Voting Rights Battle in Fitchburg, Wisc; Pursuit of Poll Worker, Civil Rights Activist Proceeds

Fitchburg, Wisconsin Municipal Judge
Hamdy Ezalarab is a popular figure on the
 bench in Dane County, Wisconsin.
Photo is from 1969,
(Schmidt, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Memorial Union TerraceViews)

Fitchburg, Wisconsin — Who knew advocating for voters would provoke the wrath of a handful of white bureaucrats of a small Wisconsin suburb?

If you knew Fitchburg aldermanic district number one like I do, you would know.

I've worked roughly 10 years as a poll worker in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, and voted at the same polling place for some 18 years.

Fitchburg is heavily segregated, stained by open racism, and my voting district's poll workers include a handful of white racists who loathe me, I calculate, roughly to the degree I regard them as miserable, xenophobic and deceitful.

The all-white Fitchburg City Clerk's office backs the racists, fervently.

On August 9, 2016, I was obstructed from voting by this group, and after I objected, citing election law and election authorities, I received a civil citation for disorderly conduct.

Why did this happen? The full context is I regularly embarrassed the City Clerk's office by pointing out defects in the operation of my polling place. I'll get specific in Dane County, (Wisconsin), Circuit Court.

The United States and Wisconsin Constitutions and state election law are diminishing under the white-power banner predominating among this small number of racists in our city.

On May 10, 2017, Fitchburg Municipal Court, (a fine, municipal judge), found me guilty of the civil citation, ordering no fine. No fine.

Clearly, I will avail myself of a jury trial in Dane County Circuit Court and appeal this bogus citation.

Not easy to hear racists, whom I explained are the "White Power Caucus," lie repeatedly in open court but at trial I followed advice of friends and more or less went along with a few objections.

I will prevail in Dane County Court in front of a jury, Dane County Circuit Court is a different forum.

Of note, before defamations from the City Clerk's office were ruled inadmissible, the City Attorney's office in the person of one asst. City Attorney Valerie Zisman, threatened in a conference in the hall to write a new citation for August 9, 2016, which is precisely what happened after court adjourned.

I am confident.

Now, however, I have two disorderly conduct citations, one going to Dane County Court, and the new citation in limbo for now.

The second citation was indicated by the City Atty's office in court, to which the judge replied, not in my court. The judge also stated, he was finished with the citation and the matter was closed, stating he had enough, (not a direct quote).

Stay posted. This may appear light stuff from a small, corrupt Wisconsin city. It's not light stuff. From an email sent by me to the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Aug. 5, 2016, four days before I was obstructed from voting on Aug 9, received the first two of four visits to our home by armed Fitchburg Police, and received the first of now two civil disorderly conduct citations:

From: Mike Leon [ ...]
Sent: Friday, August 05, 2016 8:42 AM
To: Lowe, Diane - ELECTIONS
Subject: Polling Place
Importance: High

Diane,

Could you email me a URL or GAB (WEC) memo that would indicate how many election inspectors are supposed to hand out ballots at a table in a polling place? I believe it to be two.

A ... chief election inspector in our polling place, where I worked on April 5, positioned one election inspector at the ballots table, and predictably quite a voter bottleneck ensued.

Other elections to my memory featured two inspectors on ballots.

I need a memo or other publicly available authority on this two-people-on-ballots question.

I emailed our election and city clerk, around late April on this but no one got back to me. They are not too crazy about questions RE what they regard as their apparent turf, though I believe myself as a resident and long-time election inspector to be a stakeholder.

Administering elections should be about rules and regulations, to my view.

Mike
--
More to come. Much more.

Wisconsin Republicans' Voter-Suppression Project Stopped 10,000s in 2016

Human Being, Gladys Harris of Milwaukee,
stopped by Wisconsin Republicans
from voting in 2016. From photo by
 Carrie Antlfinger, Associated Press.

2,976,150 Votes Is Less than 3,068,434 Votes
- "They prevented us from voting," says human being.

