Sep 14, 2011

Anthony Hardie Resigns from Wisconsin Veterans Agency over Corrupt Walker Appt

Anthony Hardie
The recent nomination of John Scocos to serve as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs has led another decorated veteran to resign a state veterans' post in protest.

Under the ultra-political Scott Walker administration, veterans have expressed concerns over the state's commitment to facilitating care, advice and benefits in the face of Scott Walker's ideology denigrating veterans and other public servants.

Walker's appointments lacking effective performance fit the worst practices of what is generally regarded as a corrupt administration facing a recall next year.

Update: Today, a top Scott Walker aide was served a warrant with about a dozen law enforcement officers, including FBI agents. Other top aides, suspected of corruption and shady dealings, have recently resigned as well in the past two months.

Observers say more resignations in protest of the corruption in the Walker administration and its commitment to political fealty over public service are likely. Additonally, a corrupt Bush-era U.S. Attorney, Steven Biskupic, now working for a GOP-connected law firm, is defending the Scott Walker campaign in a John Doe investigation expected to reach deep into the Walker administration and campaign.

"Walker's top two lieutenants for the last three years of his eight-year tenure as county executive, including the busy months leading up to the November election," are now under criminal investigation the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

By Dan Bice

Anthony Hardie, former executive assistant to Scocos, announced today that he was leaving the Council on Veterans Programs because of Walker's selection of Hardie's former boss.

"Perhaps this small action by one individual will draw some small bit of needed attention to these and other serious issues related to this flawed nomination," Hardie wrote in his resignation letter.

The council advises the state Department of Veterans Affairs and the Board of Veterans Affairs on issues involving the problems of veterans.

State Veterans Affairs Board Vice Chairman Peter Moran stepped down from his post last month, offering only a one-sentence resignation letter. Sources told No Quarter that Moran was quitting because of Scocos' nomination as veterans affairs secretary.

In 2009, Moran was one of five board members who voted to fire Scocos as veterans affairs chief.

Board members blamed Scocos for financial and communications problems at the agency he led for six years. Scocos then sued the agency and its board members over his firing, alleging his rights to return to his job after deploying to Iraq were violated. His lawsuit is pending.
Press Release and Letter - Another Veteran Resigns Over Scocos Nomination

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