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." 

Scott Walker for Pres Talk Omits Fact Wisc Gov Is a Lightweight

Scott Walker is seeking the attention of billionaires again, (Opoien, The Capital Times), (Amato, The Capital Times), after agreeing to speak at the Republican National Convention next week in Cleveland.

Republican delegates will never choose the Iowa native, a policy lightweight of such limited ability he achieved a 0-percent polling value in Iowa before tanking his presidential campaign last year.

Last August, Walker famously yelled at an Iowa audience, "I am not intimidated by you," as he ignored policy questions from the crowd, (Williams, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

The widespread ridicule saw Walker's political futures plummet, before dropping out in September, on the advice of God, Walker said.

Scott Walker—Portrait in Corruption

Mary Bottari at PR Watch has a new piece about another Scott Walker scheme revealed in emails suggesting Walker committed felony misconduct in public office while serving as Milwaukee County Executive. See also TruthOut,

Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm's refusal to bring criminal charges in John Doe I is an act of political cowardice, and an abdication of his duty as a state Constitutional officer that makes Chisholm unfit for office, (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

Scott Walker's Pres Campaign Was a Fraud, and It Blew Up

Scott Walker's 70-day clusterfrack

It wasn't prescient to predict in February Scott Walker's campaign for the presidency was a fraud, not a serious campaign.

This was obvious.

Worse are today's reports Walker even screwed up his spend-thrift, tax payer-financed trips down the rabbit hole.

Notes top news pieces today on Walker:

• How Scott Walker spent $90,000 a day to lose an election (Johnson, Washington Post)
• Fiscal Conservative Scott Walker Spent Like a Drunken Sailor, Put Kids on Payroll
• Reckless spending on exorbitant salaries killed the Walker campaign (Catanese, U.S. News and World Report)
• Scott Walker faces tough task in repaying presidential campaign debts (Stein, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

"Given that Walker's campaign lasted just 70 days — from July 13 to Sept. 21," how did Scott Walker manage to spend $90,000 a day, the Post's Jenna Johnson asks.

Johnson's answer is instructive to Walker's delusions of grandeur and inflated sense of entitlement:

For Walker money went toward a payroll of more than 80, generous paychecks for top staffers, dozens of consultants and vendors who were paid tens of thousands of dollars, and elaborately staged campaign events. For a candidate who bragged on the campaign trail about finding deals at Kohl's and packing sack lunches to save money, the reports show that the campaign spent lavishly even as fundraising dollars began to disappear.

The campaign's payroll for those three months totaled nearly $2 million in salaries, taxes and benefits. Additionally, the campaign engaged dozens of consultants and vendors who were collectively paid more than $800,000. Walker's campaign was known for paying more than many of its rivals, and at least 20 employees were paid at least $30,000 in less than three months.

Walker's two college-age sons, Matt and Alex Walker, were both on the payroll but were among the least-compensated staff members, making less than $5,000 each. Five employees earned more than $50,000 in salary and benefits during that three-month period: Campaign manager Rick Wiley received nearly $52,000. Political director Matt Mason, $61,000. Communication director Kirsten Kukowski, more than $58,000. Treasurer Kate Lind, $57,730. General counsel Jonathan Waclawski, $57,600.

The campaign also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars setting up campaign stops and fundraisers. Even simple town-hall events in small towns featuring a stage, bright lights, a backdrop of flags and a sound system playing music. The campaign paid more than $126,000 to one firm alone, D.C.-based Harbinger LLC, to provide 'event production consulting.' The campaign would use video and photos from these events on Walker's social media platforms, on the campaign Web site and in promotional materials. The campaign had a full-time photographer on staff and also spent more than $100,000 on video production services. 

As Walker blows a hole in Wisconsin's budget deficit, perhaps even Walker has a new tag line: Unaccountable.

Scott Walker Enters Debate Under Cloud of Criminality

Scott Walker still refuses to
face Wisconsin people

Scott Walker is a scandal-plagued candidate for the presidency who still refuses answers to his clear acts of felonious criminality.

With the exception of Gov. Chris Christie (NJ) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) Walker enters tonight's debate with the most unanswered questions on his conduct in office, raising public integrity questions from which Walker has run.

Don't look for tonight's debate moderators, Fox News hosts Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace, to ask Scott Walker the question to which Wallace never received an answer from Walker last year: "Did you have your own private e-mail account?" (Mal Contends) (ThinkProgress)

Walker refused to answer Wallace's question because Walker knew what he did was illegal.

