Scott Walker's PAC Is Right: Iowa GOP Embarrasses

Update: Scott Walker's communications aide bowed to pressure from Iowa Republicans and "resigned late Tuesday after drawing criticism for knocking Iowa’s role in the presidential nomination process.

"Liz Mair, a veteran Republican consultant, told the Associated Press she was leaving the GOP presidential hopeful’s political team just a day after she had been hired by Walker’s Our American Revival PAC to provide advice on social media." (Camia, USA Today)

The Des Moines Register first reported Mair's critical statements regarding Iowa yesterday morning.
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Scott Walker may be getting the message on not surrounding himself with stupid people like convicted criminals and former top aides, Tim Russell (embezzled from veterans) and Kelly M. Rindfleisch (misconduct in public office).

Walker's online communications director for his PAC, Liz Mair, tells it like it is: Iowa Republicans are not the brightest bulbs in the world.

Trip Gabriel has the story in the New York Times:

Liz Mair tweeted, “In other news, I see Iowa is once again embarrassing itself, and the GOP, this morning. Thanks, guys.”

A minute later, she wrote, “The sooner we remove Iowa’s frontrunning status, the better off American politics and policy will be.”

The Iowa GOP wants Mair gone.

Walker would do well to keep her around, maybe smarten Walker up a little.

C'mon Scott Walker, you and even God knows you're not ready. Stick to what you're good at: Hold your hands out so taxpayers and the Koch brothers give you rightwing welfare money. Could do worse.

Scott Walker Implosion May Be Imminent with New Release from Secret Comm System

Scott Walker's corruption featured
in February episode of Chris Hayes

Update: Milwaukee County Executive announces he will have possession of the emails within days of June 4, and then release as fast as possible.  Look for a late June-July release of Scott Walker and staff emails on secret and illegal router system, installed in Walker's office during his tenure as Milwaukee County Executive. One prediction: It will begin to dawn on the most dense D.C. pundit that Scott Walker will never become the GOP nominee for the presidency.
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Tens of thousands of emails will soon be released featuring communications among aides to Gov. Scott Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive (2002-08), current Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced.

The emails were seized in the first John Doe investigation that found massive misconduct in public office, and resulted in convictions of six Walker aides, appointees and associates.

The emails follow the February release of 28,000 emails that were made public as part of litigation by Walker's aide, Kelly M. Rindfleisch and her appeal of her conviction for misconduct in public office.

Walker in the past has refused to answer questions about ethics and criminality during his tenure as County Executive, pointing out the fact that the first John Doe investigation did not result in criminal charges against Walker as explaining away any questions why he used and allowed to be used a secret email communication system in the Milwaukee County executive's office.

This next release of emails will speak loudly, demonstrating a micromanager who ignored the law and any sense of ethics, and will be much more difficult for Walker to evade, and will almost certainly stop talk of Walker running for president, possibly torpedoing his run for reelection for governor as well.

The new release of secret emails also follows the March 1 revelation by Bob Kiefert that he worked at the Milwaukee County Executive's office as an employee and explained how to set up another secret Internet system in 2002 in the physical presence of Walker aide and convicted felon, Tim Russell, and Scott Walker himself, who smiled and waived at Kiefert when Russell tried to introduce the two as Walker was on the phone.

Russell explained to Kiefert that the Internet system was done at the behest of Walker, (DeFour, Wisconsin State Journal) who was to personally thank Kiefert for his help.

"Kiefert said the 3G broadband network described in the (criminal complaint against Walker aides) is a faster, more modern version of the equipment he helped install in 2002," reported the Wisconsin State Journal's DeFour.

Journal-Sentinel Piece on John Doe Statute as "Witch Hunt" Is Odd

Update: See After Railing Against John Doe Secrecy, WI Club for Growth Fights to Keep Docs Secret

The best work on the Scott Walker-John Doe probes without question is the reporting by the staff of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

We know about Scott Walker's stonewalling of his aides' embezzling from veterans' funds, and Scott Walker's many lies on this embezzling because of Dan Bice (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; May 31, 2012).

We know that John Doe I grew from John Doe II (Bice, MJS; Oct. 21, 2013).

