Showing posts with label Scott Walker veterans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scott Walker veterans. Show all posts

Jul 21, 2016

Scott Walker Hires Who Embezzled from Veterans Haunt RNC Talk

Scott Walker still does not particularly care about his friends he hired stealing from military veterans.

Walker cares about his friends' getting caught.

From Charles P. Pierce in Esquire:

I had forgotten all the reasons why Scott Walker never even made it to the Iowa caucuses, dropping out, you may recall, so that he could help the Republican Party stop the barbarian with the combover. They all came back when he came bounding out and grabbed a hand mic. Geez, I thought, maybe he's going to give us his hard five minutes. Instead, employing his Big Boy tenor, he once again recited all those arguments that made him invisible during that part of the campaign when he was actually participating in it. This is what he said.

'We made a solid commitment to support our veterans with health-care and everything else they need once they get home…If Hillary Clinton were any further inside, she'd be in prison.'

Saith the man who once employed a dude who literally stole money meant to take war widows and war orphans to the zoo and used it to go on vacation, and who then ended up really, really inside.

Tim Russell, Scott Walker and Brian Pierick
"Don't think for a minute that Walkergate
or its effect will end ... ."
From - Joe ‘Ragman’ Tarnovsky United States Army (28 January 1968 to 22 Oct 1970) Company A, 27th Combat Engineers 28 August 68 to June 69 Crew Chief/Door Gunner 240th Assault Helicopter Company Mad Dog Huey Gunships (UH-1C Hueys) In-Country, South Vietnam (28 August 68 to 22 October 70):

"The following award is being presented to Scott Walker, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell for actions BELOW and INFERIOR AGAINST VETERANS: The Distinguished RAT." 

Jul 6, 2015

Veterans Appear at Peril in Scott Walker's Budget

Tim Russell, Scott Walker and Brian Pierick
"Don't think for a minute that Walkergate
or its effect will end ... ."
The Wisconsin political world knows Scott Walker doesn't think too likely of veterans, treating them as props from whom his political cronies can embezzle $10,000s. (Bice, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

But Walker's budget coming out of the Joint Finance Committee has Walker apparently aiming at "needy veterans programs."

Budget Item 40 reads:

Veterans Affairs - Assistance for Needy Veterans Program Eligibility. Delete all provisions in the bill relating to changes in eligibility for benefits under the assistance for needy veterans program, as the administration indicates that the provision, with the modification adopted by the [Joint Finance] Committee at the request of the administration, is unnecessary to accomplish the Department's intent. [via Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel graphic from July 4, page one editorial]

Vague but Scott Walker's record with veterans is terrible, hence this is concerning.

As for Item 41 below, readers' guess is as good as mine.

With Walker's tendency to play games with veterans and other peoples' lives, Walker may swoop in with a partial veto, have a flack send out a PR, and declare himself champion of veterans.

Nothing in Joint Finance Committee Motion 999 is there without Scott Walker's consent and awareness.

Stay tuned.
What is Scott Walker up to now with veterans?

Sep 3, 2014

Scott Walker Disrepects Veterans Again and Again

Tim Russell, Scott Walker and Brian Pierick
"Don't think for a minute that Walkergate
or its effect will end ... ."

'When a vet is interred, it is considered a final and lasting resting place. It's final to us'

Updated - Since Scott Walker appointed two longtime political flunkies, Tim Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh—who had and likely never will have any veterans' advocacy or non-profit experience—to non-profit veterans' groups, it's been clear Scott Walker uses veterans as a campaign prop and could not care any less about service.

Tim Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh proceeded to embezzle $60,000 from the veterans' funds with which they were entrusted by Walker.

".... charged (and later convicted) .... with embezzling more than $60,000 intended for veterans and their families, instead using the stolen funds on everything from Caribbean cruises to wedding expenses to renewing Walker-for-governor websites." (Bice, Schultze and Stein, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Now, a Korean War Veterans memorial up in Price County is getting the shaft from Scott Walker and his Department of Transportation which is refusing funding for the revered area, reports Seth Carlson in the Price County Review.

