Scott Walker's Latest Bomb to Drop: Raid Workers' Pension

Scott Walker - Bought and paid for

Update V: Walker's raid looks dead in the water as Department of Employee Trust Fund officials say not to change the system.

Update IV: Scott Walker's War on Civil Rights Suffers Major Blow as Act 10 ruled unconstitutional in summary judgement. Targeting workers again may just be a bridge too far.

Update III: Public employees’ pensions are under attack by politicians who claim they are the culprit in municipal and state fiscal crises. Fire Fighters (IAFF) President Harold Schaitberger knocks down that myth

Update II: Pension tension: Retired state workers fear future payments will be squeezed (Ivey. Cap Times; June 21, 2012)

Update: Retirees fear more changes to the public pension system (Verburg. Wisconsin State Journal, June 17, 2012)

An effort at privatization is coming.

Amid denials by Walker he is advocating changes to the Wisconsin's public pension system, a stalled raid is seen by some observers as a Walker head fake; or a raid now regarded as a bridge too far.

The State Journal's piece presents raid as a matter of "difficult choices," while admitting the pension system is the envy of the nation. But note Verburg's two grafs reading:

The 2011 biennial budget calls for a broad review of the system's operations, including the possibility of allowing employees to opt out.

Walker-appointed representatives of the state Department of Administration [a Walker political operation] and its Office of State Employment Relations have been meeting with policy officials from the state Department of Employee Trust Funds, which operates the pension system.

Update II: Raid would stall in senate now 16 (R) -16 (D), following GOP resignation in midst of Recall campaigns

Update: Walker flacks plowing the ground for coming pension raid

Word is that after Scott Walker gets back from the CPAC in D.C., Walker plans to raid the state pension fund, and push legislation to force public workers into a 401(k) plan.

Putting aside for the moment the fact—inconvenient to Scott Walker's oft-repeated lies—that workers' pension plans are funded by workers' deferred salaries, money workers would have been paid as cash salary but chose to have placed in the state-operated pension fund (Rick Ungar, Forbes online; Feb. 25, 2011), this is yet another bomb

 Walker is desperate to drop before his four cronies in the state senate are recalled; before Walker is recalled, and before Walker is criminally charged as a co-conspirator in the John Doe investigation.

Even rightwingers like Waukesha writer, James Wigderson, acknowledge the political need for a public explanation from Walker as Cullen Werwie, former campaign manager for would-be Lt Gov. Brett Davis and now Walker's press secretary, and Brett Davis (now state Medicaid director) refuse to resign and Walker refuses to fire them, least they become modern-day John Deans and Alexander Butterfields.

But Walker is building up a massive recall campaign war-chest running around the country, and likely is so delusional is incapable of reading the political writing on the wall. Walker reminds me of recalled State Sen. Randy Hopper.

In all, Walker has gotten 57 individual contributions ... totaling about $3.1 million; about $2.5 million of this amount, or 80 percent, is from people in other states. [Lueders. Wisconsin Watch]

Walker's conversion of several dozen civil service jobs into high-paying, politically appointed positions comes with raising the tax payer-financed salaries so Walker's appointees don't need to worry much about their own pensions.

Stalling the Recall won't work for Walker (too many signatures), so his only option is to jam through the pension raid fast, and hope that not too many people notice.

Scott Walker Digging More Holes with Easily Revealed Evasions

Scott Walker and Brett Davis - September 2009

Update: Walker summoned to meet with prosecutors on John Doe investigation

This past Sunday, on Upfront with Mike Gousha, Walker claimed that he had no idea his entire campaign apparatus was working to get Brett Davis elected as his running mate and said he hadn't even endorsed Davis.

Someone really needs to teach Scott Walker how to lie better if he is to hang onto to his job in the recall election.

By Jud Lounsbury

The picture above-right was on Scott Walker's facebook page dating all the way back to September 2009. Walker and then State Rep. Brett Davis are pictured yukking it up with Walker saying in the facebook caption: "I am proud to have the support of Representive Brett Davis."