Chris Wallace like the Wisconsin media won't be clamoring for an answer to why Walker was running for governor on an illegal email system on public property and violating Wisconsin's Open Records law he unsuccessfully tried to gut this year. But if Wallace took seriously his profession as a journalist, he would ask Walker the same question. (Mal Contends) (ThinkProgress)

Walker's aborted gutting of the Open Records law earlier this year raises the same issue that Walker's flaunting of the Open Records law raised during Walker tenure as Milwaukee County Executive.

If Milwaukee County workers in Walker's administration (2002-10) were doing nothing wrong, why should they be using a private e-mail account? Did you have your own private e-mail account?

Noted before, Walker used the Milwaukee County Executive's office as a campaign machine for governor because he felt is he was entitled; Walker violated open records law because he felt he was entitled; and Walker won't talk to the press now because he knows as well that he is neck-deep in uncharged crimes.
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From 2014:

Question from Luke, Green Bay, Wisconsin. - 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 February 2014) (Mal Contends)

Say what your will about Chris Christie, unlike Scott Walker, Christie does not run from questions.

From Chris Wallace last year:

Scott Walker’s office 'obstructed' probe of missing veterans funds, say investigators

Update: Significance of Dee Hall's piece is that evidence of the Scott Walker obstruction of law enforcement probe looking into missing money of veterans' fund is now in federal court in a brief (dated July 31, 2015) using only publicly released documents beyond the reach of Republicans on the Wisconsin Supreme Court that attempted to sanitize and cover up for Scott Walker's duplicity and apparent illegal actions as County Executive.
 ---
Scott Walker's long-time aides and appointees are some real low-life types, embezzling from a military veterans' fund with Walker and his office (Milwaukee County Executive (2002-10)) playing interference.

 Dee J. Hall has the story at WisconsinWatch.

Scott Walker and Republicans still believe the rule of law does not apply to favored Republicans like Walker. (Mal Contends)

But the crooks and liars from John Doe I are coming back to bite Walker, and many 1,000s of pages of documents remain in the public domain beyond the reach of Walker and the four Republican justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Wonder what Walker's next move is, telling the convicted to shut up?

Scott Walker Asks Donors for More Money, Following Appeals to God

Ready for Scott Walker? - Give Money, New Site Says
(Gold, Washington Post)

Scott Walker in January laughed off suggestions he might be running for president, saying, "We'll see about what God's calling is for the future." (Opoien, Capital Times)

Either God gave Walker the go-ahead, or the higher power intervened and directed Walker who formed a presidential exploratory committee and a new website—Ready for Walker?—asking for still more guidance in the form of money in a new email urging readers to participate in The Race to 270 [Electoral Votes]. (Gold, Washington Post)

The new Walker website cannot be entered unless the user first donates or creates an account, so it's not so user-friendly, though it does feature a silhouette of Scott Walker apparently deep in thought with his hands in his own pockets.

God may speak often with Walker, it appears money speaks louder and with greater authority. (Opoien, Capital Times)

Walker leaves behind a disaster in this northern Midwest state that Walker has been laboring to transform into a Southern state (Cognitive Dissonance), emphatically so in jobs lost, families targeted and the environment abandoned. (Jake's Econ FunHouse)

If God is really calling for Scott Walker, the Big Guy may be saying: Come home and get Wisconsin's fiscal house in order; you messed it up, clean it up. (Spicuzza, Stein, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) (Political Environment)

And quit trying to kill the University of Wisconsin, and help and commit no further harm onto Wisconsin families. God hates this, the Bible so commands.

"It is clear what we have accomplished in Wisconsin can be replicated across the country," Scott Walker's website states. (Gold, Washington Post) That's crazy talk, perhaps sent by the Devil.

"Let’s stipulate up front that Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin, is an odious politician whose ascension to the Presidency would be a disaster," [the New Yorker's John Cassidy] writes in the opening paragraph of his February column in The New Yorker, "The dangerous candidacy of Scott Walker." (Slinger, The Capital Times)

Cassidy's statement is something on which most people in Wisconsin can agree, if only they would show up and vote.

Scott Walker Is More Fraud than Serious Presidential Candidate

The New Yorker's John Cassidy pulls no punches in how he feels about about a potential Scott Walker presidency.