Walker's DoT and disrespect for veterans isn't anything new.

Walker wants to expand I-94 against the wishes of numerous Milwaukee community groups and dig up and move the resting place of veterans at Wood National Cemetery, "located on the grounds of a former Soldiers Home that today is called the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee."

"(W)hen a vet is interred, it is considered a final and lasting resting place. It's final to us," said Al Richburg, director of Wood National Cemetery, reports Don Walker in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Someone forgot to tell this to Scott Walker, or more likely Walker doesn't give a damn. Other private cemeteries along Scott Walker's plan to widen I-94 will move final resting places as well.

As the Root River Siren noted this Spring, "Scott Walker even dared to stand next to U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin at Wood National Cemetery on Monday (Memorial Day 2014) to honor the fallen and praise Medal of Honor recipient, Gary Wetzel."

Scott Walker is an ass, and any politician who voted for the budget allowing this desecration is an ass.

It doesn't stop there.

As the Siren also noted: "As unsavory as the whole [Russell-Kavanaugh] episode is, it largely remains forgotten by Wisconsin veterans as a whole. Then legislation (passed this last) March, which Walker signed into law, that makes it harder for people to pursue legal remedies and compensation for repeated exposure to asbestos."

Mesothelioma is the rare form of cancer which occurs - and disproportionately affects veterans."

Veterans groups condemned the bill, but Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce loved it - and even had a hand in writing it. See, many of their members are the source of these lawsuits and they really hate to pay out cash for killing people - even veterans."

"A number of veterans groups have sworn they won't forget come election time. We've heard that before."

Veterans groups and Democratic Party representatives have introduced the "Full Compensation for Victims" Act, repealing the GOP's "Corporate Profits over Veterans" Act. (Jessica VanEgeren, the Capital Times)

As of the posting of this piece, Scott Walker has never apologized once for what his flunkies, Russell-Kavanaugh, did to veterans, or what Walker had done.

Oct 9, 2013

GOP Gov Shutdown Devastates Veterans

The Republican-Tea Party government shutdown is far worse than Scott Walker appointing cronies with no veteran advocacy experience to non-profits only do watch as his cronies embezzle $10,000s.

From the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Americans are starting to grasp the full impact of the federal government shutdown on veterans and troops. Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki appeared before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs to discuss the impact of the shutdown on veterans. In his testimony, he said that if the shutdown continues, veterans won’t receive disability and GI Bill benefits on November 1.

The hearing also included testimony from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which called for Washington to end the shutdown that has a damaging effect on veterans and troops. IAVA continues to call for an end to the shutdown, and clarity for those veterans trapped in the uncertainty of how the shutdown will continue to affect their benefits and services. IAVA has launched a Change.org petition calling for Washington to put a stop to the political games and ensure that veterans get the care they need:

“Veterans are hurting and are tired of being used as political chew toys, said IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff. “They need Washington to end the shutdown so they can receive and benefit from the services and support they have earned. But until the government re-opens, our veterans deserve clear, reliable, and accurate information.” 

Sep 13, 2013

Corporate Media Cleaning up Another Scott Walker Scandal

Remember the WalkerGate scandal and Recall campaign the story was endlessly trumpeted that Walker's personal appointees, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell, embezzled $10,000s from veterans and their families?

Likely you don't recall if you live in the northern half of Wisconsin.

That's because the corporate press buried the scandal, spun the scandal, and played stenographer to whatever two sentences Walker uttered before running away out of state to another fundraiser.

Blue Cheddar has a piece illustrating the lengths the Walker PR machine - masquerading as Wisconsin media - will go to help Scott Walker bury another $multimillion corruption scandal.

