The cache of John Doe files published by The Guardian extends beyond the Walker recall election to the role of corporate money in legislating and litigating lead paint responsibilities - - a big deal in Wisconsin because of the widespread use of now-banned toxic lead paint in older Milwaukee homes.
The Journal Sentinel approaches The Guardian's scoop - - a not uncommon follow-up tactic - - by focusing first on a highlight, the lead paint element.
Lead contamination is a major news story these days, and the way that lead pain interests manipulated the Wisconsin political and judicial system is worth attention - - though it's part of a bigger, ugly story about corporate influences and political secrecy tainting the entire political environment.
Other media may focus on a Donald Trump donation to Walker - - already reported; there are details and tidbits and bombshell disclosure too numerous to mention in what is an almost book-length story, including graphics and pdf documents.
It was a 2005 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling against lead paint manufacturers by then-Justice Louis Butler which helped trigger his eventual ballot box ouster by bib business forces which went on to swing the court to its current, 5-2 rihjt-wing majority that protects Walker and a shared corporate agenda.
I'd posted just yesterday an item about the court's intentional removal of conflict-of-interest rules meant to ensure judicial fair play, and a few days earlier a separate item - - "Walker and his toxic touch" - - but I never imagined there would such a quick and detailed account of just how toxic (think: lead) Walker's performance and the court direction and decline had actually been.
The GOP-controlled Wisconsin legislature recently amended Wisconsin's John Doe law, removing political investigations from its reach.
The Guardian files fill out the sickening growth of the corporate state and insider, dark money's influence in Wisconsin, noted earlier here when it comes to pollution tolerated.
Manure seems to be the operative Wisconsin term these days.
The Journal Sentinel approaches The Guardian's scoop - - a not uncommon follow-up tactic - - by focusing first on a highlight, the lead paint element.
Lead contamination is a major news story these days, and the way that lead pain interests manipulated the Wisconsin political and judicial system is worth attention - - though it's part of a bigger, ugly story about corporate influences and political secrecy tainting the entire political environment.
Other media may focus on a Donald Trump donation to Walker - - already reported; there are details and tidbits and bombshell disclosure too numerous to mention in what is an almost book-length story, including graphics and pdf documents.
It was a 2005 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling against lead paint manufacturers by then-Justice Louis Butler which helped trigger his eventual ballot box ouster by bib business forces which went on to swing the court to its current, 5-2 rihjt-wing majority that protects Walker and a shared corporate agenda.
I'd posted just yesterday an item about the court's intentional removal of conflict-of-interest rules meant to ensure judicial fair play, and a few days earlier a separate item - - "Walker and his toxic touch" - - but I never imagined there would such a quick and detailed account of just how toxic (think: lead) Walker's performance and the court direction and decline had actually been.
The GOP-controlled Wisconsin legislature recently amended Wisconsin's John Doe law, removing political investigations from its reach.
The Guardian files fill out the sickening growth of the corporate state and insider, dark money's influence in Wisconsin, noted earlier here when it comes to pollution tolerated.
Manure seems to be the operative Wisconsin term these days.
Wow...........I read the report. What a bunch of filthy, dirty scumbags Walker and friends are. To put children at risk and allow their families no legal recourse with lead levels in children's blood up to 48 micrograms when 5 micrograms was considered toxic in Detroit. Walker and his legislators were so desperate to keep the majority on the Supreme Court in their camp and to protect Walker's agenda that they took dark money from any source they could find. They took $750,000 from the lead paint manufacturer to pass laws protecting him from new lawsuits and then snuck a clause into the state budget after midnight to free that company from existing lawsuits in Wisconsin. Walker knew full well the hazard of lead paint to children in Milwaukee but for $750,000 let them swing in the wind with no protection and no legal recourse. What kind of man would do that to children? I guess we now know the kind of man and who he is!
ReplyDeleteToo funny how these John Doe emails were leaked half-way around the world to The Guardian and not a Wisconsin newspaper. Apparently, the leakers wanted the documents published. I'll bet 10 dollars to any and all takers that they were leaked to Wisconsin media.
ReplyDeleteAnd true to their purpose of catapulting the propaganda, no Wisconsin news team would tell the truth here.
Does anyone remember the price of the donor-written legislation allowing the world's largest open pit taconite mine in the Penokee Hills? Was it $70,000 or $700,000? I'm wondering if the paint lead manufacturer got ripped off. It's looking more and more like these WisGOP losers would stoop to pick small change out of a gutter; that's how desperate they are these days to stay in power (i.e., serve their masters).
ReplyDelete$1.2 mil, as another $500K from Gogebic was revealed in this week's Doe docs.
DeleteBut hey, Luther Olsen claims he had NO IDEA that payback was involved in the lead paint bill that was snuck into a 999 motion late at night. NONE I TELL YOU!
Since every home built before 1978, when lead paint was banned, contains lead, should we tear down all the houses?
ReplyDeleteSince lead was not removed from gasoline until the 70's but spewed lead exhaust over all the land, in particular high population density areas such as cities, should we remediate all the soil?
Since lead paint was used in printing and packaging of food products such as bread bags, well - not sure what we'd do for that one.
I'm just saying... Flint Michigan cases excluded - we learned that lead is super bad for children. Every renter and home buyer is required to receive a booklet on how to avoid the dangers of lead. I have to wonder how many people throw it away and play the blame game when a problem arises.
Milwaukee and many other older cities have lead water laterals from the city to the residence water meter. Should the city be responsible for allowing the use of lead piping for drinking water? Mayor Barrett is recently concerned about this. He was in Waukesha this week speaking on how to raise the funds to replace the lead laterals. Sell Waukesha Lake Michigan water. That ship sailed a long time ago.