Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Walkergate: Walker Gets His Invitation To The Ball

When I heard that Scott Walker had been subpoenaed for the Kelly Rindfleisch trial next week, I was sure that there was some kind of mistake.

I mean this was the guy who was cooperating with the authorities. All one had to do was ask him, or his spokesman, Cullen Werwie (one of the score of people given immunity in the hearings) or his campaign and they would tell you how cooperative Walker is. After all, this is the guy that has plugged hundreds of thousands of dollars into his legal cooperation fund!

It couldn't have been a subpoena with all that cooperation. It had to be an invitation, done in the finest calligraphy and starting out with something like "You are cordially invited to..."

But, alas, I was wrong. It was a full blown subpoena.

Well, that isn't really much of a surprise. We already knew that Walker was on the potential witness list.

But there were two other things that I noticed today, which were rather interesting if not surprising.

One of these things is courtesy of the esteemed James Rowen, who pointed out this article about Walker's money grubbing from last spring. The key part, as James highlighted, is this:
The records show that Walker gave a 15-minute speech at the event, which was headlined by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. The trip was funded by Walker’s campaign, and he was accompanied by campaign fundraiser Kelly Rindfleisch, currently facing four felony charges for alleged illegal campaign activities while working for Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive.
Even though she was already being investigated for illegal politicking, Walker was still using her four months later to continue raking in the dough. Not only does this demonstrate Walker's avarice and lack of moral compunction, but it also lends strength to the rumor that Walker and his pals have been raising legal defense funding for his gal pal, even if not as conspicuously as he was doing for his own.

The other thing of interest is that the prosecution's witness list has been made available, via the Wisconsin State Journal.

Most of the names on the list, as I had surmised, are either investigators or keepers of the information of various agencies and companies, such as human resource and technical support for Milwaukee County or representatives from Google and US Cellular.

Many of the other names are ones we have discussed before, including Cullen Werwie, Brett Davis, Michael Huebsch, Keith Gilkes and Jim Villa.

But there are three names not previously mentioned in the news which are worth noting.

One is Timothy W. Lightner, who is presumably the mysteriously "Timothy L.," who is scheduled for a deposition on October 11. Lightner is described as an event host, or in other words, someone that hosted a campaign fund raising event.

Another name to note is one that I had thought they might have omitted. That name would be Andrea Boom, one of Rindfleisch's BFFs. Boom sold Rindfleisch out for a mere $47.60.

A third name to note is Mark Graul. Graul is a Republican strategist who ran Mark Green's campaign as well as the campaign for the corrupt Annette Ziegler. It shouldn't be a surprise that Graul's name pops up. He seems to have a certain affinity at getting caught in politically compromising fixes.

Walker practices his
"Who, me?" look.
The final name that I'd like to point out is Jason Thompson, who was Davis' campaign finance director. He also holds significance in other aspects, as I pointed out when I first broke the story of Rindfleisch, five days before she was arrested and charged:
As a point of interest, and to further cement the ties that bind, Davis' campaign treasurer was Jason T. Thompson, son of Tommy Thompson, and currently an attorney at Walker's favorite law firm, Michael Best & Friedich.
Yep. Not only is Jason the son of Tommy Thompson, former governor and current failing and flailing senatorial candidate, but he is also a staffer at the official law firm of Fitzwalkerstan.

You know, I am getting the feeling that if John Doe keeps pulling on the right threads, he could end up unraveling all of WISGOP and maybe even a major part of the national Republican party.

Now wouldn't that just be something?

16 comments:

  1. The blind lead the naked to the plutocrats prom!

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  2. Something interesting concerning Timothy W. Lightner. He was mentioned in the Rindfleisch criminal complaint as follows:

    "As part of the John Doe investigation, a number of fundraiser hosts and fundraiser facilitators who dealt with Kelly Rindfleisch gave statements before the John Doe Judge. Those persons included...Mr. Tim Lightner...
    These individuals have confirmed their dealings with Ms. Rindfleisch during regular business hours, although they generally stated they were unaware that she worked in the Office of the Milwaukee County Executive."
    (Page 16 RindFleisch complaint.)

    After an itemized listing of contacts Rindfleish had with various persons concerning fundraising and campaign related events the complaint ends with:

    "The fundraiser hosts and facilitators identified in this complaint generally testified before the John Doe Judge that they were never instructed not to have contact with Ms. Rindfleisch during normal business hours and all stated that they did not know she was doing this fundraising work while being paid to serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Scott Walker." (Page 51 Rindfleischisch Complaint.)

    Why would the subpoena for a deposition be necessary if the Tim L. and Timothy W. Lightner are the same person?

    It is almost enough to make one wonder if two or three men and a truck or two had anything to do with the Dumpster o' Fun.

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    1. I totally concur with your last paragraph. Lightner was not really a major donor, especially when you compare his donations to those of others. But, the fact that he owns a moving company, and the fact that all those computers ended up in Rindfleisch's garage has to make one wonder exactly how they all got there. Hmmmmm

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  3. To be fair, Walker attended the Limbaugh-headlined Heritage Foundation event in April 2011, eight months before Rindfleisch was indicted.