Scott Walker is, of course, trying to minimize his long-standing close relationship Davis, because his county office was paying several staffers, including recently charged Kelly Rindfleisch, to work on Davis's Lt. Governor campaign on the taxpayer's dime. (And, if that wasn't bad enough, Davis campaign manager and current Walker spokesman, Cullen Werwie, was regularly ordering Rindfleish and other members of Walker's county executive staff to do the illegal campaign work at their government office.)

This past Sunday, on Upfront with Mike Gousha, Walker claimed that he had no idea his entire campaign apperatus was working to get Davis elected as his running mate and said he hadn't even endorsed Davis. There is, however, a mountain of evidence that contradicts that ascertion-- Walker may not have officially endorsed Davis for political reasons, but he was doing everything possible to leave Republican primary voters with the impression that Davis was his man.

On December 22, 2009 Walker went to Monroe to a campaign event hosted by Brett Davis. At the time the Monroe Times wrote this about the event:

State Representative Brett Davis, R-Oregon, who is publicly endorsing Walker, hosted the gathering. 'We share the same vision to turn Wisconsin around, to increase jobs and promote economic development,' Davis said. Davis said the office of lieutenant governor needs to be reformed with its focus on those two aspects of the state's economy, and that Walker wants a strong lieutenant governor with experience. Davis is considering running for the office of lieutenant governor, and said he will announce his decision in mid-January.

January 4, 2010 Brett Davis, says in an interview that the best qualification for Lt. Governor (him) should be:

"Who can be the best partner for Scott Walker?"

On March 15, 2010 Tim Russell and Brian Pierick, (members of Walker's inner-circle) sent out a mailer to GOP delegates prior to Wisconsin GOP convention with a Walker-For-Governor sticker where the return address should be located. Here is what was inside the mailer:

The letter was an invitation an event to discuss the importance of attending the Republican State Convention, the dates and locations of both.


The second paragraph was devoted to the importance of delegates supporting both Walker for Governor and Brett Davis for Lt. Governor. The exclusive event would be attended by Davis and Walker representatives and encouraged everyone to have a face to face discussion with Brett. There was a piece of lit included for both Scott Walker and Brett Davis.

On May 23, 2010 Brett Davis shows a campaign video at the Wisconsin GOP convention featuring footage of Walker and Davis together.

On April 27, 2010 Walker did a campaign event for Davis in Madison, which the campaign cryptically called "Scott Walker and Brett Davis Visit Madison." Here is a picture from the event, which features Walker and Davis signs in the backdrop:

Walker and Davis Campaign Event in April of 2010

Scott Walker and Brett Davis visit Madison - April 2010

On March 30, 2010 Walker sent out a statement praising Brett Davis for his actions to kill the high-speed train deal [$810 million in federal money]:

'I applaud Rep. Brett Davis and the members of the State Legislature for standing up for the taxpayers and fighting this wasteful project.'

On August 26, 2010 Walker sent out a campaign press release announcing that the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) had endorsed Scott Walker for Governor and Brett Davis for Lieutenant Governor. As is typical, the campaign provided quotes for members of the WGA, including:

'The Walker/Davis team will bring to Wisconsin what has been missing for a long time--a common sense approach to issues and the philosophy to not spend what we don’t have.'

September 15, 2010 Immediately after Brett Davis loses his bid for Lt. Governor, his campaign manager joins the Walker campaign as press secretary-- a position he still holds today.

December 2010 Walker announces that Brett Davis will be part of his cabinet as Medicaid Director.

There is no doubt Walker was backing Davis for Lt. Governor and was doing everything he could-- both legally and illegally to help him get elected. Which is why, of course, Walker is trying to distance himself from his support of Davis. After all, common sense dictates that it is much more plausible his county executive staff was illegally working to help Davis because that's what their boss (Walker) wanted them to do.

Recall Opponents Shameless, Disrespectful of Wisconsin Families

Brett Davis, Scott Walker and Cullen Werwie

Ethan Schuh, a Republican Party of Wisconsin spokesperson, apparently has no shame, like his boss, Scott Walker, and too many Republicans now-a-days who seriously do not like Wisconsin families.

Tony Galli at WKOW did a piece, "Walker supporters claim host of recall errors" in which Republicans claim they have discovered recall "fraud," a contention they have repeated for months though only now are they actually examining the signatures.