Update - See Berman, The Nation.
Fitchburg, Wisconsin — When Wisconsin Republicans began their massive voter-suppression project in 2011, mandating a new voting qualification in photo voter IDs, the prospect made Republicans "giddy," noted a staffer, Todd Allbaugh, present at a Republican Party caucus, (Marley, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Sommerhauser, Wisconsin State Journal).

Associated Press writers, Christina A. Cassidy, Ivan Moreno, have a piece out showing Wisconsin Republicans' transformation of election law yielded significant results in stopping people from voting, lowering the total vote in Milwaukee and statewide, (Wisconsin State Journal). [See also Mal Contends, Mal Contends, Chris Carson and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

"Overall, nearly 3 million people in Wisconsin voted last November, about 91,000 fewer than in 2012. Milwaukee, a power center for Democrats, reported that 41,000 fewer people voted there than in 2012," note Cassidy and Moreno.

The 41,000 voting decrease in Milwaukee alone, where "urban" types reside as noted by Rep. Paul Ryan in 2012, nearly doubles Donald Trump's 2016 victory margin of some 22,000 votes.

In 2012, some 3,068,434 votes were cast for president in Wisconsin. In 2016, this figure is 2,976,150 votes.

The Republican voter suppression project, not often acknowledged, extends to the polling place where voters are harassed in a corruption of the voting process.

Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Today, at 5:00 p.m. (Central), this writer, a Wisconsin voter and a current, 11-year election inspector, will attend the Fitchburg, Wisconsin Municipal Court to challenge a bogus civil citation for disorderly conduct, issued in retaliation for years of sticking up for voters obstructed and harassed in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, an increasingly racist and toxic city of some 25,000 people.

I urge you to attend the proceeding, or view on on of these Charter Communication cable channels: Fitchburg City Channel 985, Fitchburg City Channel 986, or Fitchburg Access Community TV, (FACT) Channel 987, as possible.

A small number of white citizens in Fitchburg, Wisconsin aspires the community to become a white-dominated police state, and is making consequential strikes.

Wisconsin Needs Voting Rights Training for Poll Workers

Brown human being - If you see this man, don't call the police

Madison, Wisconsin — Following the recount in Wisconsin, it's clear questions pertaining to the lawful administration of elections are met with hostility by local and state officials.

There are numerous explanations for this anti-democratic posture.

Among them are the Republican Party's declared policy against free elections and voting rights, combined with the less-than-sophisticated local poll workers, (election inspectors), populating the many white municipalities of xenophobic Wisconsin.

There is a mandate from Election 2016. The problem is the mandate is neither Constitutional nor lawful, (it's indecent): White Wisconsin wants its country back from brown and black folks working to pass themselves off as real Americans. And how about those damn Hmong—you know they're not going back where they came from.

Participation in elections by black and brown folk is down significantly in 2016, a long-term objective of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, abetted by the Party's official selection of local poll workers begun after Scott Walker assumed office, among many other partisan machinations transforming the culture of the polling place and Wisconsin election law. [Note: Under Republican rule the formally non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau now offers a polemical explication of voting rights citing Republicans', (and only Republican), Wisconsin Supreme Court justices opinions, omitting federal voting rights litigation, civil rights case precedents and dissenting Wisconisn Supreme Court opinions. For a non-partisan online reproduction of the Wisconsin Constitution, see BallotPedia. See also Mal Contends 2013, and Mal Contends 2013 for related analysis.]

Reaction by the Democratic Party is one of moribund indifference and stultifying ignorance. Democracy is weak in Wisconsin.

There are remedies. One is to vote out Republicans, not a likely prospect in the near future in heavily segregated and gerrymandered Wisconsin.

But there's a local remedy: Easy-to-implement and requiring no new expenditures. Follow some of the advice of voting rights champions that has been around for decades and studiously ignored.