Jun 14, 2013

Stop Me from Killing Again, Scott Walker Says to GOP Ripping-off Veterans

Still hiding
C'mon guys, my former aides stole from veterans. I appointed these guys!

Just another Scott Walker dance, as Walker pretends the Wisconsin GOP legislature is a separate operation from the governor's office.

A move by Wisconsin Republicans to strip disabled veterans of property tax credit benefits is drawing major blow-back on the presidential pretender, so look for Walker and the GOP to make this anti-veteran move go away, fast.

The measure makes Walker's buddy and a former top aide, Tim Russell—who embezzled from veterans—look like Mr. Social Conscience by comparison.

Not separate, but incompetent.

"Governor Walker hopes the Legislature will fix the issue, but will review the budget in its entirety when it gets to his desk," said Walker spokesman Tom Evenson, the Wisconsin State Journal reports, while going along with the pretense that there is no coordination between Walker and the GOP legislature.

Give me a break, if the GOP and Walker want the anti-veteran measure out, it's out.

Now, Walker can say: I stand with veterans [when my aides are not embezzling from veterans and when I don't trash the veterans' health care facilities].

Bottom line: Walker is too much a lightweight, an incompetent, surrounding himself with inadequate personalities and like-minded extremists for the Republican Party to consider Walker seriously for President.

Walker just gets money from the presidential chatter, a pretty good benefit, while he and the GOP legislature dance around Wisconsin public policy like two embezzling Walker appointees in love.

Oct 13, 2012

Scott Walker Aide Convicted of Stealing from Veterans' Group

Scott Walker on motorcycle at Operation Freedom event,
Walker's aides stole-from fund
meant for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan

Update: “I think it would be difficult for any experienced criminal lawyer to conclude anything but that the governor in one way, shape or form has some involvement in this investigation,” said Peggy A. Lautenschlager, a former Wisconsin attorney general and a former United States attorney in the state who served under Bill Clinton’s administration. “And likely, alleged criminal involvement.” (Yaccino. NYT) This is on yet another Walker aide who plead guilty last week in the growing WalkerGate scandal.

Scott Walker liked to pose with veterans and steal their valor in his years-long, successful quest for Wisconsin governor elected in 2010.

Then came the John Doe investigation. The probe made the case of among other crimes, Walker aides stealing from veterans after Walker stonewalled the Milwaukee District Attorney's looking into the allegations of Walker's criminal rise to power. Walker told the Wisconsin people before his June recall election that he was trying to "help" the investigation.

The Wisconsin media largely buried the story of Walker's people stealing from veterans, so not so many in central and northern Wisconsin even knew of the criminal investigation. Veterans' slamming this crime was a story also buired.

For example: "The following award is being presented to Scott Walker, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell for actions BELOW and INFERIOR AGAINST VETERANS: The Distinguished RAT BASTARD Tail for Thievery and Lack of Accountability." Joe ‘Ragman’ Tarnovsky

Walker and his gang are reportedly under investigation from a federal grand jury as well, and Walker has established a criminal defense fund.

From the AP

 One of Gov. Scott Walker's former associates was found guilty Friday of stealing more than $51,000 that had been donated to help veterans and their families.

Prosecutors alleged that Kevin Kavanaugh, of Cudahy, Wisconsin skimmed the money from bank deposits and phony withdrawals from accounts for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, a veterans service organization.

Kavanaugh was treasurer of the group. Kavanaugh, 62, did not testify at his trial and said nothing following the verdict by the Milwaukee County jury, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The biggest source of money Kavanaugh was accused of tapping were donations made for Operation Freedom, an annual picnic and veterans event at the zoo that Walker hosted while he was Milwaukee County executive.

In 2006, Walker's county office arranged to have the Operation Freedom donations and expenses run through the Purple Heart chapter after being advised by county lawyers to have a separate nonprofit handle the books rather than continue to have Walker aides do so. Kavanaugh, who also worked as a counselor at the Veterans Administration Hospital, had been named by Walker to the county Veterans Service Commission.

