RoJo 'writes' wordy, windy, self-serving, Trump-clearing non-testimony

And adds nothing to the inquiry except more lawyered-up, memory-deficient, Trump smooching chaff that only casts more doubt on every word to which he's affixed his signature.

Johnson asserted that government officials expressing concerns about Trump’s conduct are doing so because they “have never accepted President Trump as legitimate and resent his unorthodox style and his intrusion onto their ‘turf.’” Johnson accused these officials of trying to sabotage Trump and called out one of them, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, by name. 

Here is a link to his submission. Note he three times accuses various but unnamed government officials of trying to "sabotage" Trump from the get-go, and says they are upset at Trump's "unorthodox" style.

Unorthodox? Have you been following this President's relentless self-sabotage by tweeting, flip-flopping, race-baiting, white-nationalist-embracing, child-snatching at the southern border and hiring felons-in-waiting?

Too bad Johnson


can refuse to give sworn testimony.

And I remind you that Johnson has said food and health care are privileges, not rights, that Russian interference in the 2016 election was overblown, and that a sexual assault victim at the hands of a Wisconsin GOP legislative leader was better left unreported.

Details before he became Trump's Favorite Senatorial Always Trumper, here.

Pick your favorite Scott Fitzgerald highlight from a revealing list

Props to the Wisconsin State Journal for publishing a Scott Fitzgerald timeline, as his election to fill 22-term incumbent Jim Sensenbrenner's safely-gerrymandered GOP Congressional seat looks like a done deal.

I'd remembered many of Fitzgerald's harshly-rightist power-grabbing authoritarian moves which made the State Journal's list- - 


- - including seeking the arrest Democratic lawmakers stalling Walker's Act 10 attacks on public employment, but I had missed one which attests to his obviously-broad national perspective and could easily get him appointed to House committees dealing with prisons, immigrants and political dissent: 

September 1995: Announces he’s considering bringing chain gangs to Wisconsin after traveling to Alabama to see how they work. Later sponsors Senate bill requiring inmates on work details to be chained together.

Here's a 1995 story from The New York Times about the Alabama chain gang initiative Fitzgerald hoped to more up north to Wisconsin:

The image belongs more in the past than in the present: convicts, shackled together by leg irons, laboring by the roadside. Like Confederate widows, Yellow Dog Democrats and faded signs that say "See Ruby Falls," the chain gang's era in Southern history seemed long gone.

But soon, along the highways of northern Alabama, the chain gang will shuffle back into view.... 

The state's Prison Commissioner, Ron Jones....said the sight of a man in chains would leave a lasting impression on young people.

Repeat offenders, men who have lost respect for the law and overcome their fear of a life behind bars, will rediscover it on the chain gang, said Mr. Jones, a former prison warden. This is no voluntary program, but 12-hour days of stoop labor by men shackled to four other men by eight feet of chain.

Another Trump Quid Pro Quo. RoJo is with him. Again.

Just when we all were agreeing to stop talking Latin, I spot another Quid Pro Quo.

Trump is trading a wimp out on public health in exchange for vaping votes, and private industry support.

Trump backs off flavored vape ban he once touted

As he had done so many times before, Trump reversed course — this time on a plan to address a major public health problem because of worries that apoplectic vape shop owners and their customers might hurt his reelection prospects, said White House and campaign officials. He also believed job losses tied to the ban would cost him as he sought to trumpet economic growth. It was the latest example of the chaotic way policy is made — and sometimes unmade — in a White House where the ultimate decider often switches gears after making a controversial vow, whether on combating gun violence, pulling troops from Syria or promising to deliver an Obamacare replacement plan. 

And look whose lead he was following. 

Ron Johnson sends letter to Donald Trump urging him to abandon rules for vaping flavors, warns changes are being 'rammed through'

Noted on this blog a few days ago.

Yeah, that's our Ron. Not this one.

Regrettably, this one.

