Doyle’s Gone, Good Riddance

People all over Wisconsin were happy Monday to see Gov. Jim Doyle announce his intention to not seek reelection.

One thing that progressive Democrats and rightwing Republicans agree on is that Jim Doyle is a liar, a vindictive and corrupt politician.

That’s who he is as governor. A lot of Democrats cannot stand the guy on a personal level. And Republicans are sad to see him go as Doyle would have given them a clear shot at the governor’s office.

That’s not really news and it’s not entirely clear how this reality fits into Doyle’ decision to not seek reelection.

According to Doyle, he reached his decision some seven to 10 days ago [WisPolitics], coming around to his belief that he claims to have held since being first elected governor in 2002: He will only serve two terms, the “norm” for governors.

"I think this national norm serves good purpose. It keeps the political world from becoming stagnant. It allows new leaders to develop. It gives the voters more choices,” said Doyle Monday.

Why then did Doyle raise more than $2 million for reelection?

Republicans are demanding that Doyle return the campaign money, but he’ll likely give it to a worthy cause to polish his legacy.

In the face of declining poll numbers, a few weeks before the time that Doyle says he was deciding not to run again Doyle announced the appointment of an over-the-top, former anti-drug prosecutor as a finalist to a Dane County Judgeship, Amy Smith.

Smith was rejected by a judicial advisory selection committee but inserted by Doyle as a finalist though Smith was “rebuked for dishonesty on two separate occasions by appellate court judges” during her tenure as an anti-drug prosecutor.

“His judicial selection process … was besmirched by his decision to add the name of a longtime aide and campaign donor to the list of finalists for a Dane County judgeship -- and then to appoint the woman [Amy Smith],” reads the Capital Times editorial reacting to Doyle's announcement, Memo to would-be governors: Embrace real reform.

On July 8, Doyle announced the appointment of Smith.

Doyle is corrupt to the bone and his legacy will be remembered as politics as usual, dishonest and self-serving.

At least he’s leaving now. Memo to would-be governors: Don’t be Jim Doyle.

Anti-drug Crusader Takes a Hit

Amy Smith, the last-minute finalist for Dane County Judge rejected by a selection committee and then added by Gov. Jim Doyle is the focus of a piece today by John Nichols in the Cap Times.

Truly, the nicest thing I have heard from practicing members of the Wisconsin Bar is that prosecutor Amy Smith is lying and overzealous.

Writes Nichols:

Members of the selection committee ... would neither confirm nor deny that Smith's name was left off the list because she had on two separate occasions been rebuke by appellate court judges for dishonesty, including one instance where an entire three-judge panel on a drug case chastised the prosecutor for lying about a potential trial witness.

Smith refused repeated requests for her side of the story, even as her name was associated with the most controversial judicial appointment the county has seen in some years.

Nichols see Smith as an example of what is wrong with the proposed so-called merit selection process that would replace the the election of judges, in favor of other judicial election reform.

Smith's crusade against drugs, including that weed sent from the devil Marijuana, was fanatical during her tenure as a prosecutor in Dane County. That she was rebuked as a liar is no great surprise.

See also WKOW's (Madison) report on the selection committee rejecting Smith.

We can't be hating, so let's let Bob take it from here:

Doyle Names Drug NAZI as Judge Finalist

Amy Smith for Dane County Judge? You have got to be kidding me?

The nicest thing I have heard about Amy Smith is that she is a lying, overzealous drug NAZI, most of it done within the ethics of the bar if not simple decency.

What, Gov. Doyle figured this demographic is underrepresented on the bench?

The state DOJ did not rescue Smith from her past deeds at the DA's office (for which she has not apologized to the people of Wisconsin), no matter how much money she gives Governor Doyle's campaign.

From WKOW:

MADISON (WKOW) -- A spokesperson for Governor Doyle told 27 News, Doyle added the name of Amy Smith as a finalist for Dane County Judge after an advisory committee failed to include her in a recommended list of finalists. ...

Madison attorney Michelle Behnke, a member of the advisory committee, declined any comment about Doyle's insertion of Smith into the final process.

‘We take our work seriously,’ Behnke told 27 News. ‘We were comfortable with the list of seven (original) recommended finalists.’

A review of campaign finance records shows Smith's $1,750 in campaign
contributions to Doyle since 2005 were the highest of any of 28 applicants for the judge positions.

‘The public is going to look at that and say it has less to do with judicial qualifications and more to do with campaign contributions,’ said Mike McCabe, executive director of the government watchdog group, Wisconsin Democracy campaign. ...

‘A judge should be more than a lawyer who knows the governor.’Sensenbrenner said Doyle selected Smith because she was highly qualified. Sensenbrenner said Doyle took Smith's two public rebukes into account, but felt on balance, her legal career merited selection.

In 1992, an appeals court judge said Smith made a serious misrepresentation to a trial court about a potential witness in a drug case. In 1995, an appeals court stated Smith falsely denied making statements about a witness in another drug case.

Smith has declined comment to 27 News. In addition to her job as deputy secretary, Smith served under Doyle when Doyle was Wisconsin's attorney general.

If Doyle is that corrupt as to appoint Smith to the bench, I'm voting for Neumann or Walker.