Mark Green (R) has decided to fight a recent state Elections Board ruling against him not only legally, but politically as well. A new fundraising letter signed in the name of his campaign manager says the following:

Are you as mad as I am at this illegal act by Jim Doyle? Want to help Mark get even?

I hope you’ll help us raise $450,000 for Mark in the next 72 hours using our secure Web site.

I know that is a lot of money, but if everyone who receives this e-mail can find a way to send us $50, we will be able to counter this illegal act by Jim Doyle and his allies on the board. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.

More after the fold.

The Green campaign's main legal defense is that the rule they are being charged with violating — which could result in a penalty of over $450,000 if sustain — was not created by the Elections Board until after Green had already transfered his federal campaign funds into his state campaign account. Moreover, their contention is that the board majority — consisting of four Democrats and one Libertarian — ruled against him as an act of partisan persecution at the direction of Dem Gov. Jim Doyle.

The letter forcefully states, "Jim Doyle now controls the state Elections Board and his cronies voted on party lines to retroactively apply a rule they invented to try and steal money Mark had legally raised and converted to a state account."

The Green campaign's damage-control strategy is very clear: turn the fact that sanctions are being brought against him right back at Doyle, and in turn motivate his own base.