politics, "Hillary Clinton's Bundlers," accessed Sept. 6, 2018
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Tom Kertscher
Why Herb Kohl nephew Dan Kohl, opponent of Glenn Grothman, straddles line on being a 'politician'
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)