In The 2010 Gubernatorial Race, Walker Had His Thumb On the Scales, And...

His hand in our taxpayer pocket, too.

This is a reminder that central to case for Walker's recall is the way his Milwaukee County Executive, taxpayer-paid staff and office resources were diverted to partisan, political purposes.

In an election where Walker won with only 52% of the vote, that amounted to an inappropriate public subsidy and a one-sided benefit wrongly obtained and wielded.

We do not yet know the full story of who ordered and coordinated this diversion of public resources, and we may not be given this information before the June 5th recall election - - but we do know that Darlene Wink, purportedly on the public payroll in Walker's office to carry out constituent relations has already pleaded guilty to doing partisan work for the Walker gubernatorial effort on County time.

Which means that every Milwaukee County taxpayer - - from Walker opponent Tom Barrett on down to yours truly - - chipped in out of property tax payments to the County budget so the Walker campaign and other partisan efforts didn't have to pay for all of its staff and overhead expenses with their own money.

Fair play?

We also know that Kelly Rindfleisch, another at-will apppointee of then-County Executive Walker - - with the title of Deputy Chief of Staff - - has also been charged criminally with performing campaign and partisan work on County time.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney has disclosed that a clandestine email system was installed by Tim Russell, another Walker appointee, less than 25 feet from Walker's office that was allegedly used to coordinate political communications, strategy and fund-raising.

And used to discuss County business beyond the reach of document requests under the State Open Records law.

Note also that when the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel broke the story during Walker's gubernatorial campaign, Walker ordered Russell - - Deputy Chief of Staff was also among his several titles during long service to Walker - - to cut off any more politicking on public time - - not because it was unethical or illegal, but so the newspaper would not be in a position to write another such damaging story.

Granted, the State Constitution does not establish grounds for a recall effort - - but major Walker actions, including the secretive way he held back his plan to shred collective bargaining and the secretive way his County office served pre-election, partisan efforts while he was in charge would easily meet any reasonable definition for recall cause.

You can work your way to coverage and documentation about these matters, here.

And I have been writing about a lack of moral authority in Walker's performance as Governor since early 2011 - - a long time before recall petition drive organizing or campaigning got underway.

And it has become a theme I have highlighted since.

                                      Cross-posted at Purple Wisconsin