Corrupt Open Meeting Ruling Steels Resolve of Citizens

Ismael R. Ozanne v. Jeff Fitzgerald/State v. Circuit Court for Dane County

is a dark scandal in the Wisconsin justice system.

The four corrupt partisans on the Wisconsin Supreme Court handed the GOP the victory that is has been clamoring for this week.

But the recall and family protection movement will only strengthen.

Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson's dissent blasted the corrupt partisan ruling: The majority " ... reached a pre-determined conclusion not based on the facts and the law, which undermines the majority's ultimate decision."

The majority justices "make their own findings of fact, mischaracterize the parties' arguments, misinterpret statutes, minimize (if not eliminate) Wisconsin constitutional guarantees, and misstate case law, appearing to silently overrule case law dating back to at least 1891," Abrahamson wrote. [MJS]

The case is Ozanne et al v. Fitzgerald, Ellis et al [Case No.: 2011AP000613-LV Ismael R. Ozanne v. Jeff Fitzgerald and Case No.: 2011AP000765-W State v. Circuit Court for Dane County].

From Blogging Blue, State Sen. Chris Larson had this to say: “It is a shame that the partisan agenda of special interest groups and big corporations has seeped into the very foundation of Wisconsin’s court system,” said Sen. Chris Larson (D–Milwaukee).

In March of this year, Republicans forced passage of Act 10 despite their actions violating Senate Rules and Procedures. Act 10 was the first step in Governor Walker’s unprecedented attack on basic worker rights and the middle class.

“Today is a dark day for Wisconsin,” said Sen. Larson. “This legislation and the subsequent ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court will undo over 50 years of progress in labor working with management to move Wisconsin forward.”

As Governor Walker and his rubberstamp Republican legislators have already made clear, this attack on worker’s rights was politically-motivated, not fiscal in nature, and will not be tolerated by the People of Wisconsin.

“We are reminded today what is at stake in Wisconsin,” said Sen. Larson. “Wisconsin is at the front of an unprecedented assault on workers and the middle class. Wisconsin voters

From One Wisconsin Now:

I remain here at the Capitol with thousands of other activists protesting Governor Walker and the Republican's continued assault on Wisconsin's way of life, and we have just received news that the four conservative member of our Supreme Court have aided and abetted Gov. Scott Walker's crime against 175,000 working Wisconsinites by overturning the lower court and allowing his disastrous attack on the rights of workers to stand as law.

But we remain unbowed. United. Standing for workers and Wisconsin's middle class.

Do you stand with us?

The disastrous agenda of Walker and the Republicans is fueling an unprecedented mobilization and awoken the middle class to the horrors of government bought and paid for by corporate special interests.

The fight goes on. I pledge that One Wisconsin Now will continue to aggressively fight for the values we share -- of decency, of caring for the least among us, for equal rights, for quality schools and the right to collectively bargain in the workplace.

Do you stand with us? If so, please help our efforts with a contribution tonight. I know that we have asked for your help many times, but you have all been so steadfast with your support so far. I know I can count on you again. Stand with us and speak out with one voice, and tell Governor Walker and his conservatives lackeys that this aggression against Wisconsin's working families will not stand.

Randy Hopper on Video: "I’m gonna get you for everything you have 'fracking' done"

Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) tells Wisconsin citizen, "I’m gonna get you for everything you have fucking done."

Hopper faces a recall election scheduled now for July 12, barring developments from Republican Court challenges to the recall petition and a GOP effort to run fake Democrats to force a primary.

From Paul I. Tascoupe at PolitiScoop last week:

Randy Hopper Causes GOP Worry

Sen. Randy Hopper HQ in Oshkosh?

Update: GOP seeks to delay elections, as the GAB moves scheduled election date to July 19.

Sen. Randy Hopper (Fond du Lac) should do the “the right thing” and not run in the Recall Election, said GOP radio host [and effectively a GOP operative] Charlie Sykes last week.

Sykes cited GOP polling that has Hopper polling poorly in the 18th Senate District recall election scheduled for July 12.

A source in the Democratic Party close to the Hopper recall effort said their polling confirms Sykes' report.

From xoff:

WisPolitics.com, in a report to subscribers, says there's a GOP movement underway to get State Sen. Randy Hopper out of the recall election for his seat.

Hopper, beset by personal problems as well as political ones, looks like a dead duck. He's being challenged by Jessica King, who came within an eyelash of beating him in 2008.

