Wisconsin Partisan DoJ Appellate Unit Protects GOP Laws Against Individual Rights Claims

The people of Wisconsin will not give up their claims of liberty to vote, to marry, to use public bathrooms, to breathe safe air, drink safe water, to organize and on and on.

Constitutionally protected liberties must therefore be fought by Republicans running Wisconsin government for the benefits of Republicans and far-right forces like the Koch brothers for whom Republicans use state government.

To accomplish their task, Wisconsin Republicans passed the 2015-17 budget with funds for the creation of the Republican litigation unit, the Office of the Solicitor General, in the Republican-led Department of Justice.

Writes Steven Verburg is the Wisconsin State Journal:

[C]ritics view the five-lawyer office as money wasted on far-right legal battles most voters don’t support.

'It’s a mini right-wing law firm in the attorney general’s office,' said state Rep. Chris Taylor, a Madison Democrat and member of the Legislature’s finance committee who opposed adding the office’s five attorneys to Schimel’s Department of Justice budget.

Of the 35 cases the new office was involved in, about one-third list the state as defendant. Those include a challenge that overturned a state law restricting abortion rights last month, and pending Constitutional tests of a voter identification requirement and limits on labor unions.

The office is also handling several appeals of criminal convictions. Most of its caseload, however, is made up of Schimel’s challenges to federal policy in such areas as immigration, health care, transgender access to bathrooms, and pollution controls. ...

Madison attorney Carl Sinderbrand said his concern was with how Schimel was using the office. Sinderbrand, who was a state assistant attorney general from 1979 to 1990, recalled when one of his assignments was to keep an eye on federal officials who were looking for sites to store nuclear waste.

Sinderbrand said Schimel’s use of the solicitor general’s office was misguided because it went beyond the usual level of partisanship he has seen in other attorneys general of both parties.

'This is hyper partisanship,' said Sinderbrand, who has since represented state agencies, fought against them in court, and been hired as an arbitrator for department lawsuits. 'And that’s damaging, because the attorney general should be out there as the people’s lawyer, not his party’s lawyer.'

Conservationists have said Schimel’s aggressive opposition to federal pollution regulations raised concerns especially in light of his reduction of a department unit responsible for enforcing environmental laws.

Taylor, the Democratic state legislator, pointed to materials distributed by the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, calling on states to file lawsuits to block the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed the air pollution rule while court challenges from 26 states are being heard.

Rep. Chris Taylor's office put a press release out this month noting the private creation of the "Center for Competitive Federalism (CFC), whose main objective will be engaging in ideological litigation aimed at advancing conservative policies and ideas," (Wheeler Report).

The Office of Solicitor General works in political concert with rightwing interest groups like CFC to defend anti-public interest and anti-liberty laws passed by Republicans.

Below is the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) Summary of the 2015-2017 budget and the budgetary description of the Office of the Solicitor General.

12. SOLICITOR GENERAL'S OFFICE [LFB Paper 419]
Governor Jt. Finance/Leg.
(Chg. to Base) (Chg. to Gov) Net Change
Funding Positions Funding Positions Funding Positions
PR $1,027,700 4.00 $0 0.00 $1,027,700 4.00
FED 0 0.00 0 - 4.00 0 - 4.00
Total $1,027,700 4.00 $0 - 4.00 $1,027,700 0.00

Governor: Provide $443,200 in 2015-16 and $584,500 in 2016-17, and 4.0 unclassified positions, to create a solicitor general and three deputy solicitors general. Funding would be provided as follows: (a) $302,500 in 2015-16 and $403,300 in 2016-17 for permanent position salaries; (b) $121,500 in 2015-16 and $162,000 in 2016-17 for fringe benefits; and (c) $19,200 annually for supplies and services. Program revenue for the Solicitor General's Office would be generated from funds received from other DOJ appropriations for expenses related to the Office. The administration indicates that the creation of a Solicitor General's office would, "allow the Department to provide a more in-depth level of representation for the state at both the state and federal appellate levels for increasingly complicated legal issues."