Jun 1, 2012

Scott Walker's Office Stonewalled DA Inquiry into Stolen Veterans' Funds

Hired, promoted and stonewalled for criminal aides.
Now, a desperate Scott Walker lies for his criminal aides.
Contradicting repeated statements by Scott Walker that he and his staff instigated the John Doe criminal investigation, a report filed last night (Bice. MJS) substantiates the assertion Walker and top aides stonewalled the Milwaukee District Attorney's office, prompting the creation of the John Doe probe.

The criminal probe has so far resulted in multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, and presents a dire threat to Scott Walker's surviving the recall election on June 5.

The DA probe was begun while Walker was serving as Milwaukee County Executive, and criminal complaints against top Walker aides allege and demonstrate that embezzled money in the $10,000s meant for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families was used by aides to Scott Walker and former operators of the website—ScottWalker.org—to register the ScottWalker.org website.

The criminal complaints already filed also indicate that part of the embezzled money was used for Walker's aides' taking vacations in the "Caribbean and Hawaii, and a political trip to Georgia to help organize [Herman] Cain's Republican presidential campaign." (Bice. MJS)

Long-time Walker confidante, Tim Russell, said in August 2010 that the embezzled funds were a book-keeping error.

Reported Bice in 2010:

A couple of months ago, Russell said the Walker administration had asked Chisholm to investigate what had happened to $11,000 raised in 2007 for the event. The DA confirmed that his office was looking into the matter.

"Nobody's making accusations about anything here," Russell said in June. "Maybe there are records in somebody's bottom drawer that would demonstrate that money was appropriately spent."
Writes Bice today:

On May 5, 2010, Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf filed a petition with court officials asking if his office could initiate a secret investigation into what happened with $11,000 in donations intended for Operation Freedom, an annual event honoring veterans.

By making it a secret John Doe investigation, Landgraf wrote that prosecutors might get better cooperation from Walker's office, which had been "unwilling or unable" to turn over records and information needed in the investigation. He said he would need to subpoena county records and officials.
Wisconsin statute 968.26 on John Doe proceedings is the statutory authority for conducting John Doe probes in Wisconsin.

The purpose of a John Doe investigation is to determine if and by whom a crime has been committed in a given court's jurisdiction, by statute.

There are a very wide range of causes why a district attorney might request a judge to convene a John Doe proceeding: Conflicts of interest, practical difficulties, and so on.

Another cause is stonewalling.

Writes Bice:

"As part of the pre-Doe investigation, Investigator Jeffrey Doss sought to obtain documentation that would form the basis of tracing the funds from Milwaukee County to the Order, [a veterans' group safeguarding the veterans' fund]" Landgraf wrote in his May 2010 petition. "The Office of the County Executive has been unwilling or unable to provide such documentation. It is unclear at this juncture why the Office of the County Executive has not produced (or has not caused another Department to produce) these records."
Walker has throughout the campaign sought to dismiss the John Doe investigation, and brushed aside questions by saying he just wants to help and cooperate with the criminal investigation, lately calling it a "distraction."

Walker has even gone so far as to state that he and his office asked for the John Doe investigation.

Bice's obtained documents prove that Walker is a liar.

"The idea that Scott Walker did not know what was going in a ten person office…is absurd. It’s not believable,” Graeme Zielinski, the communications director of the Wisconsin Democratic Party said to Salon.

Said Tom Barrett to Scott Walker in the debate last night, "I have a police department that arrests felons. He has a practice of hiring them."

May 28, 2012

Honor the Fallen and the Living by Tossing out a Rat Bastard

Scott Walker - Rat, Puke and other things
Joe ‘Ragman’ Tarnovsky said it best about Scott Walker's condoning aides, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell, embezzling from veterans and their families.

 "The following award is being presented to Scott Walker, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell for actions BELOW and INFERIOR AGAINST VETERANS: The Distinguished RAT."

