The Three Amigos: Scott Walker, Chris Christie and John Doe

Image courtesy of Politiscoop

So, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is coming to Wisconsin on Tuesday to stump for his old pal, Scott Walker.

An occurrence like this is pure blogger fodder.  One could point out how both Christie and Walker are experts at driving jobs out of their respective states as they drive said states into the ground.  One could point out the jobs and the revenue they chased out due to their siderodromophobia (fear of trains).   One could also talk about how their austerity ideology is really hurting local governments and destroying everyone's quality of life.  Or, in a stretch, one could point out how neither of them seems to be around when their constituents need them the most, like in weather-related disasters.

Heck, one could even bring up the question if Walker's campaign is violating the law with an illegal raffle.

But instead of any of those, I just wanted to point out that Walker will be welcoming Christie by covering him with the stain of Walkergate, the John Doe investigation into the illegal campaigning and other criminal acts by Walker, his campaign and his former and current staffers.

To start out with, the first notice I received of Christie's pending visit was from his campaign.  But just not from the campaign, but from Andrea Boom:

Andrea Boom is the Finance Director for Friends of Scott Walker, his campaign.  But Ms. Boom is also so much more than that.

Ms. Boom is also BFF with Kelly Rindfleisch, the former Deputy Chief of Staff for Walker while he was Milwaukee County Executive.  Rindfleisch is currently facing four charges of illegally campaigning for Walker and his choice of Lieutenant Governors, Brett Davis, while on the tax payers dime.  According to transcripts released during Rindfleisch's hearings, it appears that Rindfleisch might have been instrumental in getting Boom her current job.

But as I always say, when it comes to Walker, there's more.  There's always more.

A tipster cued me in that Walker and Christie will be having, besides their two fundraising dinners, a photo op right here in Milwaukee.  And not just anywhere in Milwaukee either:

KEI is short for Kujawa Enterprises, Incorporated.  Its Executive Vice President is Chris Kujawa.  Kujawa and Walker go way back, with Kujawa being a long time donor to Walker's campaigns.  In return, Walker would hold his showboating events at Kujawa's business and steer Milwaukee County contracts to them.

But there is more to Kujawa than the apparent pay for play stuff.  Just like Boom, Kujawa is also entangled with Walkergate.

In 2007, Kujawa was running for Milwaukee County Supervisor, with Walker's endorsement.  Involved with his campaign was Brian Pierick and Tim Russell.   Pierick, who was listed as Kujawa's treasurer, has been charged with child enticement, which stemmed as an offshoot of the Walkergate investigations.  However, it was Russell, who was also working in then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's administration at the time, that was actually handling the money.

And I do mean handling.

Russell, the long time Walker aide, good friend and confidante has been charged with embezzling from Kujawa's campaign as well as another politician's campaign and a veterans fund. (Kujawa's name is sprinkled throughout the criminal complaint against Russell, but the meaty stuff starts on page 24 and includes a note written on KEI letterhead on page 26.)

It's a curiosity that any rational mind would consider an endorsement from the vulgar Christie to be a positive thing in the first place.  But then for Walker to thank him for his support by covering him in the stench and slime of his own corruption is truly baffling.  These Republicans sure are odd ducks, aren't they?

Walkergate: The Rindfleisch Transcripts

As I mention in Walkergate: Trouble In Paradise, Part 1 and Part 2, I referred to a set of transcripts that the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office had entered as evidence in the case against Kelly Rindfleisch.

Rindfleisch is fighting the charges she is facing by asking to have her case dismissed outright and by seeking a change of venue to Colombia County.  The purpose of these partial transcripts are presumably to show that Rindfleisch was fully aware of the residency requirements for being employed by Milwaukee County and to strengthen the already strong case that she committed the crimes she is accused of.

Until Dan Bice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel posted the transcripts online for all to read, people were limited to to what the paper was reporting.

Steve Schultze, also of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did a bang up job reporting on part of the transcripts, including how Kelly Rindfleisch and Jim Villa had great expectations for the roles they would play in Scott Walker's administration when he became governor.  He also told us how these two thought that Tim Russell was on Walker's bad side, although I'm not sure that's the correct interpretation of events.

But there are some interesting tidbits that either Schultze or his editors felt weren't newsworthy.

