* Gov. Walker resigns if the John Doe probe gets fatally close to him. Depending on the timing, it could moot the recall effort which is already delayed by Republicans' insistence on the most laborious signature verification procedures imaginable. Since the Doe probe and related events could last a long time, it is possible that Walker could win the recall election, then have to leave, much as Richard Nixon won re-election in 1972 with Watergate events already underway - - but then resigned when his culpability and involvement in illegal activities was clear.
* A resignation would elevate Lt. Gov. Kleefisch to the office, and, again depending on the timing, could moot the recall against her, too. If that happened before the recall election, I believe - - and correct me if I am wrong - - it would start another year-long clock before she could be recalled.
* If he left before he'd spent it, Walker's trove of recall-related fundraising could either be returned to donors, gathered up again as a Walker support/legal-defense-if-needed fund, or transferred and/or re-contributed in part or in whole to Kleefisch's campaign account, depending on the law. It's their money, and events may push it elsewhere.
* Conservative backers, if they cared, would find and fund a slot for Walker somewhere, depending on what happens with the John Doe and whether they choose to extend their loyalty, and how far.
Walker is ultimately a pawn in the right's game, and if need be, is replaceable.
Keep an eye on how this particular scenario, as Dan Bice described it on January 22nd:
In an interview last week, Walker said he has not been contacted by investigators for the Democratic district attorney but would be open to sitting down with Milwaukee County prosecutors to discuss the issues they are investigating.
"I certainly would be willing if they asked me to in the future," Walker told the Journal Sentinel's Madison bureau. "Like I said, no matter who it might be about, we'd be more than willing to in the future."
Asked if he has hired his own attorney for advice regarding the John Doe investigation, Walker declined to answer.
"I've not been a subject of this," the first-term Republican governor said. "At some point in the future, if I am, I'll discuss that with you."
His campaign hired Steve Biskupic of Michael Best & Friedrich in late 2010, when officials subpoenaed campaign emails. Last year, Walker's campaign paid Michael Best nearly $110,000 for "compliance issues."
Wake up James, wake up... your dreaming. {shaking you by the shoulders}
ReplyDeleteWalker is not going to resign, nor is he going to lose the recall.
Just keep parading out those lunatics like they had last night at Walker's speech. It really lets everyone in the state know how the behavior on the left is not only condoned, but encouraged.
I think with the name calling and outbursts last night, the recall effort lost another few thousand votes at minimum. Nobody wants to be associated with those types of people and they will become more and more desperate as they start to realize that Walker isn't going to lose.
And... the best part, NO DEMOCRAT will speak out against that type of irrational and psychotic behavior.
What great leadership!
I am completely opposed to people yelling and interrupting the State of the State speech, just as I was when it happened earlier to Obama in a State of the Union speech,
ReplyDelete"Tom Nardelli, who was Walker's chief of staff at the county, said all records were saved or disposed of properly. But without knowing what records were destroyed, it's hard to know whether anything required by law to be kept was tossed, said Harold Mester, an aide to Acting County Executive Lee Holloway and the County Board."
ReplyDeleteRemember this story?
Remember the image of the empty files?
Walker is a fine leader and willing to take any action, no matter how corrupt, to reform Wisconsin. Greed is good, corruption is Godly. Now let us pray.
ReplyDeleteI watched and so did a handful of others. Lets be honest, most Wisconsinites watched American Idol or Cash Cab.
ReplyDeleteRD, I asked you this before, and you dodged the question:
ReplyDeleteOn the day the recall petition was handed in, Walker was at a fundraiser hosted by the head of AIG.
As in, the company that screwed the pooch over mortgages and had to receive the biggest bailout in modern history.
Are you really so lacking in self respect that you would support him when you know this?
Wake up RD, wake up... you're dreaming. {shaking you by the shoulders}
ReplyDeleteWalker is going to resign, or he is going to lose the recall.
Just keep parading out those lunatics like they had at Walker's rally in Wauwatosa. It really lets everyone in the state know how the wingnut's behavior is not only condoned, but encouraged.
I think with the name calling and outbursts from people like you, the recall effort gained another few thousand votes at minimum. Nobody wants to be associated with those types of people and they will become more and more desperate as they start to realize that Walker isn't going to survive.
And... the worst part, NO Republican or conservative will speak out against that type of irrational and psychotic behavior.
"The first-term Republican governor canceled a Wausau event scheduled for Thursday, citing the poor weather in that area."
ReplyDeleteyeh--the political climate of ACCOUNTABILITY is really hellish around here.
hmmm . . . . 4 felony counts @ 3.5 yrs each + potentially a $40,000 fine. Yowsa! No wonder her attorney is mum.