Provide the Attorney General authority to appoint, in the unclassified service, a solicitor general and no more than three deputy solicitors general, each of whom must be an attorney at law licensed in Wisconsin. Further, provide the Attorney General authority to assign assistant attorneys general to assist the solicitor general.

Finally, create a continuing, program revenue solicitor general appropriation to support the Solicitor General's Office. Program revenue for the appropriation would be generated from funds transferred from other DOJ appropriations for expenses related to the Solicitor General's Office.

Joint Finance/Legislature: Delete the solicitor general appropriation. Further, delete funding and position authority totaling $443,200 PR in 2015-16, $584,500 PR in 2016-17, and 4.0 unclassified PR positions annually.

Instead, authorize the legal services investigation and prosecution continuing PR appropriation to support the Solicitor General's office. Further, increase the position and expenditure authority of the investigation and prosecution appropriation by $443,200 PR in 2015-16, $584,500 PR in 2016-17, and 4.0 unclassified PR positions. Under current law, the appropriation is authorized to support DOJ's expenses related to the investigation and prosecution of violations, including attorney fees. Program revenue for the appropriation is generated when DOJ recovers expenses from its investigation and prosecution of violations relating to: (a) the Medical Assistance program; (b) marketing and trade practices; (c) trusts and monopolies; and (d) various environmental violations enforced by the Department of Natural Resources. There is no base funding or position authority associated with this appropriation.

Direct the Attorney General to eliminate 4.0 position vacancies. For purposes of this summary, it is assumed that the Attorney General would eliminate 4.0 FED positions. However, the Department could eliminate 4.0 positions from a combination of other funding sources.

[Act 55 Sections: 744v, 3501, and 3671]

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.

UW-Madison Ups Public Words on Proposed Cell Tissue-Stem Cell Research Ban

UW-Madison Chancellor Addresses UW Board of Regents with Words Aimed at Faculty, Researchers, Students and other UW System Advocates, as GOP Disinformation Campaign Amps Up

Updated - In words intended to assuage allies and use assets to pressure Republican legislators and Scott Walker, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank advised UW System regents Friday proposed legislation criminalizing fetal tissue research imperils the University.

"This is a direct hit," Blank said. "This is a threat to one of our strongest areas in terms of our reputation in the sciences." (Herzog, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

The vast majority of the UW System Board of Regents has been ideologically vetted and appointed by the Evangelical Scott Walker. (Mal Contends)

Blank's escalation—following her halting public advocacy—is part of a massive, behind-the-scenes effort involving advocates for the entire UW System is every key Wisconsin legislative district.

Republicans are countering with their own disinformation campaign, pretending to an expertise in fetal cell-stem cell research—telling policymakers and opinion-makers on background that the bill by the religious right on "body parts," to borrow from Rep. Jacque and Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc), and inserted into their proposed amendment to the Wisconsin criminal code—does not apply to a wide line of research and investigation at UW-Madison, which is of course a lie.

Other levers to derail the research-killing legislation are being utilized, even if the subtle-to-silent PR strategy of the UW System administration baffles and frustrates many. The American corporate left has acted, and reportedly stands ready.

Many still ask, why hasn't the UW been aggressively pointing out that Republicans are standing for cancer, not fighting against it? Have you ever known or are you now a family traumatized by cancer and other ailments that stem cells could be used to treat and cure in the future? Most every family has.

Risky Strategy

This is a risky strategy for the UW System during a year when Scott Walker began his run for the presidency extolling his 'taking on' public employees, public education, community control and workers' wages.

Moreover, students facing massive student loan debt since Ronald Reagan began his attack on higher education some 24 years ago, can not be counted on to sing the University System's praises, much less employ pressure across the state on behalf of UW centers. (Salon) (Dissent Magazine)

The cat is out of the bag one of nation's premier public research institutions is under attack in a state where rural and white-district Wisconsin Republicans and Scott Walker function as surrogates for rightwing groups such the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and Evangelical, anti-science groups across the country now at their apex in the Republican Party.