United States Army
(28 January 1968 to 22 Oct 1970)
Company A, 27th Combat Engineers
28 August 68 to June 69
Crew Chief/Door Gunner
240th Assault Helicopter Company
Mad Dog Huey Gunships (UH-1C Hueys)
In-Country, South Vietnam (28 August 68 to 22 October 70)

See also:

May 17, 2012

Walker's condoning aides' stealing from veterans should disqualify this rat

Stealing from veterans really ought be enough to prevent this corrupt rat, Scott Walker, from being elected. If only the media will cover it. If a Democrat had ever done something like what Walker's gang did, we would get saturation coverage and screams of outrage from GOPPers from Superior to Racine. But Walker condones these crap.


Scott Walker = John Doe = Rat



Scott Walker set up his friends, Multiple Kelly Rindfleisch, Tim Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh as paid employees of non-profits intended to help veterans and their families.

Scott Walker should be toast.

If his aides' stealing from veterans is not enough to catch the Wisconsin electorate’s eyes as the mainstream press hides the story, alternative media stays busy and brings these low lives’ actions to the fore.

Ernest A. Canning ( Vietnam vet (4th Infantry, Central) won't let up, and Walker can spin all he wants.



Ernest A. Canning is a Vietnam veteran
and leading legal critic of Scott Walker's
criminal involvement in WalkerGate,
and Walker's voter obstruction project

Operation Freedom, advertised by then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, "thanks our Armed Forces members and veterans for their service." (July 5, 2009).

But in October of 2009, Scott Walker inexplicably ordered the transfer of $19,000 in Operation Freedom funds and financial control over to his then Deputy Chief of Staff, Tim Russell who had no experience running a non-profit. Mr. Russell then allegedly stole thousands of dollars from Operation Freedom and used the money to pay for Caribbean and Hawaiian vacations and a political trip to Atlanta to meet with Herman Cain's presidential campaign. Walker Investigations.
Joe 'Ragman' Tarnovsky, United States Army (28 January 1968 to 22 Oct 1970): "The following award is being presented to Scott Walker, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell for actions BELOW and INFERIOR AGAINST VETERANS: The Distinguished RAT BASTARD Tail for Thievery and Lack of Accountability."