Here are two objectives of election officials culled from the California Secretary of State's office in 2006, found with little effort. Pretty simple: A. Poll Workers Must Know the Rights of Voters and B. Poll Workers Must Be Trained in Cultural Sensitivity

Poll Worker Training Guidelines, 2006
California Secretary of State

Poll worker training must include an overview of the mission or role of the poll worker, which is to assist every qualified voter to cast a ballot and to ensure that each ballot is safely secured until it can be counted. A large part of that role is to provide a positive voting experience for all, and to ensure that the rights of everyone seeking to vote are protected and ensured. Poll workers should be trained to process and assist all voters with a customer service mentality in order to make their experience as positive as possible. To fulfill that role, poll workers should be familiar with the rights of voters, be trained in cultural sensitivity, know how and when to assist voters with disabilities or other specific needs, and know their responsibilities and the limits relating to them. These four areas of knowledge are discussed independently below, but are inter-related components that must be integrated in the overall mandate of ensuring that the rights of voters are protected, respected and valued. 

A.  Poll Workers Must Know the Rights of Voters (pp. 1-6)

B.  Poll Workers Must be Trained in Cultural Sensitivity

Given the great diversity of the population in California, [and most any state], poll workers must be instructed to treat all voters with respect and to respond to each individual’s needs to ensure that voters of all backgrounds are comfortably and respectfully able to participate in the voting process. Poll workers must be trained on “cultural competency” – the ability to recognize and to respond to cultural concerns or sensitivities of various groups. ...

To ensure that each poll worker is skilled in cultural competency, the training of poll workers should include instruction on the following: 

Respect for Differences
Poll workers must be trained to understand the importance of cultural sensitivity. They must be instructed to treat all voters with the same respect, courtesy and level of service, regardless of how they look or what language they speak. They must be encouraged to be considerate and patient, anticipate voters’ needs, and offer assistance when possible. For example, when checking in a voter, the poll worker must politely determine how to spell the voter’s name. Train poll workers to politely ask voters how to spell their names, provide paper and pen for voters to write it down, or accept for spelling purposes if a voter offers to show his or her name in print on an identification card or other document. Poll workers may not require proof of identify except under the circumstances outlined previously (first-time voter who mailed in a voter registration card). ...

Use Three Tools of “Wait – Recognize – Listen.” 
Poll workers should be instructed to use three tools on Election Day:
• Wait - Slow down the instinctive reaction to launch into a quick response. Wait first to process the question, then formulate a reasoned, respectful response.
• Recognize – Poll workers must focus on how to recognize other people’s feelings and anticipate their needs and be sensitive, accommodating and courteous in assisting them.  
• Listen – Poll workers must listen before speaking in order to understand exactly what the voter is feeling, seeing, needing, and trying to say/communicate. It is most important to remember to put automatic assumptions aside in order not to stereotype and to better enable the worker to hear and understand a voter’s responses. 

Voter Privacy
Poll workers must be trained to respect the voter’s privacy. This is not only a courtesy, it is a legal requirement. Training must emphasize the importance of voter confidentiality and clearly detail procedures for handling each ballot, no matter which language it contains. ...

Cultural Competency
Training Training poll workers on cultural competency must include information about citizens who speak a language other than English; citizens from a racial or ethnic minority; citizens who have physical or mental disabilities, citizens with low literacy skills; and citizens who are elderly.  ...

Removing Insensitive Poll Workers
If a poll worker is identified on Election Day as being culturally insensitive, or otherwise unsuitable for a particular polling place, that poll worker should be reported to the election official and immediately relieved of their precinct duties.
 ---
Like that's going to happen.

I would offer a third guideline: Recognize that white Wisconsin racism is an unConstitutional toxic combustion that will not dissipate by inattention, and a corollary:  Just because a black or brown voter shows up to vote does not make this voter a threat. It's a civil liberties thing.

Fighting Police Harassment in Dane County Wisconsin

Update: An aroused public is the best defense against police tyranny. Since the deadly shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, protesters, witnesses, and victims of police brutality have taken to their phones to monitor and record police behavior, posting their videos on social media to shed light on the “official” account of events. In many of these incidents, the individuals documenting the events later alleged that police had harassed them in retaliation. ording or disseminating information related to government misconduct. Police must be trained on the First Amendment right to record, and that right must be guaranteed to all. Please stand with PEN America, People Demanding Action, and the ACLU in calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate this troubling trend of police retaliation against citizen journalists and enforce its policies on First Amendment rights.