Ron Johnson summits to fresh flogging on Trump's behalf

The bromance is getting serious. It's a match as perfect as Trumps call ti Ukrainian President Zelensky, because Trump will do anything for a vote and Johnson will do anything for Trump. 

I smell at least an ambassadorship for Johnson, especially if Trump is re-elected so Walker can run for Johnson's seat. 

Better yet, because Trump never really wanted Pence as a running mate, Corporate Ron can be the new Mike Pence from swing state Wisconsin. 

WI DNR updating, expanding its wolves webpages

You might want to navigate around the DNR's updated Wolves in Wisconsin site. 

More information through new tabs and links is available.

I find it takes a few extra seconds to fully load, and make sure you scroll all the way down.

Ron Johnson submits to fresh flogging on Trump's behalf

I continue to be baffled that Ron Johnson goes back on network newsmaker TV programs to get his weekly flogging, as Newsweek reports Sunday:

GOP Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson was caught in a hypocritical accusation Sunday morning on NBC News after being challenged on a pre-2016 election quote that he would support the impeachment of Hillary Clinton should she be elected president the week after.

Sure, he's raising his media profile, but to what end? I don't subscribe to that 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' school of thought. 

Go ahead and Google 'Houston Astros/sign stealing.' Or 'Jim Jordan/Peter Welch.' Or 'Prince Andrews/Joel Epstein.'

Yet Johnson went back on "Meet the Press" today to get lit up again?

Chuck Todd Confronts GOP Senator: You Blame ‘Everybody’ but Trump on Ukraine Scandal

Did getting his self-interested pet tax bill change into Trump's big giveaway come with strings that long and tight?

When Johnson ran in 2010 in his first campaign against Feingold (and was re-elected in a 2016 rematch), I figured the job the Right had assigned him was taking down a liberal Democrat and then more or less being a place-holding tool serving big business as needed.

A sort of Bob Kasten 2.0.

But as it becomes clearer and clearer that Trump-the uber-top-down manager was directing the Ukrainian shakedown from his preferred perch above the law, it looks like Johnson is headed for more longer-lasting notoriety than a Kastenesque asterisk would convey,

But ask yourself: even if Johnson's wants to his legacy to read 'Was Leading Trump Apologist,' is it in Wisconsin's interest to have its senior Senator so openly embracing a renegade President facing the disgrace of impeachment, and perhaps and additional scandalous revelations, even indictments, as time goes on?

As Trump sinks, Wash Post highlights RoJo's role

Kudos to The Washington Post today for continuing to give

Ron Johnson his due:

More testimony raises the question: What did Ron Johnson know about Trump’s intentions with Ukraine?

The Wisconsin Republican’s name keeps popping up in testimony in critical conversations, including with Trump and Ukraine’s president. They are conversations that could help assess whether Ukrainians knew there were conditions on getting their military aid and whether Trump was behind ordering those conditions....

In July, the senator met with Andrii Telizhenko, a former Ukrainian diplomat who was known for circulating conspiracy theories about the Ukrainian government and the Democratic National Committee collaborating during the 2016 election, as reported last month by The Post’s Elise Viebeck, who was the first reporter to look at all of Johnson’s ties to this probe. 

And earlier:

‘Who leaked?’ An analysis of GOP Sen. Ron Johnson’s conspiracy-minded defense of Trump.

And even earlier:

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson just did Trump no favors on Ukraine

And speaking of Johnson 'popping up,' there he is in a Journal Sentinel story Saturday afternoon, again defending Trump:

During an interview, Johnson chided Democrats for pursuing impeachment. "There's no evidence of any kind of impeachable offense there," he said. "I don't know where the Democrats are going with this. I don't know why they're putting the country through this."

Bad-actor Enbridge's pipelines taking more heat

While remembering Enbridge's costly and extensive pipeline break pollution in Michigan, and in Wisconsin, and elsewhere, note this:

Minnesota attorney general files brief in support of lawsuit to shut down Line 5

Attorneys general from three states, including Minnesota [and Wisconsin], have filed briefs supporting an argument made by the Michigan Attorney General in a lawsuit filed to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.