Since the months and even days directly preceding Walker's formal July 13 announcement for the presidency, Walker has made attacking the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin Idea a centerpiece of his campaign to destroy public education in Wisconsin, which includes a years-long attack on K-12 public education. (Marshall, TPM) (ThinkProgress)

Former Wisconsin State Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) [(State Assembly (1983-1991), State Senate (1991 to 2015)]—hailed by some for blowing the whistle on his Republican Party as corrupt and beholden to special interests in 2013-14 as Republicans clung to a 17-16 majority in the senate (Craver, The Capital Times)—decided the most effective strategy for challenging the corruption of Wisconsin Republicans is to quit and take his pension, rather than fight.

"When some think tank comes up with the legislation and tells you not to fool with it, why are you even a legislator anymore? You just sit there and take votes and you’re kind of a feudal serf for folks with a lot of money," said Schultz in an important piece in the Madison Capital Times in 2103 (Craver, "The Last Moderate ..."). That Schultz could have said, 'no,' apparently did not occur to the former legislator.

Prospects

This weekend Scott Walker is in Iowa campaigning, the Badgers football team hosts its first home game and Packers play the Bears on Sunday. One must have priorities.

It is unlikely public attention will be focused on Walker's hollowing out of Wisconsin's public education system and representative democracy this weekend.

Walker now eyes again Wisconsin's public pension system in an effort to bankrupt Wisconsin communities, which remain largely opposed to Walker demanding the end of local municipal control, in another ALEC bill Walker wants to impose onto the state.

In the following weeks, hope for the preservation of the UW System, public education and the effective structure of representative democracy in Wisconsin lies with the 33-member Wisconsin State Senate—more difficult to gerrymander than the 99-member lower house, the State Assembly.

Wisconsin Republicans hold a relatively slim 19-14 majority in the state senate, and an overwhelming 63-36 majority in the state assembly.

Walker, stinging from national criticism questioning his intellect, policy knowledge and ethics, can be counted on take his frustrations out on Wisconsin where his favorable rating has now dipped into the 30s, and sign any legislation which hurts people, impedes science, and degrades the University of Wisconsin-Madison in particular.

"Asked whether the phrase 'cares about people like you' describes Walker, 37 percent say it does, while 59 percent say it does not" in a poll lat month, (Marquette University Law School poll.

On a hopeful note, if ordered by David Koch—who is a champion of efforts to research and cure cancer—and other patrons to back off, Walker's administration will see to it the fetal research-stem cell bill not reach the governor's desk. The "double-high authoritarian" Walker takes orders and often backs down. (Mal Contends) (CounterPunch)

Whether the popular University of Wisconsin System will publicly and fully mobilize is an open question.

Scott Walker's Assault on Tenure Draws National Criticism

What's the matter with Wisconsin?

The question is not asked often any more as the answer is apparent: Scott Walker's anti-intellectualism, corruption, and a weak state Democratic Party precisely when Wisconsin needed an innovative, strong opposition to this fundamentalist governor's destructive agenda taken from the ALEC GOP bill mill and the Koch brothers.

Bear in mind Walker is so controlling and ideologically extreme that Walker rescinded his appointment of UW-Platteville student Joshua Inglet to the Board in August 2013 after finding out Inglet signed the Recall Scott Walker petition to show support for his mother who is a teacher.

From an editorial from this weekend's New York Times, Scott Walker's latest attack, sites the foundation of the Badger state: the University of Wisconsin System; aiming at the tenure system in this volley.

This follows Walker's attacks on funding and University's core mission: The Wisconsin Idea. (Mal Contends) (Persson and Bottari, Center for Wisconsin Media and Democracy) [Note: Persson and Bottari broke this story in February 2015]

Walker now has in place a University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents composed of a large majority of politically vetted members dedicated to destroying the very institution they are appointed to safeguard. In May 2017, Walker will have appointed 16 of 18 serving members of the UW System Board of Regents. (Mal Contends)

Used to be the University of Wisconsin-Madison drew 1,000s of applicants from the world-over to study at one of the nation's premier educational institutions and a verdant, cultural oasis in the Midwest.

Scott Walker never liked this state of affairs and is out to destroy an institution that took generations to build.

