FollowUp 7: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

The recall of Governor Walker in Wisconsin is not the only recall underway.  In addition, the Lieutenant Governor and the State Senate Majority Leader are also the subject of recall petitions.  Channel 3000 had two important articles on this yesterday and one today.

The first link is about the Wisconsin Senate Elections Committee approving bills that would make signing a recall petition twice a misdemeanor and paying for signatures a felony.

The Republicans' first bill would make knowingly signing a recall petition more than once a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and six months in jail.

Under the second bill, anyone who offers anything of value to induce a person to sign or not sign a recall petition would be guilty of a felony punishable by up to $10,000 and 3-1/2 years in prison.

I discussed these previously in FollowUp 6.  Scott Fitzgerald, picture to the right, the Republican Majority Leader in the Wisconsin Senate, is upset that petitions to recall him may be turned in with an extra three days. He seems to not appreciate the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fitzgerald on Thursday filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Board, saying the 60-day window for signature collection ends Friday at 5 p.m.

The board said at the outset of the recall effort on Nov. 15 that the clock didn't start ticking until the day after registration, which means signatures can be collected through Saturday.

They are due the next business day, which is Tuesday because of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday.

The complaint is absurd on its face.  Mr. Fitzgerald is likely to be recalled either way.  The Government Accountability Board is not going to play favorites on dates.  They are not going to change their calendar for him.  And, the signatures are ready.

A group working to recall state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says it has collected more than enough signatures to force an election.

The group needs 16,742 names by Saturday.

Lori Compas, the group's chairwoman, called a news conference at the state Capitol on Friday to announce she had collected more than enough signatures, although she declined to reveal how many.

So, the latest attempt at a dirty trick is to cry foul over the weekend when recall petitions are due happening to fall upon a three day weekend to honor Dr. King.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the push to finish gathering signatures for the recall petitions for Governor Walker is underway.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.

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.