Wednesday, April 16, 2014

John Doe Deux Is Very Partisan


 

By Jeff Simpson

This week, many facts have come to light over the latest John Doe and we see that many people's concerns of the latest John Doe probe being a partisan Witch Hunt.  Unfortunately, we are finding out those concerns are being justified.   The problem though, is that the partisans involved in this are almost exclusively in the Scott Walker camp.  

First let's let Bruce Murphy give us some background:


Over and over, supporters of Gov. Scott Walker have contended that the second John Doe probe is just a partisan “witch hunt.” But newly released court documents, made public with the consent of all parties to the investigation, provide information showing this is a bipartisan effort. They also offer a fascinating look at the role of Attorney General J.B Van Hollen and how he delayed the investigation, which apparently centers on alleged coordination between third party conservative funding groups and Walker’s gubernatorial campaign during the 2012 recall election.

Conservative attack dogs like talk radio’s Charlie Sykes have hammered the idea that this is a partisan investigation led by Democratic Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm. But the court documents show that four other district attorneys are co-investigators in this effort: Jane Kohlwey of Columbia County, a Republican; Kurt Klomberg of Dodge County, a Republican; Larry Nelson of Iowa County, a Democrat; and Ismael Ozanne of Dane County, a Democrat.

Ok so what we have are some "Democrats" and some "republicans" working together to investigate a complicated case.  On the outside you have righty's like Charlie Sykes whining like hungry babies trying to "work the refs".   

As we always say, "but wait there's more".   Amongst the right's very loud sniveling, some puzzle pieces have started to come into focus.   For instance, it was revealed to us that it was actually the GAB that asked for the John Doe probe(and here I thought they were toothless): 

Former judges on the state Government Accountability Board voted unanimously last year to authorize the investigation of fundraising and spending by Gov. Scott Walker's campaign and his allies during the recent recall elections, according to a Tuesday court filing.

Dean Nickel, an investigator hired by the accountability board to assist with the investigation, said in the 10-page filing that he believes the substantial evidence gathered in the probe "coupled with the GAB's unanimous approval of the investigation directly refutes plaintiffs' witch-hunt theory."

Nickel's brief is one of a series filed with the federal court on Tuesday in a bid by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm and his aides to get a federal appeals court to intervene in the high-profile John Doe probe.

 A source said five members of the accountability board voted in June 2013 for a resolution authorizing the investigation. The sixth member was not in attendance and did not vote, the source said.
 FYI:  The GAB members  ALL have ties to the republican party!  

It was also recently revealed that the special prosecutor in the John Doe Deux probe, actually voted for Scott Walker in the recall election.  
 
The special prosecutor in the ongoing John Doe probe says he has nothing against Gov. Scott Walker's campaign and the conservative groups at the center of the investigation.

In fact, in a new court filing, former federal prosecutor Francis Schmitz opened up about his voting record to try to suggest that the investigation is nothing personal.

"I voted for Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin's 2012 gubernatorial recall election," Schmitz said in a sworn declaration filed with the U.S. District Court on Tuesday.

Can you even imagine the bleating the Mcgyver would be doing or the whimpering Vicki Mckenna would be screeching if Mr. Schmitz had voted for a Democrat?  

Now that Scott Walker can no longer hide behind the "partisan witch hunt" BS, it is time for him to truly answer some questions.   Did he know about the secret router? Was he involved in the racist email chains?   Has he personally supplied any of this underlings with legal defense money? Was it a coincidence that two of the more well known blogs on the right(boots and Sabers and Badger blogger), closed up shop almost simultaneously as the launch of JD2?  

Wisconsinites deserve the truth! 



  

 

13 comments:

  1. This is a great campaign issue for Mary Burke to hammer Walker on.

    What has the Burke campaign said about the convictions of Walker's closest aides in the John Doe probe?

    What has the Burke campaign said about Republicans in GAB voting for an investigation of illegal coordination between Republican "social welfare" Super PACs and the Walker campaign?

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    1. It’s incredible how loud the crickets are chirping considering how cold it is.

      Wait, I think I hear something.

      David Koch: Look, kid, I - how much you weigh, honey? When you weighed one hundred and eight pounds you were beautiful. You coulda been another Jan Brewer, and that skunk we got you for a manager, he brought you along too fast.

      Mary Burke: It wasn't him, David, it was you. Remember that night in Madison you came down to my dressing room and you said, "Kid, this ain't your year. We're going for the price on Walker." You remember that? "This ain't your year"! My year! I coulda taken Walker apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot at the White House and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Pardeeville! You was my brother, David, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money.