From the New York Times:

Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal for weakening tenure at Wisconsin’s highly respected state university system and undermining the faculty’s role in campus governance will appeal to conservative voters whose support he needs to win the Republican presidential nomination.

But if this proposal becomes law, it will damage the university, perhaps irreparably. It will make it harder to recruit top-tier faculty members, who have the pick of other institutions that respect academic independence and where they do not have to fear dismissal for taking controversial views or for doing research that might be frowned upon by politicians.

It has become fashionable to portray academia as a haven for people who enjoy job security while others are subject to layoffs and downsizing. But most college instructors are not protected by tenure. According to federal data, only 20.35 percent of instructional faculty at American colleges are full-time, tenure-track workers (down from 45 percent in 1975). Colleges rely heavily on miserably paid part-timers who flee the campus when class is finished so they can get to the next job.

Tenure protections were devised in the mid-20th century to protect academics from political reprisals. Current Wisconsin state law respects this tradition, allowing tenured faculty to be fired for just cause or in financial emergencies.

A committee of state lawmakers last week approved a new proposal that would remove tenure from state law, leaving the matter to the university system’s 18-member Board of Regents, 16 of whom are appointed by the governor with the confirmation of the State Senate. Under the proposal, the board would be able set new, vaguer standards for firing tenured faculty: “when such an action is deemed necessary due to a budget or program decision requiring program discontinuance, curtailment, modification or redirection.” Another provision would weaken the faculty’s voice in policy and personnel decisions.

Faculty members have ample reason to suspect Mr. Walker’s motives. Earlier this year, he issued a budget containing devastating spending cuts that also sought to amend the university’s mission statement to make it sound more like a trade school than a prominent research institution. He backed away from the new language after the state erupted in protest.

The Legislature, which will take up the new proposals later this month, can still reject them. Rubber-stamping them would set the state university on a course that Wisconsinites could regret for decades to come. #

UW System Board of Regents

John Robert Behling - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2012 (Regent Vice President)
Mark J. Bradley - Term expires May 2017
José Delgado - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2014
Tony Evers - Elected as Superintendent of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction


Margaret Farrow - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2013
Michael Grebe, Jr. - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2015
Eve Hall - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2014
Nicolas Harsy - Term expires May 2016

Tim Higgins - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2011
Edmund Manydeeds - Term expires May 2017
Regina Millner - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2012 (Regent President)
Janice Mueller - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2013

Drew Petersen - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2013
Charles Pruitt - Term expires May 2016
Anicka Purath - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2015
José F. Vásquez - Term expires May 2016


Gerald Whitburn - Appointed by Scott Walker in 2011

Andrew Peterson - Reappointed by Scott Walker in 2015.
Peterson is president of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board similarly dominated by Walker appointees.

Scott Walker's Attack on UW System Draws National Attention

Updated - What do you with a world-class public University system in your state that took generations to build?

If you are Scott Walker and the Republicans, you take steps to degrade it into a large tech school.

There used to be a bipartisan consensus the University of Wisconsin-Madison works from Bascom Hall and the UW System Board of Regents was run out of Van Hise Hall under the principle of Shared Governance and the mission of the Wisconsin Idea.

Not anymore. The anti-intellectualism and the corruption of Republicans in the state capitol now dominate.

Monica Davey, Tamar Lewin and Dirk Johnson have a front-page piece in the New York Times this morning.

Notes the article:

Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who began building a national profile four years ago by sharply cutting collective bargaining rights for most government workers, has turned his sights to a different element of the public sector: state universities.

As Mr. Walker takes steps toward announcing his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, he and leaders in Wisconsin’s Republican-held Legislature have called for changes that would give a board largely picked by the governor far more control over tenure and curriculum in the University of Wisconsin System.

An incensed friend said this morning, "How to they expect the UW to compete for top faculty with peer universities?"

The answer is Walker and the GOP don't expect UW to compete, the actions are meant to degrade and lower the quality of the UW System, especially UW-Madison, to lessen the political power of Dane County which wallops Walker or anything Republican every election.

