Thursday, February 16, 2012

Scott Jensen May Have Advised GOP On Drawing Hispanic District Lines

If accurate, that might be one reason the GOP has fought hard to keep some emails from public view, as Jensen was a lightning rod during his years of partisan activity in the state, but has been relatively unseen of late.

A federal appeals court has demanded in an order today that the emails be made public, which should take place soon, presumably.

[6:45 p.m. update: Here is a link to the Jensen emails.]

The emails to and from Jensen are a fascinating window into the operation and mindset of Republican political strategists as they connected with one if the GOP's former stars and masters of the legislative process.

Jensen is a former Tommy Thompson protege and Chief of staff, then GOP Assembly Speaker and politically dominant figure from the Town of Brookfield who was convicted on felony charges in the caucus scandal a decade ago.

His conviction was overturned, after which Jensen took a plea deal some years later to a forfeiture and an agreement to accept an earlier misdemeanor conviction, which left him barred from holding elective office in Wisconsin.

He has worked since for school choice proponents: Dan Bice profiled Jensen in 2010.

More on the email release as blogging continues...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please do keep posting more. I've yet to digest enough to have thoughts to contribute, but I'm coming back often for the updates. So this comment is just to let you know, before your hits show it, that your work continues to be appreciated.

Anonymous said...

I see a subpoena in Scott Jensen's future.

Anonymous said...

I am to say the least speechless! Give us the words James!

James Rowen said...

@Anon 9:58. Click through to the pdf. I cannot copy the emails. Sorry.

Reagan's Disciple said...

Sometimes it is more entertaining to let you guys hypothesize or fantasize about Walker being charged than it is to actually counter post.

Also.. Where is this weeks protest being held, and for what will everyone be protesting?

Boxer said...

Rayguns! We hadn't heard from you all week. Were you too busy answering Grand Jury questions? Downloading MBF e-mails? Fundraising with felons? Packing bags and updating passports?
Nah, you haven’t “counter-posted” as you say because you ain’t got game. Quite a bit of interesting information came out this week about your beloved Guv and his flying monkeys – perhaps too much for your denial machine to keep up with.
But it’s just like you to change the subject by sneering about protests. You change the subject often when you ain’t got squat—which also happens often.
By keeping our expectations low, we’re never disappointed in you.

A. Wag said...

"Scott Jensen May Have Advised GOP On Drawing Hispanic District Lines"
. . . because when you think of Scott Jensen, you automatically think of Hispanic Expert or Hispanic Leader. . . . or maybe. . . . Convicted Felon.

RD said...

Sorry about not checking in, I was wondering if you guys missed me.

I've just been busy with work, taxes and some family stuff. I also thought I had to go get an ID to vote. I then realized, that I like 99.99% of other people already had one!

@Wags - I believe Jenson's felony charges were dropped. Sorry!