Let's look at Kevin Kavanaugh.
Mr. Kavanaugh, Scott Walker's close friend and political appointee to a Veterans Commission, faces several serious felony and misdemeanor charges for embezzling at least $42,232 from the Military Order of the Purple Heart between 2006 and 2009. Mr. Kavanaugh allegedly took the money from donations that included more than $28,000 given by former state Rep. Mark Gundrum, who had donated his legislative salary to the group while serving on active military duty in Iraq. Mr. Kavanaugh is also alleged to have stolen money earmarked for children of Wisconsin military service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The criminal complaint said he and his wife had credit card debt exceeding $40,000. Control of Operation Freedom funds was transferred from the Military Order of the Purple Heart to the Cudwoth Legion Post in February 2009, a chapter of American Legion, a nationally recognized veterans organization. Walker Investigations
Then there's Multiple Kelly Rindfleisch. According to the criminal complaint against Rindfleisch [check it out, it's utterly damning of Rindfleisch], a GOP operative brought in to secretly and illegally work on Walker's 2010 campaign out the Milwaukee County Executive's office, she worked on Operation Freedom as well (p. 3,4). Rinfleisch is up to her eyes in illlegal activity caught on her communications, and the best she can realistically hope for is a pardon from Scott Walker, which he refuses to rule out. Reads the complaint, quoting Rindfleisch who communicated on the secret e-mail system run out of Walker's executive office after Rindfleisch assures her partners she is on a secret system, later retrieved by prosecutors. Asked what are her policy areas, Rindfleisch says:
(Rindfleisch is chatting with another friend) Friend: Who do you work with? Rindfelsich: tim russell Friend: What are your policy areas Rindfleisch: fran, I don't have specific policy areas, I do projects tim gives me Friend: what's your title? Rindfleisch: policy advisor Friend: that's fancy Rindfleisch: but I don't need fancy Friend: I wish you didn't work for government...now I can't talk to you about campaign stuff online Rindfleisch: I'm on my laptop, separate system Friend: oh...not shit, so it's cool? Rindfleisch: yah Friend:are you going to be helping out the campaign too? Rindfleisch: really, half of what I'm doing is policy for the campaign, its policy stuff but its for use over there Rindfleisch: I'm also doing Operation Freedom
Congratulations are due Rindfleisch, however, because as an Operation Freedom, Scott Walker appointee, she didn't embezzle from veterans—that's an achievement in the land of Scott Walker who condones unethical and illegal behavior. Rindfleisch merely is charged with four felonies for misconduct in public office.
So Rindfleisch just admitted in her court filing that these statements are true, and that she only took the Milwaukee County job as a campaign position for the election season. Put this together with then-County Exec Walker being the sole person signing off on Rindfleisch's hiring and promotion, and you see that Scott Walker brought Kelly Rindfleisch on as a campaign worker, but paid her out of the County Executive's Office, in clear violation of state law. And lastly, let's not forget that Rindfleisch admits in the chats that she does projects for Tim Russell and has the separate laptop and computer system. And what did Scott Walker do on the night the Darlene Wink resignation happened, and the Walkergate web was starting to be revealed? He sent Tim Russell (who Rindfleisch was doing projects for on the separate laptop and wireless system, remember) the following message: 'We cannot afford another story like this one. No one can give them any reason to fo another story. That means no latops, no websites no time away during the work day, etc." (Scott Walker) via Jake
Writer Ernest A. Canning ( Vietnam vet (4th Infantry, Central) notes:
To establish proper venue in Milwaukee County, prosecutors allege in the Rindfleisch complaint that, per her personnel file, "Rindfleisch claimed her residence as 133 South 93rd Street, West Allis, Wisconsin," which just happened to be the residence of "James Villa, former Chief of Staff for the Milwaukee County Executive Office and long-time personal friend of Scott Walker. He served as informal advisor to the Friends of Scott Walker in 2010." According to WPR, in his change of venue motion, Gimbel alleges that the case against Rindfleisch should not be heard in Milwaukee County Circuit Court because she did not actually reside in Milwaukee County at the time she was employed in the Milwaukee County Executive Office. However, the official complaint alleges that Villa testified Rindfleisch began living in his home several days per week "to fulfill her residency requirement as a Milwaukee County employee." According to the prosecutors' complaint, that allegation was confirmed by "chats" pulled from Rindfleisch's laptop. County employment as cover for campaign activity WPR reports [emphasis added]:
"The governor has distanced himself from Rindfleisch, although a copy of her personnel file obtained by Wisconsin Public Radio shows Walker was the only person to sign off on her hiring. He was also the only person to approve her promotion two months later."
In last month's article on the continuing "John Doe" investigation, we noted that Rindfleisch's promotion to Walker's Deputy Chief of Staff placed her less than 25 feet from the door of Walker's office as County Executive. That was at the same time, according to the Rindfleisch complaint, that she was routinely using a secret email system set up by Walker's former Deputy Chief of Staff Tim Russell to carry out extensive campaign activities on behalf of Walker's campaign arm which calls itself Friends of Scott Walker. But the complaint also alleges that Rindfleisch began her illegal participation in campaign activities during office hours from the moment she began working in the Milwaukee County Executive Office. The change of venue motion, placed in the context of the allegations contained in the Rindfleish complaint, suggests that extraordinary efforts were made to evade the residency requirement in order to bring a political operative (Rindfleish --- who was also previously tied to the Assembly Republican Caucus Scandal that put several high-ranking state officials in jail several years earlier), into the Milwaukee County Executive Office in order to misuse that position for the political advantage of Walker in his 2010 gubernatorial campaign. The fact that Walker signed off on both her initial hire and her later promotion strongly suggests that Walker was in on the scheme from day-one. That inference is reinforced by the "smoking gun" 5/14/10 emails between Walker and Russell and between Rindfleisch and Russell. That series of emails reveals that Rindfleisch pulled the plug on the secret email system just ten minutes after Walker told Russell, in the wake of public exposure of former Milwaukee County employee Darlene Wink's illegal political missives sent during office hours: "We cannot afford another story like this one…That means no laptops, no websites, no time away during the day, etc." All-in-all, these points seem to back up our contention from last week, in the wake of the establishment of his new Legal Defense Fund, that Scott Walker may be now be a target of prosecutors in the long-running "John Doe" investigation which has already led to the indictments of four of his former top deputies.
Further notes Caning:
The fact that Walker signed off on both her initial hire and her later promotion strongly suggests that Walker was in on the scheme from day-one. That inference is reinforced by the "smoking gun" 5/14/10 emails between Walker and Russell and between Rindfleisch and Russell. That series of emails reveals that Rindfleisch pulled the plug on the secret email system just ten minutes after Walker told Russell, in the wake of public exposure of former Milwaukee County employee Darlene Wink's illegal political missives sent during office hours: "We cannot afford another story like this one…That means no laptops, no websites, no time away during the day, etc."
Scott Walker should be toast no matter how much money he gets in from out-of-state. If his aides stealing from veterans is not enough to catch the Wisconsin electorate's eyes as the mainstream press tries to hide the story, alternative media like this stays busy and keeps these low lives' actions to the fore.
Some choice quotes from veteran friends on Scott Walker:

