Tuesday, December 14, 2010

So, What Is He Waiting For?

Even though Scott Walker hasn't formally announced the date he is going to resign from the position of Milwaukee County Executive, you can count on it being a done deal. In fact, one would be safe to surmise that Walker might announce his resignation date as soon as today.

You can tell that he is going to resign by the way other people are acting.

Milwaukee County Chairman Lee Holloway has already scheduled his swearing in (and swearing at) ceremony for December 28th. Last week, he told all of Walker's top appointees to resign or retire. If they want to keep their jobs, they will have to reapply for them. You can say a lot of things about Holloway, but he is a savvy politician that is not likely to easily open himself to look totally ridiculous.

Even more telling is that the fact that State Representative Jeff Stone, Walker's hand-picked successor, is going to announce his candidacy Wednesday morning. It is easy enough to believe Walker is going to announce his resignation date and give an endorsement to Stone.

So why is Walker waiting to announce what everyone seems to know already.

The answer is rather simple. He is once again putting politics ahead of what is best for Milwaukee County.

By stalling his announcement, the county clerk cannot call the special election, which will be held in tandem with the spring primary and general election. By preventing the calling of the election, that drastically narrows the time frame that potential candidates have to get the necessary 2,000 signatures to make it on the primary ballot.

But because Walker is trying his stalling technique, don't think for a second that the Republicans don't have their ducks in an order and that Stone's campaign isn't ready to kick off Wednesday with a small army of volunteers. (Hmm, I wonder if this is why the misnamed group, Citizens for Responsible Government, has been so quiet lately).) In fact, Michael Horne left a comment on the papers website saying as much.

But for all their skulduggery and political gaming, I don't know if it will do Stone a lick of good. As shown in the November election, Walker is none too popular in Milwaukee County, losing it by a nearly two-to-one margin to Tom Barrett. I can't imagine that his heir apparent will fare much better.

Further hindering Stone's chances is the simple fact that he is not very well known on a county-wide basis, and for those of that do know him, there is not much to like. This is especially true considering that Stone tried to do a backdoor attempt at usurping the airport and splitting it off for special interest groups.

Lastly, if they think that the more progressive candidates haven't been planning out their strategies since November 2, they are in for a really rude surprise when they let their cat out of the cellophane bag.

5 comments:

  1. Correct you are sir. I am growing impatient as I wait to get some signatures for...well...someone :)

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  2. Chris, great reporting, thanks.

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  3. If Walker does not resign as County Exec. until the end of December he will still get payed as County Exec. until that date. Even if he doesn't do a thing for Milwaukee County he will continue to get his paychecks.

    As for the other County employees, just enjoy the furlough days off without pay.

    Your tax dollars at work.

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  4. Skullduggery? Is that like springing a guy from jail just so he can cast an 11th hour vote at the behest if special interests on the floor of the State Assembly?

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