Tom Barrett's Message Is Clear Among Four Strong Dem Candidates

Tom Barrett, Kathleen Falk, Kathleen Vinehout and Doug La Follette—each candidate represents a return to open government, a less divisive political culture, and the idea our state government belongs to us. Each candidate should repeat these truisms as a mantra, noting the high caliber of his and her Democratic primary opponents.

In the last 14 months we have seen Scott Walker's decimation of local democracy, violation of open meetings, secrecy, closing and literally locking down the capitol (the people's house), power grabs and lies, unprecedented out-of-state money, secret gerrymandering, misrepresenting the budget process, top aides charged with embezzling $10,000s from veterans and their families, secret criminal campaigns, libels made against the Wisconsin people fighting for basic civil rights, violation of pledges for clean and open government, corruption on an unprecedented scale, and on and on.

Tom Barrett's campaign message is easy:

In 2010 I told you the truth; Scott Walker lied to you.

In 2012 I will again tell you the truth, and Scott Walker will again lie to you.

By United Wisconsin

Scott Walker has defended his attack on collective bargaining by telling us that he "campaigned on it." Despite this blatant lie being debunked, Walker has continued to use this defense in an attempt to deceive the people of Wisconsin. But this lie can finally be put to rest.

Video (below) has recently surfaced exposing to the world how Scott Walker played politics with Wisconsin values. In the video, Walker explains one week before the election how he would “negotiate” wage and pension changes with unions, and compared it to his time as Milwaukee County Executive, when he “did that at the county”.



After seeing this, you know once and for all that Walker lied to the people of Wisconsin. Scott Walker assaulted workers rights in an effort to further the extreme agenda he and his corporate allies have for our state. This was NOT a budget decision, but a political one.

Tell Scott Walker that his lies and deception will not be tolerated. Call his office (608) 266-1212 and let him know his radical agenda is out of step with Wisconsin values, and his pink slip is coming!

Judge blocks anti-union, anti-collective bargaining law with restraining order

Update: For a transcript of the opinion, see WisPolitics. Judge Sumi was appointed by Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson in 1998.

Democracy just scored a touchdown.

It's a high judicial standard to convince a judge to issue a temporary restraining order halting a law from taking effect.

But the underhanded, anti-democratic efforts of the Wisconsin Republican Party in ignoring Wisconsin Open Meeting requirements in passing the anti-union bill have managed to become the object of an emergency judicial remedy that is granted only in exceptional circumstances.

The order and opinion should become available online at the Dane County Clerk of Courts webpage. [Go about halfway down the page to: Dane County Circuit Court Case Number 2011CV001175 - Ismael R Ozanne vs. Jeff Fitzgerald et al.]

The Wisconsin State Journal reports:

A Dane County judge Friday issued a temporary order blocking implementation of Gov. Scott Walker's controversial measure limiting collective bargaining for public employees, saying a legislative committee likely violated the state Open Meetings Law when it rushed passage of the bill earlier this month.

[T]he ... decision was made soon after hearing arguments from Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne and Assistant Attorney General Maria Lazar. There was no witness testimony. Sumi also denied a motion by Lazar to stay the restraining order pending an appeal.

Sumi ruled that a March 9 meeting of a joint Assembly-Senate conference committee violated Wisconsin's Open Meetings Law and went on to emphasize the importance of open government in remarks during her ruling.

'This was something that would and did catch the public unaware,' Sumi said, 'what ended up being a closed session of a body in propelling legislation forward.'

Patrick Marley, Don Walker and Jason Stein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel quote from Judge Sumi's order, reading in part: ""It seems to me the public policy behind effective enforcement of the open meeting law is so strong that it does outweigh the interest, at least at this time, which may exist in favor of sustaining the validity of the (law) ... ."

Score one for the democratic, open meeting good guy: Wisconsin democracy.

The order and opinion should become available online at the Dane County Clerk of Courts webpage.