Joe ‘Ragman’ Tarnovsky United States Army (28 January 1968 to 22 Oct 1970)
Company A, 27th Combat Engineers
28 August 68 to June 69
Crew Chief/Door Gunner
240th Assault Helicopter Company
Mad Dog Huey Gunships (UH-1C Hueys)
In-Country, South Vietnam (28 August 68 to 22 October 70)

■“The following award is being presented to Scott Walker, Kevin Kavanaugh and Tim Russell for actions BELOW and INFERIOR AGAINST VETERANS: The Distinguished RAT BASTARD Tail for Thievery and Lack of Accountability.”
■“What else can you expect from a MILITARY SLACKER that lives and enjoys the freedoms paid for by others that chose to serve America in her Armed Forces.”
■“At least Benedict Arnold had the guts to openly fight against the American Veterans he sold out!”
■ ”They steal donated funds from American Veterans, what’s next, they’ll be wearing a chest full of military awards and decorations?”
■ ”Maybe since Scott Walker is a military slacker and failed to wear one of the military uniforms of the Armed Forces of The United States and feels inferior in the presence of American Military Veterans, this is his way of lashing out for his lack of military service to our country.”
■“Men like Scott Walker and his co-horts wrap themselves in the American Flag, the same Flag used to cover the caskets of our Brothers and Sisters that died for this country, that isn’t being enough of a hypocrite though, now they must steal funds well meaning Americans donated to support those that served.”

Lem Genovese, Yankee Medic:

"What did you expect for a GOP governor that wants to remove unions and collective bargaining from Wisconsin. You get what you paid for in Walker and embezzlement is just another nail in his re-call coffin."

Ed Mattson:

“Definitely disappointed in embezzlement. Those in power and their friends always find a way to beat the system. This is why I’m voting to throw ALL THE BUMS out. From Obama’s privileged few to Pelosi, GSA, and all the rest, your time is coming to an end. As a veteran and taxpayer, we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. Damn the whole lot of you!”

Marine - pictured in Vietnam standing guard in
rain, after bout with malaria -
"Stealing from veterans is as much a tradition
as Mom and apple pie;
raping mom and stealing apple pie."
Gordon Duff, USMC Vietnam War:

“Stealing from veterans is as much a tradition as Mom and apple pie; raping mom and stealing apple pie.”