The assault on the UW passed on a party-line vote, and follows Walker's attack earlier this year.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) as a protector of the UW System does not engender fear into the hearts of Republicans as the Democratic Party is run by incompetent political operatives whose mission appears to be drawing a pay check and maybe working for the Nation Consulting lobbying firm (Republicans are welcome there) one day.

Still, I doubt Scott Walker could successfully seek a third term as governor in 2018, one too many barns burned down.

Scott Walker Lied about Wisconsin Idea, New Memos Show

New documents showed Scott Walker lied about his scheme to strike the Wisconsin Idea from state law.

The documents released Friday to the Wisconsin State Journal (DeFour) and other journalists flatly contradict Walker's evolving statements in February that Walker's crafted effort to remove the Wisconsin Idea from Wisconsin statutes was the result of a "drafting error," "a mistake" and "no big deal."

The new information comes as the scandal-plagued Walker comes under closer scrutiny for a possible run for the presidency.

In Wisconsin, Walker's tendency of evading questions and outright lying are well-known, a propensity the national press is increasingly noting.

Walker's proposed 2015-17 Biennial Budget was ballyhooed by the administration which called it a "Freedom and Prosperity Plan."

The story on Walker's proposed radical transformation of the world-class University system was broken by the Center for Media and Democracy's PRWatch (Jonas Persson and Mary Bottari) in early February.

The new documents include administration talking points showing a communications plan for specific questions defending the removal of the Wisconsin Idea, contradicting Walker's explanation that the plan was a 'drafting error," a falsehood later promoted by Walker's appointee, Budget Director Michael Heifetz.

Image - Wisconsin State Journal

Line-by-line instructions and specific talking points composed by Walker's staff are not budgetary drafting errors. The Wisconsin State Journal's (DeFour) piece today declines to point out Scott Walker lied.

DeFour's piece in part resembles Walker and the administration's spinning Walker's misrepresentations. DeFour writes, "Walker initially described the change as a 'drafting error' but later acknowledged his administration botched the rewrite."

A botch does not come with talking points and line-by-line instructions deleting iconic language of a revered institution. DeFour appears to have forgotten in drafting today's piece he a journalist and not a Walker spin doctor. The same spin that Walker's intentional striking of the Wisconsin Idea was "botched" was printed in a February 6 piece co-authored by DeFour.

Widespread outrage and ridicule over Walker's proposal in February saw the Walker administration release a series of statements misrepresenting known facts.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ran a report on Feb. 5 (Stein, Marley and Herzog) entitled Walker forced to admit UW objected to Wisconsin Idea changes. Reads the Journal-Sentinel's piece:

Gov. Scott Walker and aides scrambled Thursday to respond to revelations that his administration had insisted to University of Wisconsin officials on scrapping the Wisconsin Idea, the guiding principle for the state's universities for more than a century.

In a rapid revision to his own comments on Wednesday, the Republican governor acknowledged that UW System officials had raised objections about the proposal.

They had been told the changes were not open to debate.

While backtracking on earlier comments to reporters, Walker continued to insist in a statement that he hadn't known what his own administration was doing until after the proposal became public and caused a firestorm of criticism. ...

Update: PolitiFact Wisconsin rates Gov. Scott Walker's claim of a 'drafting error' a 'Pants on Fire'.

The State Journal pieces are framed like a Walker propaganda sheet even as its own and other media's reporting of facts show Walker lied about the Wisconsin Idea story.

"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)

"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] saying it was all just a miscommunication," notes Rob Thomas. (The Capital Times)

Walker still is hostile to the Wisconsin Idea as Walker targets the UW Extension in his proposed budget. (Mal Contends)

The search for truth remains popular with the Wisconsin people, with Walker and propaganda sheets not so much.

2015-17 Biennial Budget

2015-17 Biennial Budget

Wisconsin Idea Fiasco—Scott Walker Says 'Staffer Did It', Record Shows Walker Lied

Wisconsin Idea drafting notes disconfirm
Scott Walker's excuses (WSJ)

ABOLISH the TRUTHGATE
Scott Walker lied; political appointee falls on sword after news breaks Scott Walker's administration directed abolishing Wisconsin Idea language - Walker still claims he did not know what his own administration was doing in Walker's ballyhooed 2015-17 State Budget proposal

Senate Democratic Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling said if Walker was going to blame "rogue staffers" for writing portions of the budget, it "raises serious questions about who is in control while he is busy running for president."   (Wisconsin Public Radio)

What did Scott Walker know and when did he know it?

