FollowUp 27: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Another followup on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's complaint about big money pouring into the recall election from out of state.  Channel 3000 has a short article about some of Mr. Walker's big donors, many from out of state.

They've come up big for the embattled governor as he faces recall this spring, helping him shatter Wisconsin's political fundraising record. Campaign finance reports filed Monday show Walker raised a record $13.1 million between Jan. 18 and last week.

Among his chief benefactors were Diane M. Hendricks, founder of Beloit-based American Builders and Contractors Supply Co.; Sheldon Adelson, chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands casino; and Richard DeVos, owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team and co-founder of the Amway Corp., a direct-sales company.

Five others handed him $100,000 each.

The first one, Ms. Hendricks, is in private equity (same profession that Mitt Romney was prior to being a politician) and is based in Wisconsin.  The rest of those listed are from outside of Wisconsin.  Mr. Adelson, famous for funding much of Newt Gingrich's SuperPAC from Nevada, jumps out as notable.  This is a lot of out of state money.



The hypocrisy from the Governor is fairly blatant at the start of this clip from Channel 3000. Whether the Democrats choose Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett or former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk to run in June, the money is distinctly lopsided.

In terms of the Republican Primary, Arthur Kohl-Riggs has raised about two thousand dollars to go up against the Governor's millions.

Of course, the attention in Wisconsin will be on the Democratic Primary on 8 May for another week.  Then the spotlight can return to the lies from Governor Walker and a state in crisis that Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, campaigning for Governor Walker, is blaming on "a narrow group of citizens."

Sorry, Mr. Christie, but the labor movement is not a narrow group of citizens.  The labor movement is at the heart of society and the core of the middle class.

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.
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.

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.

FollowUp 25: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

As I have mentioned before, it is normal with an election coming up that candidates, liberal or conservative, tend to move toward the center.  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is not normal.

Mr. Walker is doubling down in his attack on teachers.

Madison - Gov. Scott Walker used his broad new powers to reshape a rule to lower inflation-based raises that public unions can negotiate by 30% or more for teachers in public schools and technical colleges.

The rule change would not use an individual's actual salary as a "base salary" to calculate raises and would exclude factors such as a teacher's higher degree.

There are two aspects of this that are typical of the Governor and reasons to support a recall.  First for teachers, this is another huge slap in the face and hit to the wallet.  Teachers who go on to earn a masters degree or doctorate are usually paying out of pocket for that degree and the compensation for learning more for their students is higher pay over time, which may go away.  Further, limiting pay increases to cost of living increases while requiring teachers to pay a greater percentage of their pension and healthcare means a net cut to the take home paycheck.  There will likely be a lawsuit over this change.

Katy Lounsbury, a Madison labor attorney, said the rules effectively neuter teachers unions in their bargaining over salaries. She said the rules may result in legal action because she believes they violate people's rights to associate.

"It certainly seems worthy of a challenge," she said. "It penalizes members of a union."

Second, this is happening while other public sector employees are being rewarded with bonuses, even while the state is running in the red.

MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Scott Walker has quietly reinstated a program to give merit raises and bonuses to some state workers even as he preaches cost-cutting and pushed through a bill eliminating most public employees' collective bargaining rights.

An analysis of data obtained by The Associated Press shows Wisconsin agencies have handed out more than $765,000 in bonuses and merit raises this year to 218 employees. The money was distributed under a program suspended by former Gov. Jim Doyle but reinstated by Walker last year.

The raises come as the state faces a $143 million shortfall and after the collective bargaining law required thousands of workers to contribute more to their pensions and health care.

This combination of acts looks like Mr. Walker is continuing to play favorites and reward cronies while punishing the unions that he sees as his enemies.  Given his attacks, the unions certainly are his enemies by now.

The ballots are approaching, primaries on 8 May and recall election on 5 June.  The dirty tricks continue.

So, what does Mr. Walker think about all of this?  He was interviewed by Stuart Varney on the Your World with Neil Cavuto Show on Friday.



It should be pointed out that Mr. Walker is a liar when saying that Republicans prevailed in all six recalls in 2011. The Republicans won four and the Democrats won two.  That is not "We ultimately prevailed in each of those races."

