Thursday, April 12, 2012

Walkergate: The Reek Of Desperation

The Republicans are becoming so afraid of the ramifications of the ongoing Walkergate investigations and trials that they are starting to flail around in a blind panic.

There's no telling what's got them so scared.  It could be that they're afraid that Tim Russell will make the smart decision and cut a plea deal.  They might be afraid that one of the other people charged or being investigated will turn state's witness.  They might be afraid that more charges are about to hit.  It might be that their internal polls show that Scott Walker's corruption is really hurting him.

Whatever the reason or reasons, they are frantic with terror.

Case in point: Today former Waukesha County District Attorney and failed candidate for Attorney General sent a letter to the guy that beat him, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen asking him to take over the Walkergate investigation.

The letter is nonsensical in its hysteria.

 Bucher complains of leaks from the DA's office but gives no evidence of any.  Bucher also complains that the rights and reputations of the accused are being harmed, which is pretty damn ironic coming from a previous prosecutor that has done a lot of grandstanding from atop people's reputations, especially when he was making his failed run for Attorney General. Bucher rises to the height of absurdity by suggesting that the extremely partisan Van Hollen take the case away from Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisolm to protect it from being politicized.

No, really.  He actually said that.

Van Hollen wisely declined from intervening into the investigation and prosecutions, although the reason for this decision is not exactly clear.

According to Van Hollen, he states he doesn't have the authority to take a case away from an elected county district attorney.  But that is pretty much what he did with the trial of Rory Kuenzi, a guy from Waupaca County who was suspected of killing another young man in a drunk driving hit and run.

DA Chisolm reports that Van Hollen's department had originally been involved with the Walkergate investigation and helped with the conviction of railroad tycoon William Gardner.  Chisolm states that the state pulled out when the investigation started going after Walker's people because Van Hollen represents Walker and did not want to be in embroiled in a conflict of interest.

Lisa Kaiser, of the Shepherd Express, comes up with a number of valid points including being afraid of what will be discovered during the investigation in general and of angering the Republican machine.  Kaiser also points out that the case regarding Brian Pierick, who is facing child enticement charges, could be a major embarrassment for Van Hollen.  It was Van Hollen's agency that OKed the hiring of Pierick to work with kids.

Sadly, the nonsense does not end with Bucher's histrionic letter or Charlie Sykes' breathless grasping at straws, endlessly repeating the hysterical and inane allegations.

Nope, now they gotta bring in the clowns.

The grossly misnamed Citizens for Responsible Government, the pet attack dogs for Scott Walker, are bringing their circus back to town.  Via Vincent Schmuki's Facebook page, who has teamed with CRG before, is touting an upcoming event hosted by CRG (the spastic keyboard is all his):
OK FOLKS, HERE IT IS! Your opportunity to hear and understand the JOHN DOE PROCESS and how you personally can get involved in STOPPING THE CORRUPTION that we are seeing! This seminar is April 21st 10am-12:30pm at Serb Hall (51st and Oklahoma in West Allis) To sign up CALL CRG-Citizens for Responsible Gov't. 414-801-0800. This will be run by Former Wauk Cnty D.A. PAUL BUCHER (there is a small $10 cost that will go towards hall rental)
I think that Schmuki is missing the point.  Walkergate is the vehicle to stop the corruption.  Unless their values are so upside down that they think that adhering to the law is now a sign of corruption, which is entirely possible.

Anyway, Schmuki posted that along with the following poster:


Well, CRG should know about starting their own John Doe complaints, since they tried that against me two years ago, falsifying their "evidence" in order to do so.  (How much you want to bet I'll have to go through the same garbage again now?)  Seeing how it came just weeks after Darlene Wink and Tim Russell were busted campaigning on county time, it's pretty obvious that it was a purely retaliatory move, trying to deflect attention and heat from Walker's stealth campaign team during the contested gubernatorial election.

I have to admit, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around this.  It's just that bizarre.  Can you imagine going to a rally to support people who have been accused of running a version of the caucus scandals?  I wonder if there will be some person selling "Free Scott Walker" or "Free The Walker Six" buttons and T-shirts.

The absurdity of this cannot be overemphasized.

Citizens for Responsible Government, a self-described taxpayer advocacy group, is sponsoring a rally featuring Paul Bucher, who ran for Attorney General as a law and order candidate, in order to smear and denigrate the judicial system in defense of people accused of using taxpayer-funded equipment on taxpayer-funded time to do illegal campaigning, stealing money from veterans and sexually assault children.

Please note that no where and at no time does any of these people claim that Walker or any of his staffers are innocent.  Just that the system is bad for holding them accountable.

You just can't make this stuff up.  I wouldn't be surprised if the next stunt won't be the Republicans calling for a special session so they can retroactively legalize illegal campaigning.  In order to create jobs, of course.

22 comments:

  1. haha! it is hard to understand. thanks for the condensed milk ending, sweeeeeet!