Updated: "Scott Walker forced to admit UW objected to Wisconsin Idea changes - Gov. Scott Walker and aides scrambled Thursday to respond to revelations that his administration had insisted to University of Wisconsin officials on scrapping the Wisconsin Idea, the guiding principle for the state's universities for more than a century."

In a rapid revision to his own comments on Wednesday, the Republican governor acknowledged that UW System officials had raised objections about the proposal."

"They had been told the changes were not open to debate."

"While backtracking on earlier comments to reporters, Walker continued to insist in a statement that he hadn't known what his own administration was doing until after the proposal became public and caused a firestorm of criticism." (Stein, Marley and Herzog, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) (Updated 7:02 p.m.)

For Scott Walker to remove the Wisconsin Idea mission of the University from Wisconsin statutes in his hyped budget proposal, and then as criticism mounted say a miscommunication resulted in a drafting error strains credulity.

The staffer who took responsibility for the "error," Michael Heifetz, is a Walker political appointee.

Surely such a potentially devastating error to the University of Wisconsin System will result in Walker's call for Heifetz' resignation. Of course not.

Scott Walker just as surly will hold a no-holds-barred question-and-answer listening session explaining Walker's understanding of the Wisconsin Idea, and Walker's complicity in [(ALMOST) removing language from the Wisconsin statute erasing the mission to "educate people and improve the human condition," as well as the language specifying that "the search for truth" is "basic to every purpose of the system." Of course not.
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For a guy claiming to be an outside-the-beltway candidate, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has learned cardinal rules of Washington politics: Blame a staffer; never take responsibility and never consider accountability.

Michael Heifetz is a Walker political appointee, named State Budget Director in November 2013. (Novak, Wisconsin State Journal)

Before that Heifetz was a health insurance executive and policy adviser to the Republican Assembly Majority Leader.

"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)

"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 saying it was all just a miscommunication," notes Rob Thomas. (The Capital Times)

"On Wednesday, Walker initially expressed no concerns when questioned by a reporter about the proposed changes to the system's mission statements."

"'Learning's important, but ultimately it's most important for people to get the chance to get the education they need to succeed in the workforce and in life,' Walker said during a stop in De Pere, according to Wisconsin Radio Network." (Stein, Marley and Herzog, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Even as Walker's initial defense crumpled, Walker's instructions were proven as facts.

But not according to Heifetz.

For public consumption, Heifetz has apparently agreed to fall on Scott Walker's sword, a sword that was to be used to abolish the Wisconsin Idea, following slashing of the UW System budget.

"Governor Walker never intended for the Wisconsin Idea language to be changed. In this specific case, there was clearly a misunderstanding and I take responsibility for this drafting error. I will work to fix this moving forward," said Heifetz. (DeFour, Hall, Spicuzza and Simmons, Wisconsin State Journal)

Walker issued a flat denial today. "The only discussion we ever had about mission was maybe adding something about career development. We never talked with my budget team about altering the Wisconsin Idea," said Walker.

So Heifetz, a veteran budgetary pol at the leadership level, and Scott Walker, a career Wisconsin politician, never had any idea that striking out the Wisconsin Idea language was occurring, and Heifetz divines Walker never intended that the Wisconsin Idea language be changed, though both Heifetz and Walker blame miscommunication as the real culprit.

This despite the record showing that Scott Walker's administration gave "line-by-line instructions about how to strike the decades-old Wisconsin Idea from state law." (DeFour, Hall, Spicuzza and Simmons, Wisconsin State Journal)

Scott Walker and his administration wanted to abolish the Wisconsin Idea, emails and legislative records prove it and Scott Walker still denies it.

