Caucus Scandal 2011: Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Last month, I reported on the latest version of the caucus scandals.

In that story, I showed that the aides de camp for Paul Ryan, Jeff Fitzgerald and Scott Fitzgerald, as well as Scott Fitzgerald's chief fundraiser and "special friend" were conducting state business, well, gerrymandering, using private emails to avoid discovery by an Open Record Requests.

That story came to light after the Democrats regained control of the state senate, and by this, gained control of the emails and other documents related to the Republicans' gerrymandering.

But that was not the only story those treasures contained.

There is also the tale of the hits being ordered by Republican leaders on particular people that they wanted out of the way. Politically speaking, that is.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

The first hit was ordered by State Senator Leah Vukmir.

The Wisconsin State Journal skimmed the surface of the story when the documents and emails were first released:

In one email, state Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa, offered these thoughts about redrawing her district: "Western Wauwatosa — yes (more GOP)," "West Milwaukee — No (forgot to mention this part of current district — VERY Dem" and "Milwaukee — cop wards if needed."

She also wrote in the May 4, 2011, message to Tad Ottman, an aide to then-Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, "This is such a big task. So glad we are in control!"

Ottman worked on the redistricting plan out of the office of law firm Michael Best & Friedrich, which helped write the plan.

Vukmir could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

But like I said, they only skimmed the surface, not wanting to dig too deep and expose the vile syndicate-style of management the Republicans thrive in.

To get the whole story, you have to go to the email itself. The gentle reader will note right off the bat the addresses being used were, just like in the Ryan/Fitzgerald story, private emails. Again, this was to keep things on the sly and away from the purview of anyone filing an ORR.

The first part of the email is what was highlighted in the paper. But the key part is that bottom, which the paper failed to report:

If you need a way to take the Staskunas seat, put a little bit of my Senate seat into New Berlin(2-3 wards could make that a GOP Assembly seat). Western West Allis/Eastern Bkfd and New Berlin are areas of like interest. (The previous Duff seat had parts of New Berlin, Elm Grove, Bkfd and West Allis)

Hope that helps!

Leah

As you can see, she was ordering the hit on Tony Staskunas, a moderate Democrat that had represented that area for a long, long time. But he was a Democrat and so he had to go!

Staskunas decided to retire after he saw how the district was rigged to strongly favor a Republican. The corrupt and greedy Joe Sanfelippo, Milwaukee County's only-part time supervisor, and one of the main players in the county having to pay out $4.5 million for the illegal furloughs, is aiming to buy that newly gerrymandered seat.

That one was pretty straightforward.

The next one is a little more complicated, but still easy enough to see.

In this story, the hitwoman is State Representative Michelle Litjens.

Here's the email:

Adam Foltz
To: Michelle Litjens

Michelle,
As per our conversation, here are the maps in question. Please delete these when you are done and don’t share with anyone outside of Robin, Fitz and I.

Thanks,

Adam

Again, the personal emails to avoid records requests. Also not the blatant reminder that they they are all part of the super-secret money-loving voter-hating club.

The maps referred to in the email are the old and new maps for the 55th Assembly District, represented for the psst 20 years by Republican Dean Kaufert.

Yes, you read that correctly. Litjens was ordering a hit on a fellow Republican.

Why? Well, Kaufert was not always the good, goose-stepping soldier they want in their ranks. He was a co-owner of a bar with Steve Foti, who gained his claim to fame in the first caucus scandal before becoming a lobbyist. Kaufert also ran against Mike Huebsch (yes, Scott Walker's Mike Huebsch) to be Speaker of the Assembly.

But the most likely reason is because Kaufert is one of the four Republican representatives who had the spine to stand up for the people of his district and voted against Act 10.

There's been a rumor that Walker and his crew were threatening Republican lawmakers with a primary against a teahadist candidate if they dared defy Dear Leader and his agenda of destruction.

As if to enforce that rumor, Kaufert did pick up a teahadist challenger named Jay Schroeder, who dubbed himself the "true conservative."

It should be noted that Schroeder lives in Menasha, which only got added to the 55th with the gerrymandering. Also noteworthy is that Litjens had more than a passing familiarity with Schroeder since he had once ran against her for the district he used to live in - before said gerrymandering, of course.

Scott Wittkopf recently pointed out that there was solid proof that Scott Walker and the Republicans were controlling the message by telling squawk radio hosts like Charlie Sykes, Vicki McKenna and Jerry Bader on what to say and what talking points they should use.

Of course, for my long time followers already knew this from the days I was writing more at Whallah! which did nothing but expose squawk radio for what it is - free advertisement and a campaigning outlet for Republicans.

To further strengthen, look at this obvious bit of collusion as the would be "media" go to work for Litjens agenda of getting Kaufert bounced in the primary:

• Media Trackers: Kaufert is a liberal
• Media Trackers: Kaufert a friend of WEAC
• Media Trackers: Kaufert's business partner is a cokehead (as opposed to being a Koch-head which is perfectly acceptable, and expected, in their circles)
• Media Trackers: Kaufert leads whisper campaign
• Mark Belling: Kaufert is a RINO and should run as a Democrat
• Jerry Bader: Kaufert is no good because he voted against Act 10

Yeah, nothing to see here, kids.

The funny thing is that despite the gerrymandering, despite the handpicked teahadist candidate and despite the coordinated attack by the Republican propaganda machine, Kaufert still won the primary by a full 30 points.

Maybe the Republicans aren't as infallible as they would like to think they are.

But keep in mind that this is but just two examples. And in both of these examples, they used private emails, secrecy pacts and purity tests to gain and maintain control of the legislature.

Not only is that extremist, that is also rather fascist.