"Let’s stipulate up front that Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin, is an odious politician whose ascension to the Presidency would be a disaster," [Cassidy] writes in the opening paragraph of his Tuesday column in The New Yorker, "The dangerous candidacy of Scott Walker." (Slinger, The Capital Times)

Odious, destructive, yes. More dangerous than even the once-in-a-lifetime, Bush-Cheney 2007-09 Great Recession, the neocon Iraq invasion and occupation?

Yes.

In fact, Walker is working to transform Wisconsin into Mississippi.

Scott Walker is a frontman for plutocrats, chickenhawks and statist extremists, and who can blame The New Yorker's Cassidy for looking askance at fascism bubbling up from the Midwest?

Work against fascism or lose America and civil rights

But America has been here before. And won.

Scott Walker, as demonstrated by any interview with follow-up questions, is a Sarah Palinesque lightweight who can't handle policy questions.

And the man has no conscience. (Milbank, Washington Post)

Want to know why Scott Walker with the self-proclaimed "big and bold" ideas declined to hold even one townhall-style question-and-answer session with the Wisconsin people? (Mal Contends)

Walker can't handle policy questions.

This is precisely why some progressive writers warn Walker ought not be underestimated in his faux presidential run. They want Walker to be the GOP nominee and are trying to impose gravitas on the billionaires' minion who is afraid of interviews outside race-baiting Milwaukee hate radio. (MacGillis, The New Republic)

As the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Dan Bice put it two years ago: Scott Walker is not an "ideas guy," suggesting someone as error-prone as Walker who can't think on his feet "could earn him the distinction of being the Gov. Perry of the 2016 campaign." (Dan Bice chat transcript on Thursday, April 18, 2013) (Mal Contends)

What does Scott Walker who is not an "ideas guy" do? Portray himself as a big and bold ideas guy as he takes the Koch brothers/ALEC agenda as his own.

What is Scott Walker really up to? Two things, and not one is a serious run for the presidency.

One - Walker's presidential run is a cover for past criminal deeds, and shame on Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm for cowering before the Koch brothers and other plutocrats when Chisholm knew perfectly well the John Doe I evidence showed Walker is guilty of misconduct in public office when he served as Milwaukee County Executive.

"We already know that Walker was fully aware of what was going on with the secret router and the illegal politicking that had been going on. In fact, Walker not only knew about it all, he was directing it!" (Cognitive Dissidence) Walker faces another criminal investigation now being adjudicated before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Two - Scott Walker is simply on an elaborate fundraising campaign with his national base accumulated during the Recall election.

When Walker is defeated early in the nomination process in his reputed run for the GOP nominee for the presidency, he'll bow out and call for GOP unity for plutocrat Jeb Bush, finish out his term and be a frontman for rightwing welfare.

Though he would have worn out his welcome in much of Wisconsin, Walker can retreat to the segregated white homeland inside the WOW counties outside of the greater Milwaukee urban area.

Cashing in on his radicalism and selling out the state of Wisconsin, Walker will have done well with the plutocrats ala Sarah Palin.

Scott Walker Presidential Talk Is Cover for Crimes Shown in Black-in-White

As Scott Walker's allies try to shine up a Scott Walker presidential bid, (Bice, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) the late-December release of emails from Walker's 2010 campaign for governor shows Walker at the center of a criminal scheme of using public office as a secret personal campaign headquarters. (Capper, Cognitive Dissonance)

When Walker refused last year on Fox News to answer the question if he ever used the secret and illegal email system, Wisconsin political writer, Capper, points out today that emails made public show not only used it, "not only knew about it all, he was directing it!"

Walker hopes Republican justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court whose campaigns were funded by $Millions by the same groups who funded Walker's campaigns will cover up his crimes under investigation by a second bipartisan John Doe probe in which Walker has already been shown to be at the center of another apparent criminal scheme.

These are two massive criminal conspiracies and Walker is counting on corrupt Republican judges and legislative allies to defend and distract by portraying Walker as a serious candidate for president when most of Wisconsin knows he's a both a policy lightweight and a crook.

One problem Walker faces now is that the Constitutional officers investigating Walker's schemes in John Doe II represent what attorneys refer to as the Sovereign: The government in all its power, glory and might.

"The prosecutor wields all of the power and might of the government as the Sovereign and enjoys all of the immunity that protects the Sovereign," notes one jurist.

Walkergate is the state of Wisconsin v. Scott Walker, the Koch brothers and all of the moneyed interests behind Walker.

Walker and his political allies have attacked the John Doe II probe from all angles.

But Walker's attorneys know well there has been no concealment or distortion of evidence, and any allegation of misconduct by the John Doe probes is baseless.

