Obama DoJ Shoots Down Citizen Criminal Complaint Against Gov. Scott Walker

One might believe that Gov. Scott Walker discussing planting “troublemaking” agents provocateur at the Wisconsin budget-recall rallies would certainly draw the interest of the U.S. Dept of Justice, Civil Rights Division.

Wrong.

I received the second of two letters from the DOJ June 8 responding to my allegation of a civil rights violation from one Natania Gazek rejecting an investigation and refusing to forward to any appropriate investigative unit that might be more inclined to investigate civil rights violations about which I contacted the U.S. DOJ.

Ms. Gazek volunteers that I contact a "private attorney."

Disappointing. One must go to the top, and try again. Expect a letter Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division.

The February letter is below.
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United States Attorney's Office
Western District of Wisconsin
660 West Washington Avenue, Suite 303
Madison, WI 53703

February 24, 2011

I am writing to ask for a criminal investigation into the actions of the office of Governor Scott Walker.

I refer to the recently publicized tape of a phone call in which Gov. Walker responds to a caller’s (pretending to be David Koch) suggestion (vis) [“But, uh, what we were thinking about the crowds was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.”] to place agents provocateur among the citizens protesting the Wisconsin budget bill, to which Walker replies, “You know, the, well, the only problem with that — because we thought about that. The problem — the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I’ve talked to have just completely had it with them, the public is not really fond of this” [A.G. SULZBERGER; New York Times, February 23, 2011. “Walker Receives Prank Call From Koch Impersonator”].

My concern is that—as presumably the “thought” Walker referenced was not conveyed telepathically—the Walker administration discussed planting “troublemaking” agents provocateur at the rallies that I have attended, along with members of my family. Such discussions merit an investigation.

I would like what Gov. Walker said and to whom he spoke on this matter of planting agents provocateur at political rallies held in Madison investigated under suspicion that Walker conspired to disrupt protected political activity.

In point of fact, apropos to the tape referenced above, members of David Koch’s organization, Americans for Prosperity, were bussed in on Saturday, Feb. 19, according to numerous media reports; and labor organizations and supporters were widely warned to stay away from Koch’s group and not “engage” them. Several law enforcement agencies were reportedly aware of the possibility of violence.

It is not relevant to my concern that the David Koch impersonator turned out to be a journalist. What concerns me, again, is Gov. Walker’s taped statement that Walker said he presumably discussed planting “troublemaking”agents provocateur at political rallies, rallies which continue today.

The price of my exercising my First Amendment rights ought not to be dread that my governor is conspiring to plant “some troublemakers” when I petition my elected representatives on pending legislation and peacefully assemble to protest that legislation.

Would you please forward this letter to the appropriate investigative unit?

Yours truly,


Michael Leon

cc U.S. Rep Tammy Baldwin
cc Special Litigation Section, U.S. Dept of Justice
      Civil Rights Division

President Obama, Come to Madison

Historical crises require presidential leadership.  President Obama, protect the people of Wisconsin and the Union [capital U]. We need you here in person to speak truth to power and restore the promise of unity.

As the "budget repair bill" was passed early this morning by the Wisconsin Assembly (Cognitive Dissidence), and the billionaires' Americans for Prosperity take to the air to lie again, President Obama, you must live up to your promise to protect the rights of Americans; and certainly not frame issues in the disingeneous manner of Republicans.

Your presidential advocacy is required. All we need is the truth about the budget, and the Wisconsin and national GOP program to rip working families away from the American dream. But we need you here, speaking on the Capital steps in Madison without fear, with the hope that there is hope.

Fox and the Republicans won't like it. So what?

This is a political-economic crisis in Wisconsin caused directly by the lies and the colossal GOP con. And the crisis most certainly is not the state budget, but rather the future of the middle class.

The Wisconsin Republicans are using the old playbook of division, eloquently described by Isthmus editor, Bill Lueders.

Of course it is possible for Walker to survive. But the only way that can happen is if he succeeds in his vile politics of division, turning citizens against citizen, neighbor against neighbor, worker against worker. He must continue to encourage people to resent the teachers who teach their children, the nurses who care for their loved ones, the social workers who offer them help in times of need, the prosecutors who seek justice when they become victims of crime, the police who protect their communities and the firefighters who are prepared to die to save their lives.

Press Secretary Jay Carney on President Obama not coming to Wisconsin (February 24, 2011):

I think what we have made pretty clear is that the President thinks and we think, he’s stated this, that obviously a lot of states in the union are dealing with fiscal issues, big problems in their state budgets that need to be addressed. And they need to act responsibly, tighten their belts, live within their means, just as we in Washington, the executive branch and Congress need to do with our federal situation.

This is not about tightening belts, Mr. President. The budget problem is under control. The GOP lie has been debunked repeatedly.

You can handle the situation in D.C. from Madison for one day.

This is about preserving the American Dream and the right to organize and collectively bargain.

Then-Senator Obama during a campaign speech in Spartanburg, South Carolina (2007):

And understand this: If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I’m in the White House, I’ll put on a put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself. I’ll walk on that picket line with you as president of the United States. (Raw Story)

Mr. President, come to Madison. The time is now.