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  2. The investigation is 24 months old already, your dumpsters been found, and yet still not enough evidence? I am beginning to think maybe our DA isn't the best at what he does. Time will tell. I still predict all charges filed one week before the recall election, even if they don't implicate Walker in any way it will be a way to dominate the headlines.
    for me it would only indicate that the unions still hold to much power in our political system. Just as you fear corporate interests are influencing government, it comes to light that unions have been running the show in WI for many years now.

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    1. Pray tell, just what does the union have to do with Walker and his people committing crimes? I would love to see how you twist logic and reality to fit that opinion.

      And admit it, no matter when the charges come, you on the right will be crying about the timing.

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    2. The unions are driving the recall efforts. From what I can tell, solely to keep the revenue streaming in via direct withdrawal and inflated health care contracts via union owned insurers. Wether you want to admit it or not collective bargaining as we knew it is a thing of the past, even if Walker is thrown out of office. The connection I contend is that it seems after two years of investigating the timing will be just right to try to sway public opinion in favor of the democrat candidates.
      Hopefully I'm wrong, but I have heard it suggested elsewhere.
      And admit it, even if Walker does not face any charges, he will still be guilty in your eyes.
      All I am saying is that I have read your posts and Bices articles and cannot come to any other conclusion than it looks like a witch hunt, and partisanship can be proven by the signatures on the recall petitions.

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    3. I'm not in a union. Never will be. Don't like them much. And I've joined 30K other citizens of the state to collect almost a million signatures for recall from other citizens. If by union you mean pen to paper -- well then, I understand. Otherwise, find another pathetic talking point. Like Imustbearacist. Racist.

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    4. Can you tell me why you were so active in this cause?

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    5. nixon said it was a witch hunt too (watergate).

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    6. once you get burned,betrayed,attacked....
      you have 2 choices. run and hide or stand and fight.speaking truth to power.

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    7. so...we'll see if he is in fact Nixon, or if the unsilent minority hopes he is.

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    8. Wait--what?!? There are union owned health insurance companies? Sign me up!

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  3. How are the unions to blame? This investigation started BEFORE the election even! Besides, a Dem has been tagged in this John Doe probe. The DA seems to be very deliberate and thorough.

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  4. Are these (Ir)responsible Government groups actually from Wisconsin?

    They really should wait until the investigation is over, maybe Walker had nothing to do with it.

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  5. Looks like they are begging citizens to ask for a Doe vs Chisolm and friends.

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  6. The right-wing establishment tried these same tactics with the Watergate investigation in an attempt to deflect attention from Richard Nixon. We see how well THAT worked out. The DA and staff are above reproach (they know what the RW will try in an attempt to discredit). I do believe in the end that the RW (as with Nixon) will have to encourage Walker to step down and fall on his own sword to limit damage to the national Republican party. I do hope, though, that Reince Priebus is sucked into the Walker investigation and Grand Jury findings, as that one rat who needs to go down with the ship known as Walker.

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  7. It's interesting to note that whenever the John Doe probe grants immunity to a witness and this is publicly reported, as required by statute, the Cons immediately spin this as a "leak".

    They also spin routine court filings that are a response to motions filed by defense attorneys as more "leaks". They are terrific at playing the Big Lie game and the Republican owned media is more than happy to amplify this disinformation.

    The truth is that Chisholm is running a very tight and professional investigation and this is what is driving the Cons nuts. They don't know what is coming. They can't figure out how to get out in front of it, how to play it, how to quash it.

    The truth is that the Cons are good at breaking the law but not so proficient at operating under it. They are the political party of the-fix, the rigged-game and it has them in tears that they can't rig this one.

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    1. That's exactly it!!! They haven't been given a syllabus, a playbook, a program guide as to what is coming next. AND--they've done so many illegal things, THAT is why they're scrambling.

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    2. > ... whenever the John Doe probe grants immunity to a witness and this is publicly reported, as required by statute, the Cons immediately spin this as a "leak"...

      Let's not forget that someone, presumably conservative friendly, was responsible for leaking selective testimony from secret John Doe proceedings in the Assembly Caucus scandal. Which illegal leaks still show up on the Internet. But apparently, that was okay.

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    3. Everything is ok when you're conservative friendly!

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  8. Charges are sure to be coming with the desperate attempts to discredit the investigation. It will always be the fault of big government union bosses.

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  9. Is it true that dictator walker was the snitch in the Assembly Caucus scandel?!

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  10. From the flyer: "Finally, learn the secret that District Attorneys don't want you to know... that any citizen can request a John Doe investigation."

    Any child can ask Santa for a pony, too. Not every child who does will get one.

    Any citizen can ask the Wisconsin Legislature for a special law forbidding state enforcement of the usual legal penalties against him -- like the "elimination of compensatory and punitive damages" for employment discrimination -- but of course that would never be granted, let alone signed by our honorable Governor.

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