Regarding the money, 24% of Governor Walker's donors are sending in big money.  That is a huge percentage for a state campaign.  He neither addressed where the big money is coming from (think Koch brothers) nor how much is from out of state (think Koch brothers).

No mention is made of Arthur Kohl-Riggs, the Governor's primary challenger. Keeping to form, Mr. Walker proceeds with a cocky attitude and divisive attacks on labor in his state.

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.
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.

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.

FollowUp 23: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

graphic from Dane101.com

And the Republicans in Wisconsin are running fake (zombie?) candidates to forces primary elections again.  Here is the current ballot information for the 8 May 2012 Recall Primary.

In the 13th State Senate District, Democratic Party member Lori Compas of Fort Atkinson is making her first run for office.  Ms. Compas organized the recall of Scott Fitzgerald, who she now hopes to replace on 5 June.  She is running in the 8 May primary against Gary Ellerman, a supporter of Governor Walker and of Senator Fitzgerald who bills himself as a protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

In the 21st State Senate District, Democratic Party member and former State Senator John Lehman of Racine is running to replace Van Wanggaard, who replaced him in 2011.  He is running in the 8 May primary against Tamra Varebrook, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

In the 23rd State Senate District, Democratic Party member and former Assembly Member Kristen Dexter of Eau Claire is running to replace Terry Moulton.  She is running in the 8 May primary against James Engel, the president of the Wisconsin Ski Industry Associations, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

In the 29th State Senate District, Democratic Party member, former police officer, and current Assembly Member Donna Seidel of Wausau is running to replace Pam Galloway (who recently resigned rather than face a recall election to take care of family matters).  She is running in the 8 May primary against James Buckley, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

Working now toward the top of the ticket, the position of Lieutenant Governor, currently Rebecca Kleefisch, has three contenders in the 8 May primary.  The solid member of the Democratic Party is Mahlon Mitchell of Fitchburg (a small city just outside of Madison).  Mr. Mitchell is the President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin and was frequently on television to offer a union perspective regarding the Republican push to end collective bargaining.  His first challenger for the Democratic slot in June is a largely unknown private investigator from Milwaukee, Ira Robins.  The second challenger is Isaac Weix, another protest candidate; a fake Democrat.

The highest office in Wisconsin is up to seven contenders, five in the Democratic Primary and two in the Republican Primary.  The pattern continues, sort of.

Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk are the top contenders on the Democratic side.  Mayor Barrett. of Milwaukee, has had some awkward stands that have upset some union members, but is the most liked in polling.  Former County Executive Falk is preferred by unions, but many consider her to be too shrill (I know that this sounds like I am being sexist, but the language used privately against Ms. Falk is far worse and often comes back to the pitch of her voice).  Current Democratic Secretary of State, Doug LaFollette (whose name may sound familiar to those outside of Wisconsin because of Fighting Bob LaFollette of a century ago; Fighting Bob was Doug LaFollette's great-great-uncle), is considered to be a long shot but is still possible.  Democratic State Senator Kathleen Vinehout is on the ballot.  Gladys Huber is the gubernatorial protest candidate, another fake Democrat.

Scott Walker is defending his seat as Governor of Wisconsin.  But, he has an almost fake primary candidate in Arthur Kohl-Riggs, a pizza server who describes himself as a "progressive Republican" (an oxymoron these days) and says that he is not a fake Republican.

So the big question is Is this legal?  By Wisconsin Statutes, perhaps not.

(3) Prohibited acts. No person may:

(a) Falsify any information in respect to or fraudulently deface or destroy a certificate of nomination, nomination paper, declaration of candidacy or petition for an election, including a recall petition or petition for a referendum; or file or receive for filing a certificate of nomination, nomination paper, declaration of candidacy or any such petition, knowing any part is falsely made.

Declaring one is of a party that one knows is not so would be such a falsification.  On the other hand, this might be hard to prove.  An article on Dane101 has an extended discussion of the legality or lack thereof.  Democrats have asked that the "Zombie Candidates" be kept off the primary ballots.  That didn't work last year.

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.
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.

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.