In A Tempest, Scott Walker Knows Nothing

Scott Walker is proving, as his John Doe appearance looms, "What's past is prologue," though who knows if he's heard of that weighty saying or that Shakespeare, with appropriate foreshadowing, inserted it into "The Tempest."

Connect these dots:

* At the end of the infamous prank, taped call between the fake David Koch and Walker that Ian Murphy, the fake David Koch said he'd fly Walker "out to Cali" for "a really good time" after Walker "crushed those union bastards."

And Walker said, "All right, that would be outstanding." (transcript here).

Not long thereafter, Walker found himself in front of a House sub-committee on Capitol Hill, where he denied, under oath, that 'fly me out to Cali' was the offer of something of value because:

"I don't even know where Cali is," he said (video). 

*  A few months ago, Scott Walker told the AP he didn't have a clue about the John Doe probe. Here's how the Eau Claire paper framed the story when running it: 

Walker says he knows nothing of investigation

"We don't know what exactly is involved," Walker said Friday when asked about the raid after a public event at Milwaukee's General Mitchell Airport.

"As far as what I know is what I've been reading in the press. I don't have any more information beyond that." 

*  Then a few weeks ago, Scott Walker drew another blank when the Journal Sentinel asked about where he thought the John Doe was headed, and he commented in this story:

Walker says he has met man jailed in investigation

In response to a question about those around him, Walker went on to say that he believed his aides - some of whom have come under scrutiny from authorities - had acted correctly as well.

"I'm not aware of anything, particularly for people working for me right now. There's nothing brought to my attention that would be a problem," Walker said.

Now this was beginning to ring a bell. Where have we seen this blank, 'I dunno,' slate before?

*  Here's one example, after a patient starved to death at the Mental Health Complex, the gubernatorial campaign was underway and a report about it could have surfaced:

Walker defends withholding Mental Health Complex report

"I don't know what's in it, so it's hard for me to say" if it should be released, Walker said. His administration had nothing to do with the report being withheld, Walker said.

But isn't there something earlier?

*  Ah, The Marquette Tribune had it in 2010, and used its files clear back to 1988, when Walker's campaign for student body president imploded over ethics and rule violations, and it was time to take responsibility:

Walker’s campaign record murky

In the run-up to election day, the Tribune’s editorial board endorsed Walker’s opponent John Quigley, but said either candidate had the potential to serve effectively.

However, the Tribune revised its editorial the following day, calling Walker “unfit for presidency...”

The revision also expressed disappointment in Walker’s campaign workers reportedly throwing away issues of the Tribune after the endorsement was initially made.

Walker dismissed this, saying he had no knowledge of what his supporters did, according to a Tribune article from February 25, 1988.

Like The Bard said, "What's past is prologue."