Bridge over the Straits of Mackinac 

And also note this related development:

Wisconsin tribe says 'remove Line 5' despite Enbridge offer of $24M

A tribe in Northern Wisconsin still wants Line 5 off their land, despite a $24 million offer from Enbridge. 

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa sued Enbridge Energy earlier this year, asking them to immediately shut down the portion of the Line 5 oil pipeline that runs through their reservation. 

State Sen. Nass, (R-Snowflake), excuses himself from doing his job

Robin Vos's Milquetoast caucus just picked up another snowflake,

as did the GOP leaders' 'Won't'-Do-Their-Job-Club.' 

Using a fresh 'No!' to underscore a repetitive WI Republican 'talking point' is Whitewater GOP State Sen. Steve Nass, who is refusing to convene a hearing on Gov. Evers' nomination of a chairman for the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission.

Why? Because Nass found out that Gov. Evers had used profanity to describe GOP legislators who have spent the the last year hacking away at gubernatorial authority, nominations, budget proposals and other powers and procedures routinely exercised by previous governors.

Apparently, Nass takes colorful, idiomatic speech way-too-literally.

So now you know: never suggest to Nass that he keep his eyes peeled or his nose to the grindstone.

And remember, that this is not the first time that Nass has used his committee chairmanship to play partisan games at the expense of people who might appear at a hearing where he has room for authoritarian maneuvering.

GOP ends right-to-work hearing early, enraging unions

And, or dear me, 'profanities' appear to have played a role.

Dozens of people in the hearing room who had waited hours to speak leapt to their feet, shouting profanities. Nass called a vote on the bill over the din, but it was impossible to hear the roll over chants of “Shame!” 

Entries in Foxconn 'ideas' contest fell 80% since last year

Seriously: the multi-billion dollar multinational Foxconn talked Team Walker into $4.5 billion in public subsidies - - 

From NBC Nightly News, 7/21/19

- - and sponsors an 'ideas' contest which makes $500 awards!? 

That wouldn't buy you half a new iPhone assembled in a Foxconn factory overseas.

No wonder there are fewer applicants this year.

Entries Down in Second year of Foxconn's Smart Cities Contest

The company said it received a total of 71 submissions from 20 different higher education institutions around Wisconsin. The number of entries was down dramatically from last year when Foxconn drew 325 entries for the contest.

Or if the paltry checks don't explain why the number of entrants' has dwindled, maybe reason lies in the company's planning flips and flops.

Who knows, but the fall in entries is pretty stunning.

I will add this item to my Foxconn archive, now 2.5 years old with 359 posts.

WI's Great Lakes' diversion record aired unfavorably in Canada

I've noted Wisconsin's repetitive approvals for diversions of Great Lakes water,

Milwaukee shoreline, Lake Michigan 

and one Canadian water conservationist's complaints about that has hit media there.

Ontario, Quebec should be represented on IJC water compact

While the complainant does confuse the Waukesha and Racine-for-Foxconn diversion approvals, he's right about a) our state's diversion-happy record, and b) his observation that Canada - - (despite earlier objections) - - has virtually no say in how Great Lakes waters shared with the US can be diverted by US states because the overarching US-Canadian Great Lakes Compact as written assigns Canadian provinces an advisory role only.

And if Canadians don't like this part of Scott Walker's legacy, imagine if he'd gotten to build the US-Canada wall he promoted during his mercifully brief 2015 Presidential campaign flop. 

The Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker said on Sunday that building a wall on the US northern border with Canada was “a legitimate issue for us to look at”.

R. Kleefisch joins 'right-to-work' outfit

The Right in Wisconsin takes care of its own. Or should I say, continues in her case.