But I love how Wink's attorney just KNOWS she didn't do anything wrong because she is such a good-hearted lady. Puhleeeze!
The same way Walker can brush off journalists' questions: "No, nothing to worry about. I'm an Eagle Scout** so I COULDN'T have lied, cheated, stole or beat up on people. Jesus forgives, anyway."
Reagan, you're delusional (and btw, that's spelled 'you're' and not 'your', fyi). But you just keep your deluded, fat a** parked in your recliner in Smugville and keep telling yourself that Dems are irrational and psychotic. I feel bad for you when your constructed little world caves in on your irrational head. Well, not so much--you were warned.
I agree with James that more decorum is called for during state of state and state of union addresses, but to call the angry and disenfranchised 'irrational and psychotic' says a lot more about you than them. In any case they were led out and the lies spewed forth according to plan.
Despite the venue, the protesters were exercising their free speech rights, guaranteed to all Americans in the U.S. Constitution, a document you types are so fond of invoking even though few of you seem to have read it, and fewer to understand it.
**The Eagle Scouts outta sue Walker for defaming their good name and cheapening the value of an Eagle Scout badge.
RD, you must be counting on walker to be as convincing in saying that he was unaware of what was going on around him as Reagan was during Iran-Contra.
ReplyDeleteIt is appropriate for walker to link himself to the boy scouts. After all, they also dishonored themselves, by blatantly discrimin ating against gays.
ReplyDeleteIf, if, and if..., If frogs had wings they wouldn't bruise their asses when they landed.
ReplyDeleteIf the governor and lieutenant governor resign, is Big Fitz acting governor? How does the state constitution define the succession?
ReplyDeleteJames, great analysis. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteJames R.:
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blog. We count on reading what you write. As far as we are concerned, let's hope dreams come true. Reagan's Disciple might dream, but so do we!
Hmmm, I just saw an article with Darlene Wink with the words "plea bargain" and "destruction of digital property" associated with it. Wonder who she got those orders from, huh?
ReplyDeleteWalker's always tried to copy the Sarah Palin trajectory- luck into political office, grift off some rubes and old white men, then leave office before the term is up and try to cash in on his "crucifixion by lib'ruls."
I think Walker will get the "shortened term" part right. Not sure he'll be free long enough for the "6-figure Faux News contributor" part.
@ Anon - Yes I still support him, why wouldn't I? He is doing just what he said he would do if elected. Plus, your facts are inaccurate. He was not at a fundraiser held by the head of AIG on the day the petitions were turned in. You may want to check your source on that one.
ReplyDelete@John,
I must not have missed them..., but where are my outbursts?
@Boxer
Your post is so comical, where do I start?
I again love the childish name calling. I don't think I really qualify as a "Fat Ass," but you can continue your own delusional thoughts if you wish. Have you run a marathon, done a tri, or finished a Tough Mudder?" I've done all of them in the last 1 1/2 years, so call me names if you wish, but "fat a**" shouldn't be one of them.
However, your name calling still amazes me in that you guys continue to prove my point about your maturity levels. You simply can't get through a post without tossing some childish names or belittling comments towards the people who disagree with you.
I give you some credit for your nice double talk though... you call for more decorum, yet defend their actions as if they are somehow justified. Please get this straight. They WERE behaving like lunatics and that is why I labeled them as such. Who shouts like that at anyone in a civilized society? Who goes up to a guy in the hallway and tells him that his wife is a F'n Whore like they did to J. Klefisch last night?
I disliked Doyle as did many other republicans. However, I had the civility to act appropriately towards him and his former position regardless of his political decisions. I also had a right to act like a psychotic lunatic and berate him and his family when I saw him in Madison on a few occasions, but obviously didn't. Why not? Because it is irrational behavior and not something you do other people in a civilized society, whether guaranteed by the constitution or not. Instead, I chose to act like an adult.
FYI - the constitution says peacefully assemble and petition. I would argue that what that lunatic did last night was not peaceful.
In the end, I just call a spade a spade. If you defend that behavior, well then you're just a spade as well.
RD, read this story. Read the invite. Greenberg is the CEO of AIG.
ReplyDeletehttp://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/2012/01/walker-solicits-wall-streets-1s-to.html
Walker's war chest is funded by laundered bailout money.
Some "conservative" you got there.
None of the posters have defended someone yelling insults from the gallery at Walker and yet the resident Walker apologist continues to lean on this straw man.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that Republicans are renowned for their decorum and civility. They never issue death threats, assault citizens exercising their right to recall under the Wisconsin Constitution, tear up those petitions, spit on people and vandalize recall signs and the property of those displaying those signs.