Madison and Fitchburg, Wisconsin — The summer of 2008 was a magic time in American history.

From the near-south and north sides of Milwaukee across Wisconsin, people believed.

In Fitchburg, next to Madison, I worked as a polling worker on Election Day 2008, (and for the past some nine years), and I'll never forget the young, black man walking up to the voting rolls table where I was stationed and announcing, "I will be voting today."

Yes, sir, I replied.

The 20-something black man was intense and kind of loud as compared to the room. As likely as not he would be cited for disorderly conduct were he have to announced his intention to vote in the same manner at the Aug. 9, 2016 polling place in Fitchburg, Wisconsin five weeks ago.

We are a new state since 2011, and Republicans and racists are trying to take over the polling place.

A dark man speaking on equal terms with mostly white election inspectors in a room? Dude is just asking for trouble.

The man inspired me, and if he were reading this, I ask him to contact me because we need his voice in this hyper-segregated city of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, segregation being a fact you'll not read about the City website.

It is a fact we have a big racists-in-City Hall problem and a related racists-at-the-polling place problem. I could be wrong but I believe ignoring the defects of our city will not yield a solution.

The problem is made much worse by the fact that bureaucrats conspired to contrive a disorderly conduct charge against me for trying to vote, and sticking up for the civil liberties of others.

Local police gladly helped the bureaucrats, and I received a non-mandatory appearance complaint through First Class mail 29 days after Aug. 10 date of Citation.

This was in retaliation for my pointing out in an email racist City officials failed to place Election Day signs at the polling place on the presidential primary Election Day on April 5. I mean we don't want black and brown folks showing up to vote en masse?

This was in retaliation against me for pointing out in 2014 an armed police presence near the polling place is a very bad idea. That voters in our district's black neighborhoods needed to encounter police to vote is a bad idea.

There's more, stay tuned. To support Mal as I fight this disorderly conduct civil citation, go to Support Mal.

I've made a motion to dismiss pro se and appearing specially, as a nine-year sworn election inspector, (current to 2017), current 16-year Fitchburg resident, complainant of two public integrity investigations of Fitchburg City Hall election conduct, (filed 2013, 2016 with Dane County District Attorney), current writer indexed in Nexis and Westlaw, and current correspondent for the Fitchburg Star, (Wood Comm, Inc.).

I fully expect more harassment, intimidation attempts and abuse of process. Figure the more noise I make, the more I chronicle, the more difficult the attempt to persecute. Local civil rights workers agree.

Wisconsin Republicans—Dirty Tricks, Racists and Voter Obstruction

Updated - "Our campaign has had to deal with millions of dollars in misleading, negative ads from the Koch network, but this is a new low. Republicans are getting desperate, and they've resorted to the dirtiest tactic in their playbook: sending a spy into our campaign headquarters. This person came into our campaign headquarters using a fake name, a fake story, and even a fake Facebook page to try and cover their tracks," says Sarah Lindstrom, Volunteer Coordinator for the Russ Feingold U.S. Senate campaign in an email this morning.

Republican dirty tricks combined with one of the most ambitious voter obstruction projects in the nation reveal two things: The nature of the white Republican party in Wisconsin, and the desperation of the white party.

Signing off for the weekend.

Wisconsin, be advised, even the most basic right, voting, is under assault.

Scott Walker is quoted in the Capital Times today, saying Republican-enacted restrictions on early voting are needed after these restrictions were struck down in late July as unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge James Peterson in One Wisconsin Now, Inc. v. Thomsen.

Peterson held a trial and after hearing evidence, testimony, and argument found these early-voting restrictions to be discriminatory. This is an extraordinary opinion, but in white Wisconsin the significance is lost on the politcal culture.

