Saturday, December 24, 2011

Walkergate: The Christmas Train Wreck

A few weeks ago, Scott Walker made a big stink about putting a Christmas tree up in the rotunda, even though this has happened every year with every other governor.  Walker was hoping to get some positive attention from his base by making some phony stand about defending Christmas.  That's not surprising in itself, since Walker loves to showboat and is desperate to look good as the recall forces are not even slowing down (latest count is over 600,000 signatures!).

Walker might have been better just doing it quietly though.  It has now brought some attention he's not going to want.

Around the base of the tree, Walker had a toy train set set up.  This caught the attention of the editorial board of the Cap Times, which used it, and the anniversary of the death of high speed rail coming to Wisconsin, to hammer home the point that Walker was an idiot for killing the train, and subsequently, all of the jobs and the boost to the state's economy.

While those erudite editors are absolutely correct, and I agree fully with them, they had an even bigger story right under their noses, in my humble opinion.

I would have you, gentle reader, take a close look at the picture they have accompanying their piece:

Photo courtesy of Larry Tamiso, via The Cap Times

The editorial board already pointed out the little decal of Walker's derision-worthy slogan of Wisconsin being supposedly open for business.

I would point out the logo on the left of the picture - the one that has a "W" and a "S" with what looks like an inverted "T" over them.

No, that does not stand for "Walker, Scott."

That logo, my friends, is the one for Wisconsin and Southern Railroad.

The president and CEO of Wisconsin and Southern Railroad was William E. Gardner.  Gardner is the first person to have been charged and convicted in relation to the ongoing John Doe investigation, commonly referred to as Walkergate, which is looking into Scott Walker and his campaign for illegal activities.

Gardner was convicted of making illegal campaign donations, to the tune of $70,000, using the railroads money, laundered through family members and employees.

Incidentally, if the gentle reader was not aware, Wisconsin and Southern is in the process of being sold to a Kansas-based company named Watco Transportation Services.  And the folks at Watco are mighty proud of the fact that their biggest customer is Koch Industries.  The folks at Watco deny that there is any kind of correlation, which must be true, since no one connected to the Koch Brothers or Walker has ever lied to the public, right?

Almost every Wisconsinite is well aware that Walker is every bit the arrogant and pompous ass, but it is simply beyond the pale for him to have a replica of a Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, a company whose CEO was convicted of making illegal and excessive donations to his campaign, set up in the middle of the People's House, the state Capitol Building.  He is making a mockery of the justice system, the election laws and of this historic building.

That train needs to be removed immediately!

Then Walker, who has done nothing but embarrass the state in front of the world as he blatantly flaunts his corruption, can take the next train out of the state and stay gone.


8 comments:

  1. Well done, I love this post!

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  2. Let's take it further. Remember the whole Ray Taffora "revolving door" item with Michael, Best, and Friedrich, where Taffora left the Atty. General's office, and immediately got state contracts out of it.

    Here's a little reminder for you. With the Gableman scandal and the money-funneling involved to MB&F, it's important to remember how this all works.

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  3. I am from Illinois and currently call wisconsin home (yes the lack of capitalization is intended.) Anyway, I am going to point out the commonalities between Rod Blagojevich and scott walker. Now I do NOT agree with what Blago did however he did quite a few wonderful things for Illinois. scott walker is evil. he has done nothing good and does not have the best interest or ANY interest in the working people of wisconsin. In fact the only thing I would like to thank him for is inspiring even more people to stand up... to fight... to have the courage to speak up and out. I thank him for inspiring and pushing us... the working class to have a voice.

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  4. I can't believe he'd do this! This beyond bad. Good post Chris.

    LOL

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  5. Good catch. Love your blog. Thanks.

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  6. No one here ever even tries to explain how a nation with a debt that surpasses our GDP is going to pay for any of what you want?

    Reality, is your grandchildren will have a substantially lower standard of living if you get everything you want.

    Remember that Scott Walker is eeevill for trying to prevent this...

    Merry Christmas!

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  7. If we have enough money to pay for two wars, one completely unjust, and give the top one percent such huge tax breaks, I think we have enough money. It's just a matter of spending it in wiser ways.

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