Note a story not getting enough discussion, though it has implications for 2022 WI gubernatorial maneuvering. Heads up, Robin Vos.

Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is joining the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin as its jobs ambassador, a role promoting careers in the construction trades.

ABC describes itself in an op-ed worth the read: 

That is why we at Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin promote merit-shop construction....

This is why we at the ABC of Wisconsin support right-to-work laws, and oppose discriminatory union-only project-labor agreements and anti-competitive price fixing (prevailing wages). And in that open competition, union and non-union firms can (and often do) work together to deliver safe, high-quality construction projects.

Others out-of-work Wisconsin Republicans finding recent soft landings from Rightist friends include Sean Duffy, Brad Schimel, Scott Walker...

The burbs enjoyed free city services, amenities. Now residency sweetens a 1-sided deal.

Longtime Milwaukee journalist Mike Gousha notes the negative impacts for Milwaukee in the wake of Republicans' 

River Hills GOP State Sen. Alberta Darling helped unlock suburb residency for City of Milwaukee workers

self-serving salting of conservative suburbs with City of Milwaukee workers.

He says city workers are leaving in "droves."

Throw that in with all the city services (water, sewer, streets, building inspection, plowing, police, fire, parks, health...) provided to suburban commuters to one-sided residency win for the burbs at Milwaukee taxpayers' expense.

As well as another example of governments acting to the detriment of Milwaukee, land-locked by state law and hemmed in by numerous public actions policies that work to the detriment of the state's largest city, and one with a majority-minority population.

I'd noted the predictable imbalances and partisan beneficiaries of the residency 'reform' boondoggle often on this blog.

Such as this 2015 post:

Residency moves to WMC/WI Supreme Court

The attack on Milwaukee residency's rule was the brainchild of anti-city, Republican suburbanite right-wing talk show favorites, like State Senators Alberta Darling of River Hills and Wauwatosa's Leah Vukmir - - reliable water carriers for the Milwaukee Police Association and their members who, for years, wanted to be able to move out of the city which paid them to protect its residents and property..

The suburbanites' legislative districts and home values directly benefited by the mandated-from-Madison end of the residency rule - - robbing the city of the option to negotiate it - - as Milwaukee public employees moved to the suburbs with solid middle-class salaries and job stability provided by Milwaukee taxpayers.

And, of course, there is Walker, who loves to stick it to the city that made his life miserable as he used the office of Milwaukee County Executive to launch his bid for higher offices.

Johnson urges inaction on vaping

You thought he couldn't do worse for people and the country than carrying water for Trump on Ukraine, but RoJo has added eased vaping

to a bucket list without end. Or morality.

Ron Johnson sends letter to Donald Trump urging him to abandon rules for vaping flavors

Please don't trouble special-interest obeisant Johnson with facts reported Nov. 8th: 

Federal health officials have identified vitamin E acetate in the lung fluids of 29 people sickened in the outbreak of dangerous vaping-related lung injuries. The discovery is a “breakthrough” that points to the oil as a likely culprit in the outbreak that has sickened more than 2,000 people and killed at least 39, a top official said Friday.

But wait: Johnson's got a history with vape store operators and their customers:

A vaper voting bloc?

Vocal vapers point to Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson's shocking election victory in 2016 as proof of their power.

Johnson became a folk hero on vaping websites after pushing back on proposed Food and Drug Administration vaping regulations. 

Final point: Don't let years of credit due Joel Kleefisch go up in smoke:

THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016

New vaping rules might give Joel Kleefisch the vapors

As the US Food and Drug Administration moves against the health hazards of e-cigarette vaping let's not forget - - noted here - - that Wisconsin State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, (R-Oconomowoc), in his inimitable style, has long been a vaping defender via news release:

Vapor devices contain nicotine without the tar, old mattresses and rat poison contained in tobacco cigarettes and cigars. In the body, nicotine has virtually the same effects as when caffeine is consumed...