"Those were reasonable changes at the time ... ," Walker said, not specifying why these restrictions were reasonable in 2011, or explaining if these restrictions are not needed now in 2016, then what has changed.

Getting a straight answer out of Scott Walker, or a racist bureaucrat in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is never a good bet.

I'm a Fitchburg, Wisconsin Election Inspector, Was Stopped from Voting for 35 Minutes and Harassed

Voter Obstruction and Harassment Has to Stop Now

Update II: White Fitchburg election inspector leaves comment at Mal Contends, corroborating in part allegations below. MC would publish comment, (it is saved), however it is this site's policy not to run the words of racists, as I hate those fuckers.
--
Updated - I have voted at Fitchburg Fire Station, Number 2, for some 15 years, working as a sworn election inspector, (contract employee), for some nine years.

This morning I walked-jogged to my polling place to vote.

I walked into the fire station, said 'hi' to the greeter, said hi to Hertis at the Ballots table, hi to Lynette Rasmusson, a retied teacher, friend and neighbor down our street, at the M-Z voting books.

I walk over to the A-L table to state my name and address, as I do in every election.

I gave the Republican Election Inspector on the A-L books my Wisconsin-issued voter-photo ID who proceeded to take about two minutes time, apparently pretending to inspect attributes.

'Get to work, boys. Leon, Michael, Monticello Way, 5767,' I said jokingly.

But something was up. I worked the voting rolls inspecting IDs in before, and it does not take this long to examine an ID.

Election inspectors typically are not adversarial and hostile except maybe to black folks, but I'm waiting for my voting number to get my ballot.

I take my ID and I place it back in my wallet.

'I need to see your ID again, I have to check, ahh, the expiration date," said the Republican.

—You just saw it and inspected my ID. You don't need to see it again, I say.

This guy is screwing with me, with my vote. I'm pissed.

'I need you to state your address, Mike,' using my name.

—You're screwing with me. I gave you my ID, and my address. You know fully well who I am. Where's my [voting] number. I'm voting today.

I can't believe this Republican is screwing with me, with my vote. He has my name and address, and after examining my ID, now he's preventing me from voting.

I'm going to settle this with the election authorities, I say. I'm being denied my right to vote, I said, glancing at Lynette Rasmusson at the M-Z table.

I call up the US Atty's office, the Wisconsin DoJ, the Fitchburg City Clerk, the Dane County DA and then the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC, formerly GAB).

Should have started with Elections Commission, but my guard is down, I was ambushed. Hey, I'm voting; it's social, civic and political.

So, after being on with the Elections Commission for several minutes, I gave her the name of Dale Z., the Republican Chief Election Inspector seated behind and to the right of the voting rolls.

I hold the phone in the air, and she hears the chatter from the A-L table. 'We need your name and address,' says the Republican.

Okay, they are screwing with me still, and I cannot believe it, but I'll try this again with the Elections Commission on. I give my name and address again. This time, the two Republicans and Ron Johnson, (also working the A-L table), all yell, cheer and say, about time.

The Elections Commission says, what was that? Those are the Republican election inspectors, I reply.

It sounded like a gasp, but I don't know.

I call a Fitchburg Alder, Tony Hartman, and the Fitchburg Star and a bunch of local politcos and elected officeholders.

This harassment and voter obstruction has to stop now.

Tony Hartman says he'll talk to Patty and Tracy at City Hall. I'm on with Mike Haas at the Wisconsin Elections Commission, and tell him in no uncertain words, this harassment has to stop.

I call City Hall, the election inspector dismisses my complaint out-of-hand with no investigation.

By not taking my complaint seriously, she was giving tacit approval to the violators and condoning their action.

City Hall doesn't like my writing, doesn't like my sticking up for voters. I'm still on with Haas.


Jackie, my life partner who is in ill health, calls from the living room and said, there is Fitchburg Police squadron stopping at our home, and two armed FPD officers walk up our drive-way and pound at the door.

Jackie is scared is her own home, and she cannot afford stress.