So, Walker just wants the John Doe probe to go away, or at least have the public look at something else.

The truth is Scott Walker is a not-yet-charged criminal perpetrator; his allies are working to portray him as a victim.

Kevin D. Kavanaugh and Tim Russell, Operation Freedom perps, who stole $10,000s from military veterans after Scott Walker appointed his longtime friends make Walker's objective as a perpetual victim difficult for anyone outside of the Iowa GOP to buy.

Scott Walker is but a crooked hick from Wisconsin with his hand out to billionaires.

Stonewalling didn't help Scott Walker, people know Scott Walker is a crook; Walker's hoping corrupt judges will work out better.

Scott Walker's Man, Tim Russell, Loses Appeal for Stealing $10,000s from Veterans

Scott Walker campaigning with felons,
Tim Russell and Brian Pierick

Nothing shows the duplicitous and amoral nature of Wisconsin governor Scott Walker than the conviction of Walker's longtime friend and political crony, Tim Russell.

Russell, Walker's deputy chief of staff, was convicted last year for embezzling over $20,000, along with other Walker appointees, who together embezzled over $70,000 from Operation Freedom, a PR gig by Walker's campaign intended to benefit Walker by wrapping Walker in the valor of military veterans.

Russell's criminal appeal was just shot down.

"Russell stole $5,000 from Operation Freedom on Dec. 31, 2009 - the first day he had control of the organization's bank account - according to (prosecutor Bruce) Landgraf. Russell used the cash for two cruises, a political trip to Atlanta and to purchase Internet domain names for Walker's campaign for governor," reports Steve Schultze (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

Russell had no veterans' advocacy or non-profit experience, and Walker never apologized for the appointment or criminal actions of his long-time aide and trusted confidantes.

C'mon folks, does anyone really believe Scott Walker has a shot at being elected president. Good enough for the GOP Iowa caucuses and off-year elections in Wisconsin doesn't really make Scott Walker, a noted lightweight and divisive extremist, presidential material.

Russell has been known as an amoral shady character long before his conviction for ripping off money for veterans and their families.

"[While deputy chief of staff] Russell had regular phone contact with campaign operatives, helped publish a pro-Walker campaign blog called 'ScottForGov' and helped conduct opposition political research for Walker’s bid for governor, all while on the county clock," notes Bruce Murphy in Urban Milwaukee.

How do you think presidential pretender, Scott Walker, will explain his long-time, close association with Tim Russell and Walker's political appointments of him to the national press?



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

New Scott Walker Emails Confirm Criminality

The new batch of emails released yesterday brings more evidence demonstrating Scott Walker's secret email system installed in the Milwaukee County Executive's office was an illegal campaign operation, Walker was dedicated to obscuring his office's work from the public, and Walker was a hands-on manager. (Bice, Stein; Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

The emails reinforce facts already made public in past email releases begging the question why didn't Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm bring criminal charges in the John Doe probe (May 2010 - March 2013) against Walker (who used the illegal secret system) when the mountain of evidence made public has established and exceeded probable cause of criminality by Walker and virtually all of Walker's close staff during his tenure of Milwaukee county executive. (2002-2010)

Chisholm said in a statement in 2013 that charges that he brought had to be supported by "proof beyond a reasonable doubt."

Chisholm's 2013 statement is counter to the common practice in criminal law of using probable cause as a standard to bring criminal charges.

For example, when Wisconsin State Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha)—former Republican majority leader who was kept on the taxpayer payroll throughout his arrest and negotiations with the DA and will receive pension and health care benefits after his sweetheart deal with the GOP's newly elected attorney general, Brad Schimel—a probable cause criminal complaint charging Kramer with two counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault/Use of Force was issued.

Wisconsin John Doe probes are not mini-trials. The beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard is what juries use to convict in criminal trials.

Walker has refused to answer the question whether he used the illegal system and had his private account though emails made public show he did.

Chisholm made a political calculation in not charging Scott Walker, not a legal calculation protecting public integrity and Wisconsin citizens against criminality by its public servants.

Vile, Racist Email Found in Scott Walker Documents

This is who Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans are.

Check out Crooks and Liars.

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.

Scott Walker and Aides Shared Confidential County Business on Private Emails

Scott Walker and his aides saw the Milwaukee County Executive's office as their political fiefdom, not an elected office, responsible to the people.