Jason Stein, Patrick Marley and Daniel Bice's piece of explanatory journalism today is not on a par as the staff's prior work, and arguably constitutes Republican propaganda—everyday operations in GOP-land, but in this election year a crashing project.

This is what happens when good journalists insert foolish talking points from the Republican Party into a news piece, towards what end is not clear.

Republicans will make up talking points and contradict themselves within hours, and not get called out in the news columns.

Today's headline reads: "Courts to decide whether John Doe a useful tool or unfair witch hunt."

It's a good bet neither of these two questions will be addressed or answered by the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. And it is unlikely any Court will rule on the constitutionality of Wisconsin's John Doe statute.

Witch Hunts Need Witches

To conduct a witch hunt, one needs to understand that there are by definition no witches.

[Note: With sincere apologies to the Wiccan religious embrace of life; no disrespect is intended to these positive and life-affirming people.]

Let's consider John Doe I, there are plenty of "witches."

Prosecutors secured multiple criminal convictions against six of Scott Walker's appointees, top staff, and a campaign contributor.

There are no claims of innocence, save Kelly M. Rindfleisch who is appealing her conviction of misconduct in public office.

Would any Republican claim Rindfleisch is innocent?

We know from multiple emails released by Rindfleisch that Scott Walker and his staff ran an illegal political operation out of the Milwaukee County Executive's office, an operation that began as far back as 2002 when Bob Kiefert set up a secret Internet system—an effort coordinated by then-deputy chief of staff Tim Russell (who embezzled over $10,000 from a veterans' fund) and Kiefert was given the nod by then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker. [See also Scott Walker Knew about 'Secret' Email System at Milwaukee County; Kiefert, Green Bay Progressive; February 19, 2014).

Seizure by Police

Seizure and serving of subpoenas are intrusive and invasive, which is precisely why we have the Fourth Amendment, and the ACLU. R.J. Johnson should remember this the next time he blasts the ACLU.

In any event, the Journal-Sentinel's appreciation for civil liberties is to be applauded. However, today's piece sensationalizes police work.

If the police acted improperly in seizure of property and serving subpoenas, they should be held accountable. But how does this call into question the John Doe statute or the prosecutors conducting a witch hunt?

Attacking Prosecutors

The "national trend ... attacking prosecutors" while being a "target" mentioned may be relevant to the routine "Brady violations" in which prosecutors illegally withhold exculpatory or other evidence favorable to the defense in a criminal trial.

See‘Epidemic of Brady violations’ decried in Judge Kozinski's opinion, the many wrongful convictions, and the important opinion by Judge Richard Posner (with Wisconsin's Judge Diane Sykes dissenting) of the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in which Judge Posner hits absolute immunity for prosecutors, and refuses "to bless a breathtaking injustice" of an innocent man. This innocent man was imprisoned for 17 years, and was the victim of an Illinois prosecutor "coercing a man’s false testimony that led to his conviction and sentence to death row." This repulsive prosecutor was defended by Justice Sykes' opinion.

But Wisconsin John Doe probes determine if and by whom a crime has been committed, and if a case were to forward. There are no targets, as in grand juries, until and if someone is charged.

In this specific John Doe probe, the investigation itself is being attacked, not the prosecution as there is not a prosecution.

The probe has not determined if and by whom a crime has been committed.

The district attorneys are Constitutional officers whom Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen refuses to defend by intervening in Eric O’Keefe and Wisconsin Club for Growth, Inc. v Francis Schmitz, et al while the case is under appeal.

This is because the Scott Walker campaign and the Wisconsin Club for Growth's R.J. Johnson and other groups apparently illegally coordinated their campaigns during the 2012 Recall elections, and these are factions to whom Van Hollen owes his allegiance.

If this is false, why are Republican spending $ millions trying to stop this investigation?

John Doe Judges

As for Wisconsin's Republican attorney general, J.B. Van Hollen is quoted as saying, he wants judges to no longer preside over filing charges by district attorneys.

Van Hollen may or may not be aware that a presiding judge is a protection against a district attorney who might violate citizens' rights.

Again, witch hunt?

Witch Hunt

By insinuating that Wisconsin's John Doe statute is a witch hunt and calling into question the operation of this John Doe probe, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel piece contrives a controversy where none exists, if facts are the foundation of this analysis.

