The O'Keefe Factor

By Jeff Simpson

Remember last year when some version of the Wisconsin Republican party had the late Andrew Breitbardt's little Gilligan - the despicable James O'Keefe come here and attack long time Republican Senator Mike Ellis?

See Senator Ellis, was not fully on board with the unlimited expansion of vouchers.

In Wisconsin we have seen that you do NOT cross Scott Jensen and that the Republicans will go to any lengths necessary to make sure no Republican dare have an independent thought or want to represent their district.

Hence they called in O'Keefe.

In case you had not heard of James O'Keefe before, he made news recently.

 A former employee says conservative activist James O’Keefe tried to instigate anti-police sentiment among protesters through the use of a mole, the New York Postreported.The former director of operations for Project Veritas, Richard Valdes, said O’Keefe planned to send an unidentified Muslim man working for him to infiltrate a group of demonstrators in January. Neither the protest he was supposed to join nor the location have been identified.
The man was also allegedly given a script to recite at meetings, in which he would say, “Sometimes, I wish I could just kill some of these cops. Don’t you just wish we could have one of the cops right here in the middle of our group?”
However, the man reportedly emailed both Valdes and O’Keefe that month and refused the assignment.
“I will not say words that will jeopardize my entity, especially when they involve an illegal act of ‘murdering police,’” he wrote.
Valdes told the Post that O’Keefe subsequently fired him for “being unwilling to strong-arm the guy to do his dirty work.”

What a great guy the Republicans have hired and brought to our state.   Also kind of puts  the "we thought about adding violence to the peaceful protests" line by Scott Walker into perspective, doesn't it?

A Curious Point About Mike Ellis Hiring A Political Operative

Jason Stein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that soon (but not soon enough) to be retired State Senator Mike Ellis is spending taxpayer money to hire a Republican state operative for a couple of months:

In November, outgoing Senate President Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) hired the campaign manager of Senator-elect Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), an ally of Ellis. Kyle Koenen will be paid more than $3,400 a month as a legislative assistant while waiting for a permanent job in Wanggaard's office to start in January.

As of the last reporting date on Oct. 20, Wanggaard's campaign had thousands of dollars in cash that could have been used to pay Koenen to do political work instead of state work so he wouldn't have been out of a job for the two months following Wanggaard's election victory.

But Ellis, who retires in January, said that he has been frugal overall with the money in his office's budget for personnel and that there has been enough official work for Koenen to do since one of his full-time staffers left his office this month to work for another senator. Including Koenen, Ellis has three staff members, one in Neenah and the other two in Madison.

"I still have constituents to take care of and phone calls to answer," Ellis said. "I can't take care of the district with two people."

Stein goes on to use the usual corporate media shtick of false equivalency, claiming both sides do it, as if that somehow makes it OK.

I think Stein missed a very curious point about Ellis' stunt.

As the gentle reader will recall, the Teapublicans put out a hit on Ellis earlier this year, having him secretly videotaped at a bar, in which Ellis boasted about creating a Super PAC to go after his Democratic appointment and stating that Scott Walker works only for himself.  They wanted Ellis out because he did not always toe the party line and they had a lot of money making ventures - like school privatization - to cash in on.

So, when his party stabbed him in the back like that, why in the world would Ellis turn around and help them out?

Did they break Ellis' ego like he breaks gavels?  Is Ellis that much of a sheep? Do they have compromising photos of Ellis with a sheep?

All I know is that if I had been betrayed like Ellis was, I would be loathe to do them any favors.

The Company They Keep!

By Jeff Simpson

A while back, tape was released that was somewhat damaging to Senator Mike Ellis.  In a drunken stupor he let his feelings fly, and they were not as hardcore right wing extremists as the folks in Fitzwalkerland prefer so he was forced to retire.

Mike Ellis was well covered(they wanted him out), and Judi Rhodes Engels(they need her to do the dirty work) was given a free pass for her role in the alleged illegal and smear campaigns.  One thing that was pretty much overlooked was the role that Project Veritas and Smear merchant James O Keefe played.