Dan Garza, U.S. ARMY Ranger

Founder and CEO
OPERATION: ENDURING GRATITUDE
Executive Director
Liberty Manor for Veterans
Tampa, FL 33688

“It is hard to believe that these two [Russell and Kavanaugh] could do something like this!!! To think we fight, bleed and die so these pukes can financially gain makes me think it’s nut cutting time!!! I have a hard enough time raising funds for our nonprofit without people like these.”

Jan 5, 2012

Veterans' Funds Stolen by Scott Walker Cronies in Growing Scandal

Scott Walker

Update: Criminal complaint against Scott Walker crony posted.

A sordid affair in Wisconsin just became more disgusting as a John Doe investigation into Scott Walker corruption during his tenure as Milwaukee County executive, and his campaign for governor shows Walker appointees pocketed $1,000s intended for veterans and their families, among other repulsive developments.

By Dan Bice

Three individuals - including a former top aide to Gov. Scott Walker - were charged Thursday with felonies as part of the ongoing John Doe investigation into Walker staffers.

Tim Russell, a longtime Walker campaign and county staffer, was charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor count of embezzlement. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said the charges are tied to Operation Freedom, an annual military appreciation day held at the zoo.
The complaint says that Russell diverted to his personal bank account more than $21,000 intended for Operation Freedom, using some of those dollars to go on Hawaiian and Caribbean vacations with his domestic partner.

Other funds were used, the complaint says, for Russell to attend a weekend political strategy session in December 2010 with Herman Cain and his chief of staff, Mark Block, to discuss Cain's now-defunct presidential campaign.
Chisholm said some of the stolen money was intended for the families of Wisconsin soldiers who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Funds also were used for wounded veterans of the war in Iraq. In 2010, Walker's county administration had asked prosecutors to investigate what had happened to $11,000 raised in 2007 for the event.

Chisholm announced the charges at a noon news conference, but said he could not take questions because of the ongoing investigation. He noted that Walker's administration had asked for the investigation and said his office was following the evidence without regard to politics. ...

Also charged Thursday was Brian Pierick, Russell's longtime partner and a staffer at the state Department of Public Instruction, and Kevin Kavanaugh, Walker's appointee to the Milwaukee County Veteran Service Commission.

Kavanaugh, 61, of Cudahy is charged with five felonies for theft and fraudulent writings by a corporate officer. He was the treasurer of the Milwaukee Purple Heart chapter at the time of the dispute over the $11,000 for Operation Freedom.

Prosecutors say he stole more than $42,000 in donations intended to families of U.S. service members killed or wounded in Iraq.

Kavanaugh embezzled and otherwise stole money given to the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Kavanaugh was finance officer for the organization's Milwaukee-area chapter, named for the late war veteran Michelle Witmer. ...

The donations for the event were obtained by Russell on behalf of Walker from local businesses.

He also siphoned Purple Heart money that came from three different sources: former state Sen. Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin), a grant from the Rolfs Family Foundation and the Purple Heart's own foundation. Gundrum, now a state appeals court justice, donated more than $28,000 of his legislative salary to the Purple Heart while he was on active duty in Iraq; Kavanaugh peeled off $4,800 of that amount. ...

In August 2010, authorities seized Russell's county computer just weeks before the gubernatorial primary.

A longtime political hand, Russell, 48, used to run former Gov. Tommy Thompson's Milwaukee office and had been with Walker since he ran for county executive in 2002. Russell did not get a job in the Walker administration in Madison. ...

Walker set up the annual Operation Freedom as a military appreciation day at the zoo for veterans, who got free admission and food. It was run through the county executive's office.

Russell was the coordinator of the event and worked on it with Darlene Wink, another former Walker aide at the county who has been under investigation in the John Doe probe.