Just because a bunch of Republicans yell "witch," this does not mean witches' casting spells are real or that Scott Walker is a straight shooter who holds 100s of no-holds-barred listening sessions with the Wisconsin people.

These things don't happen.

Why Scott Walker Won't Answer Questions

Question from Luke, Green Bay, WI. - A simple yes or no question "Did you Governor Walker know of the secret e-mail system?" Why won't he just answer the question? We are paying his salary. It is a simple yes-no question.

 

Answer from Daniel Bice, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel  - Why won't he answer the question? My guess: He is paying his lawyers very good money, and they have told him, "Do not answer that question."

-- From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Columnist Dan Bice's Online Question and Answer

New Journal-Sentinel Column Signals Press Tired of Scott Walker Lies, Evasions

It's no wonder Gov. Chris Christie has done over 100 listening sessions and Scott Walker had done zero.

Walker is afraid to face the people of Wisconsin, and more afraid to face the press in an extended press conference explaining the new release of emails and the emails' writing that points to Walker cheating, lying and stealing from the taxpayers of Milwaukee County.

Scott Walker had his own illegal, secret email account, emails show.

Scott Walker ordered his personally hired Milwaukee county staff to post fatuous pro-Walker comments on Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel news online pieces, emails show.

Scott Walker and his staff campaigned on Milwaukee County time, emails show.

Scott Walker is correct in pointing out that he was never criminally charged in the first John Doe investigation, to the chagrin of the Wisconsin people who see the evidence of Walker's criminally campaigning on the taxpayers' dime, in taxpayers' space and on taxpayers' time in black and white in the court-ordered released emails.

This is what is called felony misconduct in office, as convicted Walker aide, Kelly M. Rindfleisch, will tell you.

Milwaukee County DA John T. Chisholm had the discretion in the first John Doe probe to decide whom to prosecute and he chickened out, fearing blowback in prosecuting a sitting governor.

That decision of Chisholm's is not final. The evidence for prosecuting Scott Walker is plain to see and is certainly with the scope of the John Doe II probe. The DAs now investigating if and by whom crimes were committed should prosecute those who broke the law even if this someone is a sitting governor.

Scott Walker Continues Lie on His Aides and Friends Stealing from Veterans

Tim Russell and long-time aide and friend, Scott Walker

Scott Walker refuses to refer to former top aides, all guilty of felonies, by name in interview

In the interview below, Scott Walker calls his long-time friend, Tim Russell, "an individual" whom he refuses to refer by name, and then says of one of the "other people" who ripped off veterans in Milwaukee County, Kevin Kavanaugh, as though Walker has no idea who Tim Russell and Kavanaugh are.

"As Milwaukee County executive, Scott Walker appointed Kavanaugh to head the county Veterans Service Commission. Kavanaugh is the fifth Walker aide or associate to be convicted in a secret probe. A sixth is awaiting trial," notes the AP.

Walker stonewalled the investigation causing the Milwaukee DA to initiate a John Doe criminal investigation because of Walker's stonewalling.

Walker is also pretending he has no idea what Kelly Rindfleisch, another criminal aide of Walker's, was up to.

So, Walker is pretending he doesn't know the aides he personally appointed, personal political appointees, as though these were strangers to him. This is like Nixon pretending he didn't know Haldeman and Ehrlichman, though not even Nixon went that far.

Hey, maybe Scott Walker should run for president.

If Scott Walker is innocent ...

Would he not say so?

Some John Doe investigators come around asking questions, I look into their eyes and tell them what's what.

Why doesn't Scott Walker?

Tim Russell, Kelly M. Rindfleisch, Darlene Wink are co-conspirators.

Walker refuses to explain the creation of his criminal defense fund, and no one can even get a statement from Walker that he is innocent of criminal misuse of his office.

The prosecutions are not yet closed and Walker is hoping he can run out the clock.

Scott Walker's Refusal to Call for Truth from All Staff

Running scared from an undisclosed location

We have 26 days until the recall election day and Scott Walker is still silent on demands that he make a public announcement to his former and current staff to tell the simple truth to John Doe criminal investigators.

This silence in the face of Walker's veterans' money-stealing top aides speaks volumes.

Forget the Wisconsin people. Lie and evade, Walker says.