First, I would have to stop and say that these partial transcripts are infuriatingly frustrating in the sense that they are Wisconsin's greatest teases.  For example, at the bottom of page 5, the DA is questioning Villa about Rindfleisch and they have this exchange:

Q: Do you know how it came to pass that she was hired in the County Executive's Office in        2010, based upon your personal knowledge? 

A: Yes. 

Q: How did it come to pass?

And that's where they end.  It's like the season finale of one of your favorite TV shows and now you have to wait an indefinite amount of time before you find out how it comes out.

A few pages later (page 11), in the questioning, there is another teaser that indicates that Cindy Archer might have had a hand in the illegal politicking, which would not be a surprise.  I've already pointed out a communication that Cory Liebmann had found in which Archer email Walker at his campaign address as well as Walker's campaign consultant R. J. Johnson.

On the top of page 12, there is another interesting exchange between Rindfleisch and Villa.  As one of Cog Dis' astute readers had already pointed out:

Something very interesting: 

1147 FRI 05MAR2010 

Rindfleisch: Quick question, is Gerry Geishart one of your members? 

Villa: Don't think so. 

Rindfleisch: Ok.Would any of your members know what a hotel would lease for? (end of chat)

Who is Gery Geishart? He is a realtor who buys and sells properties, many of which deal directly with counties. Why is a County Executive Deputy Chief of Staff asking the former County Executive Chief of Staff? Turns out, Villa is now President of the Commercial Association of Wisconsin Realtors, thus Geishart could be "one of Villa's members". What else do we know? Andrew Jensen, a different realtor, was given immunity in the John Doe investigation and later arrested for failure to comply with authorities. Anything else suspicious? The lawyers Walker hired specialize in real estate and complex criminal law.

So, I guess the real question is, why would hotel lease costs motivate Rindfleisch to ask Villa about Geishart? I suppose the county could be interested in leasing one of Geishart's properties, assuming he is the current owner. But why? The other details seem to paint a picture of the County Executive's Office being accused of engaging in some form of real estate shenanigans. These chat transcripts are the first physical documents that link the Executive's Office, Walker's Campaign, and real estate dealings.

For more information on the real estate stuff, you can see what I've already written here.

The next interesting tidbit comes on the bottom of page 13, where the last arrow is pointing:

rellyk (Rindfleisch): and then I got Fran highlighting all the mistakes in the press releases that the campaign does

Fran would be Fran McLaughlin, who was Walker's spokeswoman as county executive.  Yet another name to add to the corruption list.  What is also interesting, at least for Milwaukeeans, is that McLaughlin currently is the Public Information Officer for Sheriff David Clarke, a pompous ass that has aligned himself with the teahadists and other conservative nut jobs and is more interested in politicking than actually performing the duties of his office.  One has to wonder if McLaughlin got waived through the normal screening process and background check before Clarke gave her this political appointment.

The really curious thing about the article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article is that there is not one single mention of McLaughlin or her involvement.  Why was her name omitted?

The last item involves the last few pages of the transcripts.  It shows part of the questioning of one Andrea Boom as well as a series of online chats between Boom and Rindfleisch.  Rindfleisch and Boom knew each other for years when they worked together at Wisconsin Association of Health Plans.

Andrea Boom:
Is that Walker's web of
lies she's stuck in?

The chats included were mundane chatter about Boom's apparently troubled home life and such, but do show Rindfleisch knowingly lying on official documents (her employment papers) regarding where she lived and that Milwaukee has a residency requirement.

But in the various exchanges are some interesting things.  One being that a yet-to-be-identified former GOP female state senator had held a fund raiser for Tom Barrett, who was, of course, Walker's gubernatorial opponent.  I have the greatest minds in the kingdom working on figuring this out as I write this.

The very last page shows a series of discussions in which Rindfleisch is trying to talk her old chum into taking  a new job in Milwaukee County so they could hang together and campaign together, or something.  That didn't pan out, but what is sure to be more than pure coincidence, shortly after Walker was elected, Boom ended up getting a new job as the Finance Director for Walker's campaign.

But the thing that leaves me still chortling is that, according to the court records, is that Boom is going to get a whopping $47.60 for witness fees.

Yup, Boom sold out her good friend and benefactor for less than $50.  It goes to show you what price Republicans put on friendship and loyalty.  They'll sell you out in a heartbeat if they can make a buck doing so.

It's not unlike the way that Scott Walker and WISGOP treat Wisconsin and its citizens.

For some other thought-provoking insights into this, check out Jud Loundsbury's take on the transcripts.