Watchdog calls for criminal probe of Gov Walker over 'Koch' tape

Protesters at Koch lobbying office in Madison

A national campaign finance watchdog, the Public Campaign Action Fund, sent a letter to the Dane County (WI) District Attorney and Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board (GAB) today urging that they open concurrent investigations into Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-Wisc.) possible double violations of state campaign finance and ethics statutes.

Washington, D.C.—National campaign finance watchdog Public Campaign Action Fund sent a letter to the Dane County (WI) District Attorney and Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board (GAB) today urging that they open concurrent investigations into Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-Wisc.) possible double violations of state campaign finance and ethics statutes. The letter is in response to yesterday’s release of a taped phone call between Gov. Walker and a person he thought was out-of-state, billionaire campaign donor David Koch.

The group asked the District Attorney and GAB to look at two questions:

1) Did Gov. Walker illegally solicit political expenditures for independent spending to benefit Republican Senators from swing districts?

2) Did Gov. Walker illegally solicit donations from the state capitol using state resources?

“Governor Walker, while on state grounds supposedly doing his job, thought he was speaking to out-of-state billionaire David Koch, and over the course of that conversation he asked Koch to spend money to help Republican Senators from electorally vulnerable districts,” said David Donnelly, national campaigns director for Public Campaign Action Fund. “The District Attorney of Dane County and the Government Accountability Board have concurrent jurisdiction over this matter, and both should immediately investigate whether Walker broke two state laws.”

The letters were faxed this afternoon to both offices. Download the letter to the District Attorney and the GAB [at Public Campaign Action Fund] .

The letter concludes:

“No one should be above the law. Governor Walker’s conduct in this reported conversation indicates he does not believe the Wisconsin campaign finance statutes or ethics rules apply to him. We strongly urge you to open an investigation into these violations to restore the confidence of Wisconsin’s citizens that theirs is a government of laws.”

“Of course, the bigger story here is the ease with which major donors can gain access to Gov. Walker,” said Donnelly. “While he can’t be bothered to talk to his political opponents, he found twenty minutes to spend with a wealthy oil tycoon. It’s a shameful statement on our broken political system.”

On Tuesday, blogger/reporter Ian Murphy released a recorded phone call between Gov. Walker and himself, pretending to be David Koch. During the discussion, Walker makes references to ways Koch could help state Republicans deal with the public opposition to Walker’s budget. Download the full transcript at Public Campaign Action Fund.

Citizen's Criminal Complaint Against Gov. Scott Walker

Update II: Defending Wisconsin - New Website to start Recall Petition launched. Pass it on.

Update: Madison Police Chief Noble Wray Thursday asked Gov. Scott Walker to explain his "troubling" and "unsettling" statements captured in a secretly recorded phone conversation that he "thought about" planting troublemakers among the thousands of peaceful demonstrators at the Capitol. (Dee Hall, Wisconsin State Journal)

In summary, Gov. Scott Walker can't do this to us.

This letter was dropped off Thursday; this is still America.
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United States Attorney's Office
Western District of Wisconsin
660 West Washington Avenue, Suite 303
Madison, WI 53703

February 24, 2011

I am writing to ask for a criminal investigation into the actions of the office of Governor Scott Walker.

I refer to the recently publicized tape of a phone call in which Gov. Walker responds to a caller’s (pretending to be David Koch) suggestion (vis) [“But, uh, what we were thinking about the crowds was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.”] to place agents provocateur among the citizens protesting the Wisconsin budget bill, to which Walker replies, “You know, the, well, the only problem with that — because we thought about that. The problem — the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I’ve talked to have just completely had it with them, the public is not really fond of this” [A.G. SULZBERGER; New York Times, February 23, 2011. “Walker Receives Prank Call From Koch Impersonator”].

My concern is that—as presumably the “thought” Walker referenced was not conveyed telepathically—the Walker administration discussed planting “troublemaking” agents provocateur at the rallies that I have attended, along with members of my family. Such discussions merit an investigation.

I would like what Gov. Walker said and to whom he spoke on this matter of planting agents provocateur at political rallies held in Madison investigated under suspicion that Walker conspired to disrupt protected political activity.

In point of fact, apropos to the tape referenced above, members of David Koch’s organization, Americans for Prosperity, were bussed in on Saturday, Feb. 19, according to numerous media reports; and labor organizations and supporters were widely warned to stay away from Koch’s group and not “engage” them. Several law enforcement agencies were reportedly aware of the possibility of violence.

It is not relevant to my concern that the David Koch impersonator turned out to be a journalist. What concerns me, again, is Gov. Walker’s taped statement that Walker said he presumably discussed planting “troublemaking”agents provocateur at political rallies, rallies which continue today.

The price of my exercising my First Amendment rights ought not to be dread that my governor is conspiring to plant “some troublemakers” when I petition my elected representatives on pending legislation and peacefully assemble to protest that legislation.

Would you please forward this letter to the appropriate investigative unit?

Yours truly,


Michael Leon

cc U.S. Rep Tammy Baldwin
cc Special Litigation Section, U.S. Dept of Justice
      Civil Rights Division