Right in Lake Country, the electronic vapor device industry is booming at Johnson Creek Enterprises...Businesses like this have opened the door to a flourishing industry that's mission is providing consumers a choice other than smoking tobacco products... 

It's not governments job tell people of the legal age that they are not allowed to partake in a legal activity... 

The nanny state needs to stop interfering in our daily lives. It's no longer a matter of whether there will be efforts for government to step in and start up the vapor patrols. 

Mandated large-lot, single-family building codes get a court date

For your 'why-things-are-the-way-they-are' file.

Litigation has been filed in Federal Court challenging the legality of zoning in River Hills that prevents multi-family housing. The story is behind the Journal Sentinel's paywall, for now. 

The problem, according to a new federal lawsuit, is that River Hills' approach of zoning the entire village for large-lot single-family homes violates state growth management law and the federal Fair Housing Act.

I have been writing for years about the larger consequences and context for this reality - - from exclusionary zoning to Interstate construction that served commuters and further uprooted and blocked Milwaukee central city residents from housing, neighbors, businesses and opportunities - -  


- - and I want to note that large-lot home building codes got on the books in other Milwaukee suburbs, like Mequon in Ozaukee County, and Chenequa in Waukesha (See Chenequa zoning code, p. 13), which helped keep Milwaukee isolated and fueled the government-led regional segregation that is too often reported as a City of Milwaukee-only phenomenon.

SE WI segregation fueled by governments which need to address it

Eight years ago, I posted excerpts of a powerful Journal Sentinel op-ed about it all, and I commend it to you, in full.

The price of covert apartheid

Evers can't play in Scott and Robin's clubhouse

Scott and Robin's clubhouse sports a shiny new new yard sign again shouting 'NO'  - - this time to Gov. Evers and the state's electorate.

To understand why they have no intention of ever saying yes tp 'won't you be my neighbor,' I recommend an insightful column by veteran State Capitol watcher Steve Walters in which explains that GOP leaders Scott Fitzgerald and Robin Vos fired Evers' ag secretary Brad Pfaff to teach the new Governor a thing or two about the Legislature.

The vote fired Pfaff and sent Evers this blunt message: You don’t see the Legislature as an equal branch of government; you never served in it, and don’t know how it works. But Republicans control the Legislature.

In other words, the legislature is Scott and Robin's clubhouse, and they have a solemn duty to remind Evers that he will forever remain at the door and on probation.

So he better a) learn all their association's secret handshakes, arcane, even unwritten traditions, pliable rules and b) be ready when hit up to pay the tribunes their demanded tribute.

Until then, Evers gets a time out and state farmers failing in jaw-dropping numbers can go suck lemons, to reprise a Wisconsin Republican 'principle.'

That essence of Scott and Robin Preeminence Power Manual, their 'How-To' about Legislative process and priorities and pecking order, has been captured in their short video, here.

Two more points to remember:

* The people of the state decided that Evers, not Walker was to Governor through January, 2021 no matter how many times Scott and Robin meltdown or scheme to undo that fact.

* And while Scott and Robin demand that Evers show them respect, don't ever forget that they denied it to the legislator Jimmy Anderson, because, you know, he's a Democrat whom they claim had committed the political sin which Robin and Scott would never have been flaunting for a year and openly on the public stage:

Grandstanding.

Robin Vos heard of cuss words, and aw, jeepers!

From a man whose party has slashed public education spending, frozen the minimum wage, cut food aid to low-income citizens, and just withheld assistance to the homeless - - including veterans and children - - we finally learn what activates this man's moral compass:



Swear words?

Robin Vos

@repvos

This is beyond pathetic. Swearing and calling people names certainly isn't becoming of any elected official much less the Governor. Time for him to admit it was a mistake and stop this behavior.

Quote Tweet

Patrick Marley

@patrickdmarley

· 4h

.@GovEvers calls GOP senators 'bastards' for 'stupid and amoral' vote -- via @DanielBice http://bit.ly/36YQXXU