While O'Keefe refuses to say why he came up here and attacked small fish Ellis, it does not take much effort to connect the dots.   One of the biggest items on the republican agenda in the next session is vastly expanding for profit education, irregardless of the results.

 The face of education profiteers in Wisconsin is formerly convicted and ex-Speaker of the Assembly Scott Jensen.



Scott Jensen is such a powerful figure in Wisconsin politics still that when the republican party, made elected reps sign secrecy agreements to be let in the redistricting meetings(Not a single elected Democrat was consulted), Scott Jensen did not have to sign one and had to sign off on any new map they came up with.   Scott Jensen also stands to profit personally the most from raiding our public education funds.   Scott Jensen also had no problem buying the Assembly, he bought an Assembly seat in a special election(Jessie Rodriguez) who answers pretty much only to him.

The problem of course was the state Senate.   The republican majority was fragile, and while lightweights(figuratively only) like Rick Gudex will do whatever he told him to, the republicans did not have a solid enough majority to push things through.  Especially on the rare occasions when Senator Ellis actually represented his constituency.     One of those occasions has always been around the raiding of public education money.   Senator Ellis knew it was bad for WI and that the people in his area were against it.

Jensen and his ilk have no concern for the people of WI or what the people in WI care for or stand for, they enjoy profit.   That meant Ellis was an obstacle between our public education money and their bank accounts.   An obstacle that had to be removed.

I have no doubt that all bases are covered and there is no actual ties directly between Scott Jensen and James O Keefe.   The guys with the power rarely get their own hands dirty.   However, following the bread crumbs of logic,  we know right where that leads us.

That being said, let us look at the person that "someone" hired to come to WI and remove Senator Ellis - James O' Keefe.   See James O'Keefe was Andrew Breitbart's protege, until he was too disgusting of a human being even for Breitbart.   Now that Breitbart has moved south, O'Keefe is trying to establish his own legacy and apparently, with customers like the Wisconsin republicans, it is working.


O'Keefe you might recall, almost singlehandedly took down Acorn.  After the initial fake outrage, we found out that Mr. O Keefe was lying and he ended up having to pay the Acorn employee $100,000.

O'Keefe is back at it again with his trademark, half truths and outright lies.  This time Jimmy dressed up as his hero, Osama Bin Laden(not understanding the irony or stupidity) and crossed the Mexican border into the US.



Here is the kicker though:

Update: "To complete this investigation, Project Veritas spent over $74,242 in legal fees, investigators salaries, and travel expenses... Please help me replace these funds." ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

O'Keefe does not have any money, so he needs to fund raise to do these silly video's and gotcha moments.   The story was not Ellis's loose lips, when the liquor flows those have always been there.  The story is who in Wisconsin has money to burn to bring Jim O'Keefe to Wisconsin to help push through an agenda?  We also know our Governor likes to be involved in all aspects of his campaign, was he aware that Mr. O'Keefe had been hired?  Did the same person(s) hire Mr. O'Keefe who advocated bringing in violence to the peaceful protests in the Capitol?   Are James O'Keefe and Scott Jensen friends?

The republicans in Wisconsin know no level low enough that they will not stoop to to continue in power.

The real question is why would you reward that behavior at the polls?

The Ellis Incident Revisited

On April 9, 2014, soon to be former State Senator Mike Ellis was in a bar, full of liquid courage, and was shown making  some rather bold statements.  One of Ellis' statements included pointing out the truism that Scott Walker worked only for Scott Walker.

Little did Ellis know at the time of his spouting off that he was being secretly videotaped.

By far, the most renowned of Ellis' comments that fateful night involved illegal activities, if they were true:

Mike Ellis

"I am putting together my own super PAC. I have a $400,000 committee and Judi Rhodes will, I am raising the money, she will manufacture the crap," said Ellis in the video.

