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The lawsuit argues that Bangstad uses donations to the PAC to subsidize the business rather than the other way around.

In part, the lawsuit relies on publicly available data on expenditures by the Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC submitted to the FEC.

The lawsuit alleges that two entities that received payments from the super PAC of more than $300,000 in the last two years are fronts for Bangstad’s personal expenses.

Effervescent Blue and NCPS received payments of $333,890 in 2023 and 2024. The entities are not registered businesses in Wisconsin and they do not have any storefront nor online footprint. According to federal data, Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC is the only political group to pay either during the two-year period.

“Bangstad pays himself ‘consulting fees’ with MBC Super PAC funds,” the lawsuit claims. “However, in an attempt to hide how much he is paying himself for alleged ‘consulting’ work, Bangstad makes the payments to Effervescent Blue and NCPS.”

Bangstad did not respond to a request for comment. In an interview this month, he called questions about Effervescent Blue and NCPS “out of bounds” and accused WPR of being part of a Republican effort “to hurt my super PAC and hurt my activism.”

The lawsuit also looks at FEC disclosure forms dating back to 2021. It finds that Bangstad has increased payments from the super PAC to the two entities from a total of $56,335.74 in 2021 to a total of $202,826 in 2024. Total payments to the two entities since 2021, according to the lawsuit, are $460,549.74

The lawsuit also alleges other misuses of donors’ funds, including to pay for personal legal expenses and bankruptcy counseling. A 2024 payment disclosed to the FEC showed a $10,000 payment to a Madison-based bankruptcy attorney that “has never established an attorney-client relationship with the MBC Super PAC.”

Bangstad refused to answer super PAC questions in earlier lawsuit