This is voting today, this has to stop. Right now.
--
Email to Fitchburg, Wisconsin Common Council members sent Aug. 9

This needs to stop right now.

I had multiple conversations with District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, the GAB's Mike Haas, and State Rep. Robb Kahl's office, among many other parties.

I related this morning's events about being obstructed to vote for 35 minutes, followed by two visits of Fitchburg

Police banging on our home, and upsetting Jackie to tears. Her health is not good, and she need a stress-free environment. I will file a civil rights complaint and a civil suit if personal injury results.

These events are chronicled here.

The voter obstruction and police harassment comes as a partisan tactical voter suppression campaign is clear, and secondly my status as an ethic minority is met with hostility by Republicans including but not limited to three Republican Fitchburg election inspectors and Tracy Oldenburg.

There will be an investigation conducted by the District Attorney's office as well as the Elections Commission, I have been assured.

Prior to these investigations, it is incumbent that we realize Tracy is not capable of addressing complaints, as evinced by her behavior in which she summarily dismissed my complaint with no investigation.

More insidious is the fact Republican election inspectors felt entitled and empowered to engage in this clearly hostile voter obstruction. Tracy Oldenburg is incapable of administering elections and an inquiry should be addressed with an eye towards removing her.

I would ask for a thorough consideration of the facts of harassment against my family and me, and voter obstruction conducted with the assent of Tracy Oldenburg.

Mike Leon

Milwaukee Police Targeting Black Residents and Protesters

Across the country, Americans are protesting being killed
by police, protests that are now being targeted by police

A Very Racist Christmas Weekend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Milwaukee Police Officer Branko Stoj to writer: "What the fuck are you doing here?!" Milwaukee Police Officer Joseph Anderer: "You’re a domestic terrorist. ... We’re gonna fuck with you and your friends a bit." (Jabril Faraj, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service) Mr. Faraj was arrested and his vehicle impounded.
---
When Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm announced in mid-December that Killer Cop, Christopher Manney, would not be charged for killing Dontre Hamilton in April 2014 by shooting Hamilton 14 times, few were surprised.

Hamilton is black and now ex-cop Manney is white.

District Attorney Chisholm is not known for his moral courage, and taking on a white police murderer in the America's most segregated urban area is not the politically convenient move in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Few were surprised but outraged nevertheless, so protests ensued, and Milwaukee citizens blocked the I-43 highway resulting in mass arrests. (Luthern, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was outraged ... at the protests, not understanding that black folks have had enough of being killed by white police.

December protest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's I-43 Highway
against another police murder of another
unarmed black man, Dontre Hamilton
Photo: Overpass Light Brigade

Barrett evidently has no clue that people have had enough of the status quo, or more likely Barrett lacks the courage to stand up for black folks.

Don't look for Barrett to speak against police violence or segregation.

I've met Tom Barrett a couple of times when he was a state senator. Nice enough guy, but Barrett has the spine of a white liberal politician in Milwaukee which is to say: Spaghetti spine.

A Milwaukee writer, Jabril Faraj, has been covering the inner-city of Milwaukee so naturally over the weekend Faraj was arrested and given two citations by the unthinking, racist Milwaukee police for doing his job.

Read Faraj's account in Why I Was Arrested in Milwaukee’s Central City (Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Dec. 28) for insight into the regard Milwaukee cops have for the First Amendment and civil liberties.

Black lives matter is the theme of people across America.

Now, police are accelerating the program against black Milwaukee protesters.

"Milwaukee police have issued arrest orders for specific organizers and refuse to even inform these organizers or their attorneys of any charges until they are in custody," reports Khalil Coleman Milwaukee resident and organizer from Occupy The Hood Milwaukee.

At some point, America may awaken and realize that black lives don't matter so very much, and this is very wrong.

The FBI and U.S. attorney's office are now investigating the murder of Hamilton.

Scott Walker and Amen Corner Were Wrong, First Amendment Prevails in Wisconsin

Michael Crute was arrested on July 24, 2013
for “unlawful assembly.” Photo by Erica Case.