Lisa Kaiser reports:

"Gov. Scott Walker’s aides in his Milwaukee County executive’s office used their private emails to share information protected by attorney-client privilege, confidential contract bidding details, and updates from closed-door meetings, a survey of the newly released John Doe emails shows."

No staffer in Walker's office is revealed to be stating, 'we can't be doing this.'

That taking confidential, private information and giving the information to Walker's political campaign was standard operating procedure shows that this abuse of office is what Scott Walker believed he was entitled.

Washington Post: A behind the scenes look at Scott Walker

Update: John Nichols comments on Scott Walker and his stonewalling of the Wisconsin people after "Tens of thousands of emails detailing the ethical and legal lapses, political misdeeds, insensitivity, sexism, racism and homophobia of his 'inner circle' of closest aides were released." Notes Nichols:  "The headlines in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin State Journal, newspapers that endorsed Walker’s initial election and refused to support the recall, were tough — going so far as to suggest that the governor must have known about secret political operations set up in his Milwaukee County Executive Office. Both newspapers have used their editorial pages to demand answers from Walker, as did other papers."
The Washington Post has a piece out portraying Scott Walker as a "leader on the rise," during Walker's tenure as Milwaukee County Executive (2002-10).

The piece says Walker was fixated with "cultivating his political image," and features numerous emails and accompanying descriptions supporting this characterization.

What is striking about this obsession of Walker's is that this campaign for governor reveals an almost pathological disregard for the people of Milwaukee County—"in the hours after a boy was killed at a county owned garage, Walker's staff was quickly concerned about his public image."

What about the kid killed?

"A 13-ton concrete slab had come loose and fallen from a county-owned parking garage in Milwaukee, crushing and killing a 15-year-old boy, and within minutes, aides feared the worst for their boss, then Milwaukee County’s top elected official," writes Rosalind S. Helderman in her piece.

It comes as no surprise that most of the people on the emails are convicted criminals or struck immunity deals with the John Doe probe.

These are Walker's people.

We read emails from Tim Russell (felon who embezzled from a veterans' fund) and Kelly Rindfleisch (misconduct in public office) and the whole bunch of Walker's staff who hijacked a public office and used it as a campaign in Walker's rise to power.

Left out of the Post report is the fact that Milwaukee County Asst DA Bruce Landgraf presented evidence in court this year that Walker's top campaign and County staff sent emails between January and October 2010 [election for governor was in November 2010] using the secret and illegal email system installed in Scott Walker's office. Hence, we have all these emails made public after Rindfleisch appealed her criminal conviction.

Walker's press secretary now wants Wisconsin to believe that Walker's office was not using a secret Internet system as early as 2002, as was recently reported.

Winning Definition of Scott Walker: Conniving, Two-faced and Against You

Scott Walker: Don't look at me or anything I've done

Update: "Walker and his people hijacked government to serve his own political interests rather than the interests of the people." (Conniff. The Progressive)
---
When Republicans define a political opponent, they do so prior to the declaration of candidacy.

This means Republicans fabricate and lie, hoping not many folks are paying attention, and certainly not thinking.

Democrats on the other hand attempt to use facts and reality-based arguments seeking a mandate to win an election.

This is a difference in ethics between the parties, emphatically in the post-Citizens United world.

Every effective communication—working the press on stories, jumping on stories, feeding stories—all to help define, say Scott Walker with free media is an imperative to winning an election.

Conclusion: Do that.

In Wisconsin, the plausible definition of Scott Walker is a conniving, two-faced rat, against You and against veterans home from war.

By the way, for the George Lakoff "framing" freaks who believe they found the new, revealed code to political communications, they have not.

The political act of convincing communications in support of a compelling message has been used for almost 100 years—it's called PUBLIC RELATIONS, ... freaks.

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

Tim Russell—Scott Walker's Close Aide, Friend and Embezzler of Veterans' Fund Makes News

Tim Russell Claims in Prison Documents He Had "Authority" to Dip Into Funds (Lounsbury. Uppity Wisconsin)

When I first read about Tim Russell and (Kevin Kavanaugh) in January 2012 being charged with stealing money from veterans and their families after being appointed by Scott Walker, I thought Walker was political history within months.

These two Milwaukee County officials had no veterans' advocacy experience, no non-profit experience, and their political experience was composed of kissing up to GOP politicos like Walker.

Finally, the best-held political secret that Republicans use veterans as props, oppose veterans' benefits, and could not care less about veterans would come out on Scott Walker's watch, so I believed.

This was not to be.

