FollowUp 3: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has upset a lot of Wisconsin residents.  He has earned their animosity by his lies about accepting campaign contributions before the state budget was passed, by engaging in union-busting and removing the right to collective bargaining for public employees, narrowing the right to assemble at the State Capitol, limiting the right to vote, limiting women's reproductive rights, running fake candidates in senatorial recall elections, and threats to destroy gubernatorial recall petitions.  (See the pages at the bottom for lots of details).  Now Governor Walker is alleging that those circulating recall petitions are paid to do so.

"I've assumed all along that between activists and paid circulators, if they paid enough people they'd ultimately be able to get that number," said Walker in an interview.

WISC-TV followed up with the governor, to ask if he had proof of any recall circulators being brought in from out of out of state or paid to gather signatures.

"I haven't talked to any of the circulators, not at all," said Walker. "My assertion was that if they did what they did in Ohio, which was they paid circulators along with activists and they got close to a million there in a state about twice our size, if they do that, they'd be more than likely to get enough to get on the ballot."

The assumption appears to be wrong.

The groups behind the Walker recall effort said people aren't being paid to circulate recall petitions.

United Wisconsin and the Democratic Party assert they're not paying anyone except supervisory staff.

So, apparently this is all fluff.  But it is very sneaky fluff.  Mr. Walker would like Wisconsinites to believe that there is something improper about the recall proceedings.  His record is not how he is going to convince most people that a recall is not what is best for Wisconsin, so he has to try something else.  In fact, there is nothing improper about paying those who circulate petitions.

Paying recall circulators is not illegal in the state of Wisconsin.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin paid a Colorado company to bring in petition circulators this summer during Senate recall elections.

The Government Accountability Board said Tuesday that it hasn't received any complaints or contact about any circulators being paid.

If we return to the substance of the issues, there is a very good change that Mr. Walker will be the first Governor ever to be recalled in the history of the State of Wisconsin.  If Mr. Walker can get people to believe that there is a problem with his adversaries, a problem that Mr. Walker does not mention that his party was guilty of in 2011, then he might distract people enough to keep his job.  Clever, but not good for Wisconsin.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.

14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.
18 February 2012, FollowUp 13.
22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.