Career
Litigation
After completing his second term as state Democratic chairman,Flynn returned to Quarles &Brady,retiring in 2017 as a partner. During his career,Flynn represented clients including the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee,Milwaukee-based corporation Johnson Controls,local TV station WISN-TV,and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in civil litigation concerning the Catholic Church sex abuse crisis. In his personal capacity,Flynn has supported expanding reporting requirements surrounding sex abuse and increasing the civil liability of clergy members accused of abuse. [9] [10]
Senate and congressional elections
In 1986,Flynn contested the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat held by Republican Bob Kasten,placing second to former deputy attorney general Ed Garvey in the primary. In 1988 and 2004,he placed second in Democratic primaries for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district and 4th congressional district.
During the administration of Governor Jim Doyle,Flynn served one term as chair of the governor's Judicial Selection Commission from 2004 to 2006.
Activism and writing (2004–present)
Flynn co-chaired John Kerry's unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign in Wisconsin and served on Hillary Clinton's finance committee during her unsuccessful Wisconsin 2008 presidential primary campaign against Barack Obama.
Flynn has written two fiction novels since retirement,publishing a political satire called Pryme Knumber in 2012 and a followup work,Bernie Weber and the Riemann Hypothesis,in 2017.
Flynn has written a progressive political blog and was a regular pundit on the now-defunct Milwaukee television show Belling &Co,providing a Democratic perspective.
Flynn has hosted the radio show "Matt Flynn Direct" on WRRD since 2019. [11]
2018 gubernatorial campaign
In October 2017, Flynn announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination to oppose Scott Walker in the 2018 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. [9] In November 2017, Flynn received attention for his proposal to legalize both recreational and medicinal cannabis in Wisconsin. [12] Flynn received numerous endorsements, including the support of former Governor Tony Earl, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, Milwaukee County Register of Deeds John La Fave, businessman Edward J. Zore, former Wisconsin Secretary of Administration Steve Bablitch, and former Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Cory Nettles. Milwaukee County Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez also endorsed Flynn for Governor. [13] Flynn vowed to work to repeal economic policies implemented during Governor Walker's tenure, which Flynn called "wage-killing." He also planned to introduce a bill to raise the minimum wage in Wisconsin to $15 per hour. [14]
The Republican Party of Wisconsin criticized Flynn for his past legal work on behalf of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse. [15]
Several activists and organizations called for Flynn to drop-out of the gubernatorial race due to his representation of the Archdiocese, including State Representatives Chris Taylor and Melissa Sargent, the Women's March Wisconsin Chapter, National Organization for Women Wisconsin Chapter, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and The Capital Times. [16] [17] Flynn has responded by telling his critics to "jump in a lake." [18] Flynn compared accusations against him to "McCarthyism" and told a survivor of abuse to "knock it off." [19] [20]
Flynn finished sixth in the Democratic primary, garnering 5.9% of the primary vote, to 41.8% for primary victor Tony Evers.
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