UW System president Ray Cross has taken 'yes' for an answer, agreeing for the record with Walker's staffer-did-it chronology, something Cross and supporters of the UW System can use as leverage against Walker during the legislative session when UW System funding comes up.
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The Center for Media and Democracy's PRWatch (Jonas Persson and Mary Bottari) that broke the Abolish-the-Wisconsin Idea story has a piece out today entitled "Rumors of the Walker Probe's Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated," by Brendan Fischer.

Recommend Fischer's piece because the nominally lead candidate for the nomination of the Republican Party for the president of the United States is at the center of a criminal scheme being investigated by a bipartisan John Doe probe. (Marley, Bice and Glauber, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Four Republicans who sit on the Wisconsin Supreme Court are going to have to fall on their ethical swords to save Scott Walker from the probe.

No matter the judgment of the Court, Scott Walker stands exposed as just another lying politician who will say anything to save his hide.

Scott Walker Backs Down, Says Removing Wisconsin Idea Is "Drafting Error"

Update: For those who doubt Scott Walker's sincerity on the Wisconsin Idea, check out this description of the Wisconsin Idea from the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau.

Facing widespread opposition, Scott Walker called removing the Wisconsin Idea a "drafting error." (Herzog, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

This was no drafting error, and Scott Walker is simply not credible.

Clearly Scott Walker is a reckless ideologue who thankfully was caught red-handed trying to eviscerate what has taken generations to create.

From Jonas Persson and Mary Bottari at PRWatch:

Scott Walker wants to strike out language of the Wisconsin Idea

Scott Walker Wants to Strike out Wisconsin Idea and Public Service

Finding resistance weak, Scott Walker proposes removing Wisconsin Idea and public service language from UW System mission

Update II: Scott Walker said the language removing the Wisconsin Idea is a "drafting error." (Herzog, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Updated - "The Wisconsin Idea is embedded in our DNA," University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross said in a statement. "It is so much more than words on a page. It is the reason the UW System exists. It defines us and forever will distinguish us as a great, public university. We will work to preserve the Wisconsin Idea in every form."

Will Wisconsin Idea Fellowships be abolished?

Endowments and projects mark the Wisconsin Idea vision. Will these endowments now cease?

How about the "The Wisconsin Idea Seminar[,] a five-day traveling study tour that immerses forty UW–Madison faculty, academic staff, and administrators in the educational, industrial, social, and political realities of Wisconsin. Begun in 1985, the seminar introduces and promotes the Wisconsin Idea and our commitment to use university expertise and resources to address the problems of the state."

This was begun by Chancellor Donna Shalala, who is stepping down as Chancellor at the U. of Miami this year.

The story was first reported by Jonas Persson and Mary Bottari at PRWatch.

What can Scott Walker possibly be thinking?

Is this man so isolated in his anti-intellectual bubble that Walker cannot fathom the value of and identity to Wisconsin that the Wisconsin Idea embodies?

"Search for truth" and "Improve the human condition" must be stricken from the Wisconsin state statute according to Scott Walker's "Freedom and Prosperity" budget.

Walker is amassing $ Millions as he literally proposes to change the books on searching for truth and improving the human condition.

How about the Wisconsin Idea scholarship?

Karen Herzog of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has the story epitomizing Scott Walker's assault on the University of Wisconsin System:

"Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget calls for essentially removing the public service language from the University of Wisconsin System's mission to focus more on workforce development, according to language released Wednesday morning."

The Wisconsin Idea has long been the core philosophy of the UW System, driving campuses to extend their reach into communities and 'every family in the state.'"

Not even Joe McCarthy at the depths of McCarthyism dared take on UW-Madison.

UW officials are stunned.

Throughout the now UW System, the Wisconsin Idea is cherished.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) message from Director, Charles Brokopp, states "Our laboratory embodies the Wisconsin Idea that brings valuable services, research and education to improve people’s lives 'beyond the classroom' and throughout the world."

Striking the Wisconsin Idea is evidently the big and bold idea of Scott Walker.

Thanks to the work of UW-Madison, the world is more prepared for the outbreak of emerging influenza and disease than at any point in human history, (mal contends) but I guess the concept of public health is frightening to Walker and his crazy ideology.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene is the premier influenza virus surveillance public health program anywhere in the country, partnered with the University.