      David Koch: I had some bets down for you. You saw some money.

      Mary Burke: You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, David.

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    2. Clearly a rope a dope strategy by the Burkean campaign.

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    3. "But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!" Rocky Balboa.

      Mary, you need to take Rocky's advice and go out and kick that dirty rotten filthy lying bastard Scott Walker square in the nuts.

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  2. It's interesting to note in the MJS article that the Club For Growth claims it can't run election ads in Wisconsin until an injunction is granted. Basically they are admitting that they plan to violate Wisconsin laws again and dearly need some cover from a judge, who just happens to be a member of the Federalist Society.

    This is a new one for me. I have never heard of a suspected criminal being permitted to depose the authorities investigating him. Nice trick if you can pull it off.


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    1. And if Club for Growth and the voucher folks really were the ones who set Ellis up, it seems they're trying the "everybody does it" defense. Well, the GAB filing clearly shows that everyone does NOT do it, and that CfG's claims of Dem wrongdoing were unfounded lies.

      These guys are clearly desperate, as they know the money train and it's illegalities are on the verge of being exposed. The media and the Dems should be hounding these crooks at every turn and asking what they have to hide. Instead, they seem to be standing by, and letting them try to run out the clock.

      The media letting it happen I get- they want the ad money. But why are the Dems playing this game?

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    2. There's an even greater vested interest in CFG protecting themselves, the AFP and others. Because if this case sticks, you know it's going to spill over into other states. This isn't the only state they operate in folks.

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  3. The state GAB approved of this investigation, a unanimous decision that recognized evidence showing conflicts with Wisconsin election laws. If justice is to be granted to either party, let the investigation procede.
    This "witch hunt" theme is the basis for their whole complaint. If they have nothing to hide, I see no reason for them to try to interfere with the investigation.
    Dodge County is the home of Beaver Dam and Juneau. Judi Rhodes worked for Scott Fitzgerald, as well as his CERS. The job "consultant" can be described as someone you hire who you think of as having the expertise to know enough about some task you want to accomplish.
    This is why Mike Ellis saying what he did about Judi Rhodes is well worth examining. He knows all about Wisconsin campaign election laws; he's talked about PAC reforms for years. He laid out the whole Super PAC scenario, specifically speaking about the role Judi Rhodes would have in this idea.
    It looks like Ellis had to become involved with the Fitzgerald operation to have a any chance to get reelected, as well as make amends for showing any independence from Fitzgerald, Walker and the TP faction. The unedited video showed Ellis saying a number of unkind things to say about Walker and his leadership.
    Judi and her consultancy operation was right in the middle of Fitzgerald activities, as well as Eric O'Keefe and Wisconsin Club For Growth, the primary group wanting to shut down the JD2 probe. Just how does this whole scheme pass Wisconsin election law tests?
    The GAB and many other Wisconsin citizens would like to know.

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  4. SOMEONE in the Republican Party is going to make history by exposing the RW money train and setting off a nationwide investigation the likes of which we have never seen. This Republican -- whoever that might be -- will be viewed a hero by both Republicans and Democrats who are fed up with the Citizens United destruction of democracy in the USA. SOMEONE is going to be famous if they come forward and bring down the House of Cards.

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    1. You got it. Which is why the oligarchs are squealing so loudly in John Doe Deux

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    2. That's right. This isn't only a one state issue. And it's balls to the wall for the puppet masters to shut this thing down any way they can.
      Somebody's setting O'Keefe on anyone who doesn't fall into line. Ellis's "taking out" sends a huge ripple of fear among all GOP legislators. It's a dual message.

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  5. As regards the Federal lawsuit, I am not sure that the plaintiffs really want to take this thing into the deposition stage, because the defendants would also have the right to depose the Club For Growth gang. I'm sure the DA and investigators have plenty of questions they would like to ask these people under oath, which is the last thing this gang of money launderers wants. I therefore conclude that this is merely a grandstanding attempt to generate publicity, while wasting the prosecutor's time and delaying indictments until after the election.

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    1. I agree. These guys really don't want a trial or responses or discovery. The righties are playing a PR game trying to claim they are somehow being persecuted for dodging taxes and breaking the law.

      And with the megaphones they have on AM radio (and the fact that they share finders), this is who they're trying to reach, along with no-info voters who don't have the time or desire to look into this.

      It's toime to drop the bawmb on these crooks, as our Guv might say

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