    In April 2011, Rindfleisch wasn't even working with the county anymore, so the fact that she was there doesn't mean much for the trial.

    It's important to keep the facts straight--Jim messed it up and you didn't check the source material for the date.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the catch, Jay. I have amended the post.

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  4. What is the significance that walker is being called by the defense and not the prosecution ??

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    1. I don't know if this helps, but it does make your question more interesting:

      "Walker was previously identified by a prosecutor as a potential witness in the October 15 trial of Kelly Rindfleisch in Hanscher's court.

      But Rindfleisch's attorney, Franklyn Gimbel tells 27 News he had the subpoena served to ensure Walker's appearance.

      Gimbel also says the prosecution has backed off from it's original intent to consider calling Walker as a trial witness.

      Gimbel tells 27 News, if the scheduled trial takes place, he is "100% sure" he will call the governor to the witness stand."

      From:
      http://www.wkow.com/story/19764655/subpoena-for-walkers-appearance-as-witness-submitted

      Now, we all know that in a world where these folks don't operate like the mofia, Kelly's attorney would call up Walker and say, "Sir, did you authorize Ms. Rindfleisch to do this work?". Walker would say, "Yes." Kelly would go free and Walker would not. Great defense. But why was the DA backing off on using Walker? Why is the defense so quick to want to use him if not to enhance the defense of Rindfleisch? I guess he could testify that, to his knowledge, she was working just dandy and wasn't breaking any rules...and he'd know! That's the best I can come up with...

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  5. From the defense perspective I think Walker is mainly a character witness for Rindfleisch. He will testify that to his knowledge she never did anything against the law and is a wonderful Christian woman, they even prayed together...yada yada yada. This might actually make Rindfleisch look worse to the jury, like an employee gone rogue.

    The fact that Walker is essentially funding her defense team puts her attorneys in a potential conflict of interest.

    Given the overwhelming evidence against her a truly aggressive defense might try to hang it on the boss, intimating that she was tricked or forced into questionable activity. This argument would be bolstered if their questioning caused Walker to invoke his right against self incrimination, but I don't expect this from attorneys paid through the fundraising efforts of Governor Jail Bait himself.

    I think the long term play will be endless appeals and a reversal by the corrupt state Supreme Court on some newly invented point of law, or she may even be able to argue inadequate representation based on the funding conflict itself.

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  6. Thank you, Anonymous 8:45, for pointing out the important point that Walker was subpoenaed by the defense.

    The Madison media made that clear, but the Journal Sentinel story did not (nor does this post) and implied, with the structure of the story and the reference next to the prosecution's witness list, that the latter had called Walker.

    Why the Journal Sentinel could not do a clear and comprensible story stating that passeth all understanding, as so much of the paper doth do.

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  7. Does anybody find it interesting that Timothy Russell hasn't been mentioned as a witness? I'm kind of wondering what to make of that....he was Kelly's direct boss for sometime...

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    1. Also, Darlene Wink isn't mentioned on the prosecution's list either. Weird.

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    2. Russell is an easily impeached witness at the present. Neither side wants to step in that mess if they can avoid it imho.

      Wink might be kept out of it if the prosecution feels they do not need her testimony in this case. Possibly they do not want her exposed to cross, which might help the other defendants.

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  8. Pleaing it out?
    host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/second-former-walker-aide-expected-to-enter-plea-in-john/article_4d985188-125e-11e2-af72-001a4bcf887a.html

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  9. State of Wisconsin vs. Kelly M. Rindfleisch
    Milwaukee County Case Number 2012CF000438
    Court Record Events

    Court Record Event # 72:

    10-09-2012

    Notes

    Hansher-42, David A.

    Additional Text:

    At the request of ADA Bruce Landgraf and with the agreement of Attorney Frank Gimbel, parties are requesting a plea hearing date. Plea hearing is scheduled for 10-11-12 at 1:30 pm.


    Equally interesting? The entry from yesterday #70:
    10-08-2012

    Letters/correspondence

    Hansher-42, David A.


    Additional Text:

    from ADA Bruce Landgraf amending State's Witness List, filed.

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  10. Check out what 620 has posted on this.


    "Former Walker staffer Kelly Rindfleisch reaches tentative plea deal

    By WTMJ News Team

    CREATED Oct. 8, 2012 - UPDATED: Oct. 9, 2012 | 6:09 PM"

    http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/173389751.html

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  11. You know, it makes sense. Of all people, Walker didn't want the trial to become a spectacle. Had she gone through with it, all of his dirty laundry would be exposed, she'd be convicted, and then pardoned. This way, no laundry gets aired, she gets convicted, and she gets pardoned.

    Now, you ask, what about the bargain? Good question. If we operate like these are normal people, Rindfleisch would take the deal and turn against Walker and that's it. If we operate as though Walker is King of the Land and has final say, would any deal she makes lead to charges against Walker?

    Only real question is, we have to assume the DA knows all this and is either A) playing out a very strategic game of RISK or B)is operating under the idea that Walker will not play King and just pardon the whole lot.

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