An example of the fraud a Republican volunteer spotted on the petition: "A dead relative."

Made me think of my family that includes a dead relative who passed away in the last few months after signing the petition to recall Scott Walker.

My girlfriend's brother-in-law, Al Braund, signed the recall Scott Walker petition over Thanksgiving dinner, and tragically passed away from leukemia on Jan. 6, 2012.

Any Republican puke who wants to make an issue of that, I'm available; as our many good people in the Wisconsin Rapids-Port Edwards area of our state.

Al's mother-in-law, Irene Captain of Rapids [who proudly worked on the Wisconsin AARP legislative committee to help Senior Care get passed] told me, "I'm hanging on in this life long enough to see that little weasel, Scott Walker, get recalled. You bet ya."

It's not enough that Republicans want to keep legal Wisconsinites from voting like Ruthelle Frank, not enough that Republicans harassed and criminally threatened the recall circulators and signers, but now they want insult the families of Wisconsinites who passed away?

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, too often a Republican propaganda outlet has a new Republican feature out: Want to check recall petitions yourself?

"Let us know if you find signatures, names or addresses of people who signed the petitions that have issues. We will review submissions and post those that we can independently verify," says MJS calling the column a watchdog.

Well, this morning the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel watchdog has 16 entries that they have apparently "independently" verified.

A friend points out today in an e-mail that over a quick coffee within minutes, he saw the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is printing so-called "issues" that an elementary school student could knock down.

302 River Vew Drive; Winneconne, WI 54986

• One checker claims "obvious false or out-state addresses" for lines 7 and 8 on page 998. But 302 River View Drive is a real address in Winneconne, Wisconsin. I even saw a picture of the house there on Google maps.
•  Another claims "obvious false names." But the name "Hietpas" is a real name. As a matter of fact there's a "Hietpas Realty" in Little Chute, Wisconsin and I bet Brooke and Britney Hietpas are twins, which is why their signatures are similar but not identical, as the MJS checker claims (and Vicki Hietpas is their mother, but the checker doesn't question the veracity of her surname - duh). Hietpas is a Dutch name, and many readers here know their family members as wonderful people. Perhaps the MJS checkers know better? I only checked a few of the complaints but each one was bs. Not sure who the MJS is appealing to with this feature, but evidently it's primarily morons, so far at least.

• "All addresses on page 15 and 16 are the same and belong to the Milwaukee Housing Authority. Many illegible," reads another MJS-verified "issue." - Uh, yeah. It's an assisted living shelter; many otherwise homeless people. Maybe they should not be allowed to vote or sign recall petitions if Wisconsin citizens are older, or disabled, homeless or of course: Black. Here we go again. These are people! Somebody notify the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy.
• "Same person signed all of them," claims MJS checker of lines 1-4 on page GOV 000179. Nonsense. But facts are not the point for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and other GOP allies.

The purpose of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel [and the Republican Party with its out-of-state $millions] is to sow confusion and generate as much noise and unverified speculation as they can about any signature that any two GOP hacks think is fishy. And as we have pointed out here use this out-of-state money to fight off Wisconsin citizens deciding what type of government we want.

As the Scott Walker scandal continues to unfold as more of Walker's top aides either are criminally charged or like Walker press secretary, Cullen Werwie, have been granted immunity in the John Doe investigation, look for the shameless attacks on Wisconsin families to blow back on this very worst of Wisconsin's governors.

By the way, there is another petition going around calling for the resignation of more of Scott Walker's cronies.

Subject: Davis and Werwie Must Go!

Dear Gov. Scott Walker:

You and your cronies are already burdening taxpayers with your campaign costs to try and thwart the will of more than 1 million Wisconsinites who signed recall petitions.

Now, the state has learned that two of your top staff -- Brett Davis and Cullen Werwie -- have been implicated in one of the biggest political corruption scandals in our state's history, involving the alleged illegal use of taxpayer dollars to operate a political campaign.

We think it's simple: "Davis and Werwie Must Go!"
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Tell Scott Walker: "Davis and Werwie must go!"

Good idea. And Scott Walker you do know you're next.