Update: From The Progressive: "In State of Wisconsin vs. John B. Bell, (Judge) Markson wrote: “I cannot ignore any party - much less the State's - altering a document filed with the court so that it is different from the one actually served upon the other party (targeted Wisconsin citizens opposing Scott Walker). That this is wrong requires no explanation."

Scott Walker's effort to halt speech based upon content, a fact ignored in local coverage, was struck down this week by Dane County (Wisconsin) Judge John Markson in two rulings.

"Defendants Michael Crute and John Bell, among others, had challenged the constitutionality of the emergency rules, arguing their First Amendment rights under the WI and US Constitutions were violated. Markson agreed in a written decision issued (this week)," report Joseph Skulan and Jason Huberty.

So-called "emergency rules" were instituted in Wisconsin state properties, including the state capitol building, to deter, harass and unlawfully arrest anti-Scott Walker political activity.

Markson’s ruling could set precedent that would lead to the dismissal of ~300 charges issued under Administrative Code 2.14(2)(vm)(5) for 'unlawful assembly' last summer.

Michael Crute and his attorney Jeff Scott Olson issued a press release. 'This is Scott Walker’s "Bridge-Gate"," said Michael Crute.

Attorney Jeff Scott Olson states, 'I look forward to seeking civil monetary remedy against the State on behalf of my clients Mr. Crute and Mr. Salvia, due to their unjust and unconstitutional prosecutions.'

The two rulings, Wisconsin v. Crute and Wisconsin v. Bell (via Isthmus), establish other facts not mentioned: Wisconsin Capitol Police lied repeatedly and Scott Walker and his administration lied repeatedly for the purpose of suppressing speech deemed hostile to Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans.

And it should be noted, many liberal commentators and Democratic officeholders also did nothing to stop repeated First Amendment violations, a fact hailed by writer Steven Carlson and former Mayor Madison David J. Cieslewicz (2003 to 2011), and local Madison broadcast 'news."

One ruling reads:

"The rule Mr. Crute (Wisconsin v. Crute) is charged with violating is not narrowly tailored to the legitimate governmental interests it seeks to promote," Markson concluded. "It is not a valid time, place, and manner requirement. It is unconstitutional on its face. The citation must be, and it hereby is, dismissed." (Davidoff. Isthmus)

Republicans Again Arrest and Detain 20 Citizens at Capitol, Including Journalist

Madison Capitol Police Arrest Singers and Observers

Via  Blue Cheddar, GilesGoatBoy and Support for Solidarity Sing Along

Scott Walker and Republican are starting up again their mass arrests of Wisconsin citizens for singing in public today.

Not good news for the Republicans as this time WKOW TV was there, as well as the Madison Radion Station, 92.1 The Mic personality, Dominic Salvia who was not singing and was arrested.

Said Bob Jauch (D-Poplar, Wisconsin): "My God, people have a right to sing. The administration is upset with the views of the people who are there and they’re trying to remove them from their Capitol."

Greg Neumann of WKOW has lots of shots of the mass police civil liberties violations.

Look at these dangerous people surrounding by Madison Capitol Police - Maybe these guys need to get outside more and understand that serving as Walker's palace guard does not square with their oaths to defend the Constitution.

Republican Writer Hits Scott Walker for Anti-First Amendment Edict

Wisconsin Constitution, Article One

Will Scott Walker begin listening (and stop lying) now that a Waukesha-based PR consultant, James Wigderson, is telling Walker to back off the new Capitol rules mandating: Groups of four or more no longer have First Amendment rights?

"Free speech at the Capitol should not be about which interest group has the financial backing necessary to overcome the capriciousness of any governor or his Administration Secretary," writes Wigderson.

Though Wigderson can't resist taking shots at the Wisconsin families protesting Scott Walker, even this Republican now sees that Scott Walker lacks the values enshrined in First Amendment liberties.

The United States and Wisconsin constitutions are to be defended, not subverted. That truism is kind of a biggie for the executive branch.