Friday, September 2, 2011

Walker Campaign Probe Will Spur Recall Movement

It was hard not to notice the recent departures of two Scott Walker state appointees who held the most senior positions in his County Executive years.

And it will be impossible to overlook Dan Bice's reporting this week about the $60,000 that the Walker campaign has paid to the former US Attorney - - now in private practice - - at the same time that a John Doe investigation into Walker's campaign has been run by the Milwaukee County DA.

Gov. Scott Walker's campaign fund has paid nearly $60,000 to the firm it hired late last year to respond to questions raised by a John Doe criminal investigation.

From March to May, the Walker campaign made three payments to Michael Best & Friedrich totaling $59,617 for "compliance/administrative" activities this year, according to campaign records.

How much of this was due directly to the John Doe probe into campaign activity by Walker's former county staff?

The first-term governor's staff isn't saying.
Yes, Walker won the election for Governor, but it's fascinating that twice he has managed to galvanize his opponents and move their cause along.

Talk about self-inflicted wounds.

The first instance was through his imperious removal under the cover of a budget-repair bill of nearly all public sector collective bargaining in Wisconsin, thereby energizing the labor movement in Wisconsin and across the nation.

Now it appears also that just as some conventional Wisconsin wisdom after the Senate recall elections had Walker winning a political war of attrition, and looking likely to prevent his anticipated recall, a John Doe probe into his campaign appears to have legs and could lead to a far-weakened Walker, and a revived grassroots efforts against him, just as the Gubernatorial recall window opens in a few months.

For Walker - - bad Karma, worse timing.

His heavy-handed and anti-union one-dimensionality has been a poor fit for statewide leadership that demands traits he does not possess - - significant depth and moral authority.

He fancies himself Ronald Reagan.

He could end up being our own Richard Nixon.

14 comments:

CJ said...

Michael Best & Friedrich - Don't forget about the special counsel ($300/hr) contract, Raymond Taffora, et al.

Reagan's Disciple said...

Mr. Walker,

Thank you for all you have done. It is great to have a politician as yourself who actually does what they say they are going to do.

Your actions will help our state become fiscally sound without causing people to lose their jobs.

It takes leadership to stand up and face criticism, but you have done so admirably. Continue to let your detractors embarrass themselves with their childish antics, and the majority of WI citizens will continue to believe in the advancements you have helped achieve for our state in your short time in office.

The overburdened taxpayer looks forward to your continued success as Governor.

Anonymous said...

If dreams really do come true...

gnarlytrombone said...

Lawyering is the new military security contracting (remember when Big Fitz paid Troupis et al 27 grand for bad advice on rounding up Democrats?). Look for MB&F to change its name to "Xe" soon and diversify into charter schools.

James Rowen said...

There are times when I think that Reagan's Disciple's comments should come with a Friends of Walker disclaimer.

Reagan was a moderate said...

"Reagan's Disciple" mentions that a "majority of WI citizens will continue to believe (in Walker)."
Really, read a poll lately?

Reagan's Disciple said...

@ Reagan was a moderate.

No I have not. Do you have a reliable unbiased poll that I could look at? Preferably not one paid for by WEAC, AFL-CIO, AFSCME or similarly biased groups.

I personally used the April Prosser election as a true barometer of Walker's statewid support seeing as the unions and anti-Walker crowd went "all in" to defeat him (Despite his record as an excellent and unbiased WISCJ).

If you could in fact point me to a credible poll, I would be happy to retract any erroneous statements that I have made.

Anonymous said...

Maybe reagan's disciple should read a rasmussen poll. You know, the right wing polling group that fox news uses all the time. Even they can't skew the numbers enough to make scotty seem popular.

Anonymous said...

Reagan's Disciple has it wrong in so many ways. Walker never said during his campaign that he was going to remove collective bargaining or slash funding for public schools. Walker's estimate that he could somehow create 250,000 jobs is woefully off the mark. A look at any poll will show that Walker does not have the support of the majority in WI. His numbers are in the toilet and it's clear he's going to be a one-term governor, if he doesn't get recalled. Walker is a liar, a corporate whore, and he's no friend of the middle-class that makes this country strong.

merryminion said...

@ Reagan's Disciple,
Here's the most recent poll I could find, since you can't seem to do your own investigating, which might be why you think Walker is doing a good job:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2015602309_apuspollwalkerapproval.html?syndication=rss

It's the Badger Poll conducted by the UW Survey Center.

I sure can't understand why you think it's great that Walker wants to circumvent environmental regulations to allow new mining operations that will destroy parts of Northern WI. Or why you think it's wonderful that teachers took a huge paycut after negotiating years ago in good faith for benefits that took the place of wages. Or why in the world you think it's Ok to try and deny people the right to vote.

Basing anything on the sham called the Prosser election proves you to be unaware of the rampant fraud that was documented by poll workers, and has been submitted for investigation to the equally fraudulent GAB. If there is any justice left in this country, the federal DOJ will begin looking into the vote tampering that has happened here, as has been requested by citizen observers.

Anonymous said...

he's already closer to nixon than reagan, as he'd like us to think. he told the prank caller that they considered planting disruptive people among the demonstrators. i believe on one of the nixon tapes he talked about sending out teamsters to beat up antiwar demonstrators. have walker's "haldeman and erlichman" just resigned?

Paul Trotter said...

It appears to me that Reagan's worshiper has a split personalities. Which one of you wrote the gag inducing letter. Did you cut and paste that? Good lord!

So you would support Perry in following through with everything he promises.

Paul Trotter said...

Does anyone remember the story written in the JS about the sterilized office of Walker after he left the County. Everything was gone.

James Rowen said...

@ Paul Trotter - - I put that up when it ran:

http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/2011/01/scrubbing-county-files-suggests-radical.html