Because of this, we all rely on the upstanding behavior of Republicans to determine how we conduct ourselves in matters of public affairs. Their lack of racism is especially edifing.
@ Anon 7:52
ReplyDeleteDo you even read your own links? Again you are proven wrong. Greenberg hasn't been the CEO at AIG for going on 7 years. Greenberg resigned in 2005. That was 3 years before AIG was bailed out. Perhaps they could have used his leadership to avoid that mess.
@ Anon 9:42
Boxer said in an earlier post, "Despite the venue, the protesters were exercising their free speech rights, guaranteed to all Americans in the U.S. Constitution"
Sounds like a defending those actions to me. As for others doing what you allege, I would also denounce their actions as being uncivil.
Right wing school teacher hating Morons: It is never too late to learn how to READ.
ReplyDeleteThe post has absolutely nothing at all to do with the 'List of Lies' speech given by Walker.
Agreed - just one person shrieking sounds bad. Three or more chanting 'Walker is Toast' -just to embarrass him- oh well.
Reaguns, cool your jets!
ReplyDeleteC'mon man. You know you're anonymous, right? And me, too? So even if we chance to know each other in real life, I couldn't possibly know that you're Reagan's D here in TPE. So how can I say that your ass is fat for reals? I doubt if other readers took it that way, except, of course, for you. I'm sure your ass is a finely toned masterpiece of glistening gluteal grandeur. Now take a picture of it, send it to the newspaper and let's get down to the content of your last comment:
I stand by my contention that your recliner is parked in Smugville (this is a figurative statement as I know not of a real Wisconsin town so named) because your comments are typically smug and smart-assed (shoulda used smart-ass instead of fat ass) (this is also figurative as I don't actually think your actual ass has any actual knowledge or thinking ability). I was trying to paint a picture of you sitting in a chair, on a bench or on the sidelines, making armchair quarterback calls, know-it-all pronouncements, exaggerations and opinions stated as facts.
You call us / me childish name-callers, yet other than the afore-mentioned ass discussion, not one person in this string has called you a name that was not in your original comment. Repeated from your post: dreaming, lunatics, name-calling, outbursts, "those types of people" (indirect, but we get your drift), desperate, irrational, psychotic, "great leadership" (we get the sarcasm). Later you call me a "spade." (We get the code, too). Commenters including me used only YOUR words to make their points.
You continue to state things as fact that you either know not to be true, cannot know to be true, or exaggerate, such as:
Walker is not going to resign.
“ “ to lose the recall.
Leadership both condoned and encouraged state of state protesters.
Protesters at SoS are lunatics.
The recall effort lost a few thousand votes.
Protesters are irrational and psychotic.
NO DEMOCRAT will speak out against behavior at SoS. (two just did, in this blog. Sorry we couldn't work up to your level of outrage on that. See below.)
I'll remind you again that however much you disapproved--or anyone else disapproved--of protesters shouting out at SoS, they were exercising their legal rights.** When people on your side strongly disagree, they often incite violence or tend to use firearms to enforce their opinions: Gabby Giffords, Dr David Gunn, Dr George Tiller, Shannon Lowney, Dr. John Britton, James Barrett, Lee Ann Nichols, Dr Barnett Slepian, Robert Sanderson. Those are just the people shot, not to mention others severely wounded in similar attacks.
Now do you want to define irrational and psychotic? How about violent? Illegal? Terrorists? Few in your leadership--or membership--spoke out against these domestic terrorists, despite their law-breaking and immoral actions.
So, get some perspective!
While it may be unpleasant for Rep Kleefisch and the Lt Gov to hear the insults you describe, if that did happen, they’re both public figures who've taken some extreme positions (and made some pretty inflammatory statements themselves), whose salaries, health benefits and pensions are being paid by Wisconsin taxpayers and who seem less-than-responsive to constituents with whom they disagree. Mr and Mrs K have also criticized people seeking to obtain or protect the same healthcare that they enjoy as state employees, seeming oblivious to their own hypocrisy.
Calling a spade a spade means to speak the truth. This doesn’t mean you get to make up your own definition of a spade and then go around calling out spades to express opinions or offend by proxy.
**I think one could make a case that the protesters shouting at SoS were disruptive and therefore justifiably removed from the chamber. However, unfurling a Recall Walker banner was a silent, non-disruptive exercise of free speech, but resulted in the same removal, thus abridging their rights to peacefully assemble.