Walker never ran on this proposed radical removal of the Wisconsin Idea from the UW System.

Jonas Persson and Mary Bottari at PRWatch:

Walker's executive budget (see below) amends Sec. 1111 of the statutes to remove language specifying that the UW system has a public service mission to “extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campus" and to "serve and stimulate society." He strikes language ensuring that the mission of the UW is to extend "training and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition," as well as the language specifying that "the search for truth" is "basic to every purpose of the system."

Unless Scott Walker's descent into idiocy is met with a united front for one of the world's greatest research and teaching universities, Wisconsin will be dead-set on a trajectory towards the GOP-dominated states of the south.

Reaction cannot be muted. Names must be named; facts must be stated.

Apathy Will Doom Wisconsin

Scott Walker's unconstitutional assault against free speech in the Wisconsin state capitol garnered reactions ranging from apathy to hostility against those exercising speech.

Late last month a state appellate court sustained the judgement that "a lower court properly dismissed citations against a participant in the daily noontime Solidarity Singalong at the state Capitol because the rule that he violated was unconstitutional." (Treleven, Wisconsin State Journal)

That an organized police force would deny the liberties composing the foundation of the state is not considered outrageous by many, including those working in the capitol as the rights of Wisconsin citizens were violated daily, and often violently.

I wrote a piece suggesting that those legislative aides and representatives working in the capitol who assumed the role of bystander without so much as a letter of protest were complicit.

One Steve Carlson found this statement ludicrous.

With appellate and federal judicial decisions sustaining the First Amendment in this matter, those fighting for liberty, the Solidarity SingAlong, again were vindicated.

And bystanders again were shamed. Carlson had no further comment on the decision.

Looking back at the Scott Walker regime and the apathy of many, looking at Scott Walker's trash-the-state budget, bystanders can no longer be simply shamed.

Without mass political action of the type Scott Walker tried to halt, Wisconsin as we know it will cease to exist.

Scott Walker Targets Wisconsin

"Here is the reality—as I’ve been saying for longer than I can remember, Scott Walker is a mediocre county executive who has risen far beyond his talents." - (Rick Ungar, Forbes)

Ungar is generous.

Scott Walker resembles a vandal with the toxic personalty of a poisoner systemically inflicting damage: "It's as if the poisoner never grew up ... . Developmentally stunted, other people are viewed without empathy and the poisoner's internal compass is guided instead by greed or lust rather than morals." (Psychology Today)

A long-time politico calls Scott Walker's proposed budget "carpet-bombing the state and anyone not in line with his chamber-of-commerce and Tea Party agenda."

Scott Walker's run at the presidency has already been exposed as a ploy (Rick Ungar, Forbes), a fundraising project appealing to modern-day John Birchers, racists, a handful of billionaires and the religious right.

This does not mean Walker owes anything to Wisconsin, in Scott Walker's mind.

Wisconsin is treated to the bizarre spectacle of this radical, careerist politician using the budget as an ax to public education, the Wisconsin Idea, the poor, the working class and the environment (with no consultation or mandate from the citizenry), ruining an entire state while launching his presidential run (Spicuzza, DeFour, Wisconsin State Journal), already the object of ridicule outside of Iowa. (Friedersdorf, The Atlantic)

It took Wisconsin generations to build up Wisconsin's public schools and university system, the popular Wisconsin Public Television and Wisconsin Public Radio, community control and the Department of Natural Resources.

It will take Scott Walker just months into his second term to destroy these institutions. (Stein and Marley, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Walker never ran on this extremist agenda, but once elected in typical Walker fashion he takes a wrecking ball to commitments that have made Wisconsin the progressive state.

Walker's radicalism may not survive the gerrymandered Republican-dominated legislature as generations of Wisconsin citizens begin to ask questions.

The fact is Wisconsin maintains prominent swaths of low-information voters and sectors of the citizenry who have left the political process.

Just how organized and how enfranchised people become will determine Wisconsin's fate.