Local broadcast Wisconsin media, and GOP-leaning dailies (mostly Gannett Co dailies devastating local coverage) throughout the state rarely mentioned the ongoing scandal and when they did they usually left out mention these two slime stole from veterans, instead merely stating that the two were accused of embezzling from unnamed non-profit(s).

Up-north and central Wisconsin voters whom I contacted had no idea what the story was, just some political thing out of Milwaukee.

So, arguably the most shameful episode of Scott Walker's cronyism, a spectacular political story that should have blown up anyone near it and one of the lowest forms of crime: Stealing from veterans, mostly blew over.

Republicans were more than happy to look past the charging and sentencing of these two Walker appointees.

No Walker denunciations. No Republican denunciations. No statement from Scott Walker to come clean with prosecutors and cooperate fully, perhaps because the two were so tight.

A new piece out sheds some light on Walker and one of the slime he appointed, Tim Russell.

Tim Russell Claims in Prison Documents He Had "Authority" to Dip Into Funds (Jud Lounsbury. Uppity Wisconsin) Please check it out.

This seems plausible.

As Steve Schultze (known in Scott Walker's inner circle as "asshole," emails reveal), Dave Umhoefer and Daniel Bice reported in 2012:

Various employees who worked with Russell at the county said he was perceived as part of Walker's close circle, along with John Hiller, a property developer who has been at Walker's side since Walker's first try for office; Bob Dennik, a political consultant and fundraiser for Walker; Jim Villa, who served as a chief of staff to Walker at the county and also worked on Walker campaigns; and others.

Walker returned the loyalty, promoting Russell and bringing him back onto the county payroll twice after Walker re-election campaigns as county executive. Russell held eight different jobs during Walker's eight years as county executive, including executive assistant, several economic development positions, deputy chief of staff and housing director. The development jobs paid more than $80,000 a year.

Several of his close associates and others who had dealings with Russell dating to Walker's first county executive run in '02 expressed shock over the allegations.

"He was one of Walker's most trusted confidants," said Orville Seymer, a property manager active in recall politics through Citizens for Responsible Government. "That's what makes this so shocking. Walker trusted him implicitly. He's not guilty yet but the evidence looks pretty strong." CRG jump-started the recall drive against then-County Executive F. Thomas Ament in 2002, leading to Walker's victory in a special election later the same year.

Scott Walker has been walking through a minefield that he self-laid for years.

This is why national Democrats want Scott Walker out front of the GOP field for president, a gift that will never happen, no matter what Larry Saboto thinks.

With big help from the Wisconsin press, $10s of millions from out-of-state billionaires and maladroit political communications from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Walker survived Tim Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh.

Eight months out from the general election for governor, one hopes at least one of these characteristics has changed.

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.

Two Largest Wisconsin Dailies Call for Scott Walker to Hold Press Conference on Emails

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

Update: Even Fox News host, Chris Wallace, grows frustrated with Scott Walker's evasions.

WALLACE: Did you have your own private e-mail account?

SCOTT WALKER: It’s one of those where I point out district attorney has reviewed every single one of these issues.

WALLACE: But sir, you’re not answering my question.

SCOTT WALKER: No, because I’m not going to get into 27,000 different pieces of information.
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The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and the Wisconsin State Journal are both editorially supportive of Scott Walker to a fault.

Now, the two largest Wisconsin dailies are calling on Walker to come clean with an extended press conference that ends when the press is done with questions, not when Scott Walker declares this is "old news."

It's not old news when the probe that resulted in 15 convictions involving his former top aides, who as the emails reveal, acted on Scott Walker's orders, is now a public fact shown in black and white. Walker knew, was a participant and lied about it. Why?

Scott Walker cannot weasel away on this one.

From a PR perspective, as the editorials writers at the Journal-Sentinel and State Journal are aware, a hours-long, question-and-answer session explaining and apologizing is the right thing to do.

From a good government perspective, it's imperative.

Everyone is wondering why Scott Walker was not prosecuted when the court-ordered release of the 27,000 emails shows Walker was the top dog in the conspiracy to run a secret political campaign out of a public office.

Scott Walker even parades this fact of not being prosecuted in his seconds-long encounters with friendly, GOP-aligned journalists.

I wasn't prosecuted is a fair point.

As are the voluminous emails proving Walker knew and directed action on the secret email system, and after his aide was caught ordered that the use of the secret email system stop, shortly before the Milwaukee County Executive office was raided by law enforcement.

As noted by Ruth Conniff in The Progressive Magazine, there's nowhere left to hide now.