Open Government and Rule of Law Win Against Scott Walker and Deceit

Scott Walker Personally Sought to Kill the Wisconsin Idea and Lied, New Docs Confirm

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker sought to legislatively eviscerate the Wisconsin Idea in 2105 and lied publicly in denying he attempted the scheme, new documents the adminstration tried to keep secret show, (Beck, Wisconsin State Journal).

The attempt to kill the Wisconsin Idea was followed in 2015 by Walker's aborted attempt to legislatively kill Wisconsin's Public (Open) Records law. See also Wisconsin Public Records law.

The Public/Open Records case is Center for Media and Democracy, Kathleen Meter Lounsbury, The Progressive, Inc., and Jud Lounsbury v. Scott Walker, Office of the Governor, Wisconsin Department of Administration, and Scott Neitzel, (Case No.: 14 CV 1289), (Wisconsin State Journal document).

The release of the new documents confirms Scott Walker lied about his effort to destroy the long-cherished Wisconsin Idea.

Documents released last year also show Walker's duplicity, (Wisconsin State Journal (DeFour)).

Walker 2105 Aborted Attempt to Kill Wisconsin Idea

"Gov. Scott Walker's administration gave detailed, line-by-line instructions about how to strike the decades-old Wisconsin Idea from state law — even as top university officials objected — according to legislative drafting notes reviewed by the State Journal." (DeFour, Hall, Spicuzza and Simmons, Wisconsin State Journal, Feb. 6, 2015)

"First Walker defended the change. Then he backtracked and said it was a 'drafting error.' Then, after multiple news reports showed his staff's fingerprints were all over plans to delete wording from the UW's mission in the 2016-17 budget bill, he issued a lengthy and tortured statement Thursday [Feb. 5, 2015] saying it was all just a miscommunication," notes Rob Thomas. (The Capital Times)

The story on Walker's attempted radical transformation of the world-class University of Wisconsin System was broken by the Center for Media and Democracy's PRWatch, (Jonas Persson and Mary Bottari), on February 4, 2015.

Truth and Rule of Law Alive and Well

Much to acclaim in developments this week.

The Center for Media and Democracy, Kathleen Meter Lounsbury, The Progressive, Inc., and Jud Lounsbury fought the ever-desperate-for-secrecy Walker administration and won.

Dane County Judge Amy Smith ruled for transparency and the rule of law.

Local newspapers are becoming more aggressive in reporting the efforts of a mendacious Scott Walker from whom, no reasonable person can conclude, we can expect candor.