Hopper reportedly insists he's not getting out, but if Gov. Scott Walker were to dangle a higher-paying job in front of him he might have a change of heart. He could also face a primary, but no challenger has surfaced yet and that gets messy.

Rabid talker Charlie Sykes says Hopper should do 'the right thing' and step aside in the race because he's polling poorly

Recall Rolls

If this were a football game, the campaign to recall the Eight Scott Walker-loving state senators is late in the second quarter with a 10-point lead.

No community members are taking a breather.

The consequences of political non-engagement are clear: Destroyed communities, devastated families and an educational system assaulted.

The message from across Wisconsin is: Turn up the heat.

Don't let up one little milli-joule of energy in the field. [Thanks Bob Johnson, retired teacher from Fondy]

Leave it all on the field. [Thank you, Coach Lombardi.]

Hopper GAB Voting Address in Fond du Lac Raises More Questions

Update III: See also the Capital Times (Jessica Vanegeren) report that the alleged Fond du Lac apartment at which Hopper's office claims he is residing is a "$600,000 home owned by a high-ranking employee of Hopper’s media company, Mountain Dog Media."

Update II: A phone call to ask about Sen. Hopper's voting IDs, residency and voting fact base made to Hopper's legislative office [(608) 266-5300] this morning at 8:11 was directed to the phone voice mailbox. Hopper continues to make himself unavailable; not sure what 'threat' a phone conversation would pose.

Update: WISC TV reported yesterday a complaint has been filed with the attorney general's office claiming state Sen. Randy Hopper hasn't been living in his district. Even if Hopper has been living at a Fond du Lac apartment vis a vis a Madison apartment, Hopper still is not living at his listed voting residence, according to the GAB voting database and Hopper's own office.

The GAB voting database as of this morning still lists State Sen. Randy Hopper's (R-Fond du Lac) voting address as: W5192 RIENZI RD:

Search Criteria Data are:
Last Name First Name Birthday
Hopper,       Randal          01/23/1966

Does this not constitute voting fraud? Voting from a place where you no longer reside?

Hopper's office says he's living in an apartment in Fond du Lac.

This raises the question: For how long has he lived there? Why isn't he registered with the GAB at his Fond du Lac apartment, address undisclosed.

Maybe it's those 'security concerns' his office has relayed to the media. Seems a sham though, a way to avoid facing the people he is supposed to be representing.

The filing date on the divorce indicated in Hopper's legal filings [Fond du Lac County Case Number 2010FA000374] reads "08-18-2010."

I'm guessing Hopper was not living in the W5192 RIENZI Road house in October and November, 10 days before the November 2010 election day.

But the GAB says he was legally a resident at this W5192 RIENZI Road house?

Former GOP tool, U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (2001-08), was all too happy to file voting fraud charges even when as Dan Bice points out, there was no intent to break the law. See Bice, April 12, 2007 (MJS).

Why is not Hopper facing an investigation? Is he not part of the alleged massive voting fraud from which the GOP says they must protect us by restricting voting access for Wisconsin citizens?

As the Republican Party pursues the most stringent voter ID bill in the nation, and seeks to end same day registration, I believe it's fair to ask if Hopper's voting IDs, residency and voting fact base would bear up under the absurd anti-democratic, exclusive requirements sought by the GOP.

Maybe the GOP will write in an exception in the voter obstruction legislation for cheating GOP legislators having affairs in Madison with 25-year-old ex-GOP operatives.

Seems a lame excuse for voting from the wrong address, though.

WTMJ (Milwaukee) reported March 14:

TODAY'S TMJ4 received a letter from a woman claiming to be Randy Hopper's wife, Alysia Hopper. The letter arrived in a letterhead envelope from Alysia Hopper's business. The letter claims Randy Hopper, 'started an affair in January 2010 with a then 25 year old Republican aide.' It claims 'Randy moved out' and 'now lives mostly in Madison.'

Living either in Madison with his girlfriend or in Fond du Lac in the undisclosed apartment, Hopper is not residing at the RIENZI Road house listed this morning in the GAB database.

Personally, if Hopper did cast a vote from the wrong address, I believe there was not intent to commit fraud, just a mistake made in a difficult situation.

But with the GOP targeting Democratic-leaning voters now in the proposed voter fraud witchhunt, why don't the proposed rules apply to Republicans? Just wondering.