Walker has repeatedly said he just wants to "help" the criminal probe, and yet he refuses to to issue this statement that would after all, respond to the Wisconsin people whom he is supposedly representing.

Tim Russell, how about you tell the truth, the whole truth?

Kelly Rindfleisch, that goes triple for you.

Why won't Walker make such public calls for the truth in the John Doe proceedings?

It's not a difficult thing to do.

The reason is clear. Walker is in over his head in criminal and corrupt dealings when he ran his 2010 campaign out of the Milwaukee executive's office.

To Scott Walker: Publicly Instruct All Current and Former Staff to Tell the Truth

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker - Political Reformist?

Gov. Scott Walker is stonewalling demands for public discussion of his hiring and promoting of top staff in WalkerGate.

But—we are to believe from Republican statements—Walker's non-involvement in the criminal activity of the 2010 Walker for governor campaign conducted out of Walker's Milwaukee County executive's office is proven by his avid "help" voluntarily given to the criminal investigation, (his surrogates' attacks on the investigation notwithstanding).

All these people hired by Scott Walker and he has no idea they were campaigning on the Milwaukee tax payers' dime for his election to the governor's office he has coveted since before 2006?

Okay, since no question-and-answer session with the Wisconsin people is forthcoming, here is a modest proposal:

Scott Walker issues a public statement instructing all parties during his tenure in the Milwaukee county executive's office to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to the John Doe prosecutors and presiding judge.

Kelly Rindfleisch

Kelly Rindfleisch, implicated up to her ears in the scandal and hired and promoted by Scott Walker, could offer the Wisconsin people who after all paid her salary ($46,000-a-year) the facts. One could say, Kelly Rindfleisch owes the truth to the people of Milwaukee County and Wisconsin.

The criminal complaint that Rindfleish—a GOP political operative—was brought in not to serve Milwaukee county but rather work in the then-secret 2010 Walker for governor campaign run out of the Executive's office can be easily dispensed with, if the truth is on Scott Walker's side.

Rindfleisch: "really, half of what I'm doing is policy for the campaign, its policy stuff but its for use over there" - via Jake's blog

Truth

Or, this whole narrative that Walker and his staff ran a 2010 Walker for governor campaign out of the executive's office has no basis in fact. How about that, a plain statement from Walker of his position to the people of Milwaukee County and Wisconsin?

Will you stand behind this assertion, Scott Walker? If you like, you could call it another example of your "cracking down on fraudulent use of government programs," as your public webpage states.

Check with the John Doe prosecutors, and the presiding judge. You can legally make an announcement asking that all personnel during Scott Walker's tenure tell the truth to criminal investigators. Some might even call it good government.

Instructions to tell the truth are not even unprecedented in political scandals.

Former President George W. Bush in 2005 said, "I have instructed every member of my staff to fully cooperate in this investigation" of the leak of the name of a CIA non-official cover (or NOC) agent.

So, to repeat, a simple announcement from Scott Walker that his former and current staff tell the simple truth.

Gov. Walker, can you do that?

Former Walker Aide Pleads Not Guilty to Felony Charges

Kelly Rindfleisch - apprehended

Update: Schultze. MJS: "None of the county executive office jobs is intended to be political, but [Kelly] Rindfleisch treated her job that way, according to prosecutors. She is accused of doing extensive campaign work, including fundraising on behalf of Republican lieutenant governor candidate Brett Davis, while at her county post. Her criminal complaint says she also had frequent phone contact with Walker's campaign staff while on the county job."


WISN reports, "A former aide [Kelly M. Rindfleisch] to Scott Walker before Walker became governor has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges related to campaigning (for Walker) while at work for Milwaukee County," a mere 25 feet from Scott Walker.

Sure not guilty, Kelly, we believe you.

Few questions, though:

What is it with those Scott Walker e-mails on the secret e-mail network?

Did you live in West Allis, Wisconsin, the residence of James Villa, former chief of staff for the Milwaukee County Executive Office; and did you reside in Milwaukee County at the time you were employed in the Milwaukee County Executive Office?

Why are you now claiming your residency during that time is in Columbia County?

Well, a hearing on the change-of-venue motion is set for March 30.

Maybe you can explain to the people of Milwaukee County, and all of Wisconsin for that matter. Or would that just be to the people of Columbia County, as you say?