Secrecy In Government Undermines Wisconsin Democracy
(Originally posted, 5:45 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012) Within just a few days, Republicans in Wisconsin have promoted a more closed government or been caught communicating or managing public business with public dollars in secret.
This is an unacceptable series of events that strikes at the heart of Wisconsin's tradition of open government - - including long-standing law mandating Open Records, Open Meetings, detailed disclosure of lobbying activities and expenditures, and campaign donors' information.
Some of these circumstances have been unearthed in criminal investigations or civil litigation, thus were forced into the sunlight against the wishes of Republican operatives, office holders or attorneys-under-contract who were out to defeat or limit disclosure:
* Confidentiality agreements believed to be unprecedented that were signed by legislators in the offices of lawyers hired by Republican legislators at taxpayer expense - - agreements designed to keep new redistricting maps secret and away from effective comment until they were approved by legislators complicit in the secrecy scheme.
* The existence in the office suite of then-Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker of a secret, wireless email system - - installed on public property, and used by public employees for Republican campaign coordination and fundraising matters, according to the Milwaukee County District Attorney.
(Here's a link to my personal favorite, Scott Walker, hush-hush story.)
* A proposal by State Sen. Glenn Grothman to reduce campaign donor information available to the public at a time when information-free campaign donor cash is flooding the political system, and when existing laws about donor disclosure have been shabbily-enforced.
There's no good reason to let the state slide back to a dark age of secret governance and slippery campaign finance.
The public's business must be conducted in the open, since we're all paying the tab and law impacts sveryone.
This trend has got to be stopped cold, right now, and the state's media, operating under the First Amendment, have to take the lead.
6 comments:
Confidentiality agreements believed to be unprecedented
Was McLeod actually trying to throw a blanket of privilege over the entire caucus? He apparently thinks he did, given his petulance before a federal court.
Lester, our lonely eyes turn to you.
Here here. Journalists do your duty. Where are the outraged citizens? Senator Feingold please take one for the team. Run against this very corrupt man.
Public opinion is to be ignored? Minorities must be appeased? Give them someone they'll like? So everyone in Shorewood is a minority?Secret oaths to taxpayer funded lawyers? I can see why the judges looking at this were disgusted.
No longer will Chicago and politics be the first choice of words. Could the new norm be Wisconsin politics? Well maybe not but certainly a very close second.
This is very disgusting stuff, particularly that they would shut out the public when the public is paying Michael Best and Troupis $400K OF OUR DAMN MONEY TO DO THIS.
Legislators that ignore the public and lie to courts have lost the mandate to govern, and must go. If the Dems want to clean up in these recall elections, all candidates should demand independent redistricting (to replace these maps that'll be thrown out), and full exposure of PAC and candidate contributions.
Is there a link that will tell me the names of the legislators who signed this pledge?
@Anon: According to this journal sentinel link - - http://m.jsonline.com/138894589.htm - - Kapanke, Scott F. did not sign. All others, but two.
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