Ellis was talking about forming a Super PAC to attack his Democratic opponent in the 19th Senate District, Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton).

It is against the law in Wisconsin for a candidate to coordinate with a PAC or any outside groups.

The woman that Ellis says "will manufacture the crap" is Judith Rhodes Engels, who has a long history as a WISGOP fundraiser and operative dating all the way back to the original caucus scandal and has been named more than once in the Walkergate investigation.

Given her background, Rhodes Engels would be well aware that any such activity as Ellis was describing would be highly illegal.  Rhodes Engels was quick to try to distance herself from Ellis after the video went public:

Rhodes said in a statement that “I have never set up any ‘Super PAC’ nor have I had any intention of doing so nor have I ever had any conversation with Senator Ellis about it.

“I will not work for any committee that would imply that I would improperly do so. I have terminated my contract with the Ellis to Madison Committee.”

She resigned Wednesday.

The Ellis Incident raised many questions, the largest of which is could it be true that Rhodes Engels was again breaking the law by setting up these super PACs for Wisconsin Republicans.

Ellis made two statements the night he was unknowingly videotaped that could help us find an answer to that question.

First, he said that he had donors that would give money to the super PAC, specifically naming Stuart Mills of  Mills Fleet Farm as one of those donors.  Secondly, as mentioned above, he named Rhodes Engels as the go to person to get the dirty work done.

As to the first statement, Ellis' campaign finance report (pdf form available here) shows that on March 3, 2014, Mills gave $1,000 to Ellis' campaign, the maximum amount allowed by law for a State Senate campaign. Furthermore, Mills is not the only one that gave the maximum to Ellis.  These types of donors are golden to politicians and these types of relationships are not taken lightly.

It also shows that these donors have the potential to be exactly the types of donors Ellis spoke about as giving to his super PAC.

(It should be noted that it appears that the last serious fundraising happened on April 7, two days before the video.

As for the comments regarding Rhodes Engels, Ellis' campaign finance report shows that he made five payments to Cross Rhodes, the agency that Rhodes Engels had set up.

Ellis paid Cross Rhodes $500 each time on January 17, February 12 and March 14, 2014.  Each payment was marked as solicitation expense, meaning that he was paying her for her fundraising acumen.

On April 18, nine days after the video came out, Ellis paid Cross Rhodes another $322.35 for mailing expenses.

So far, nothing too exceptional.  Ah, but there is more.  There is always more.

Judith Rhodes Engels with another favored
client, State Senator Scott Fitzgerald

On May 2, 2014, nearly a full month after the video came out and Rhodes Engels quit working for Ellis, he paid her a whopping $8,509.10 for "consulting fees."

Holy broken gavels, Batman!

Now, that payment could cover a lot of things, but it stands out by the sheer size of it, especially when compared to the $500 monthly payments leading up to that point.  The amount of that pay out makes it appear that Rhodes Engels was doing a helluva lot more than just fundraising and sending out mailers for Ellis.

Could it be that Ellis was telling the truth about Rhodes Engels setting up super PACs?  His campaign finance report doesn't prove that but it sure doesn't eliminate that possibility.

Wouldn't it be interesting to see who else is paying Cross Rhodes and exactly what they are paying for?

Luther Olsen Better Watch His Back

By Jeff Simpson

Luther Olsen is the next stop on the right wing crazy republican purge tour:

After this came out in WIspolitics:

 Olsen, the Senate Education Committee chair, tells WisPolitics.com he doesn't fear opposition from anti-Common Core activists.

"If I'm the guy who is standing between getting rid of the Common Core and keeping it, I can go to sleep fine saying, 'Yeah, I think it's the right thing, and that's not a problem,'" said Olsen, R-Ripon.

Which prompted this response from the despicable Vicki Mckenna:

sen luther olsen can't figure out why everyone doesn't like #BigGovernment oversight of schools. #wiright. @leahvukmir

 When the right wing talking hatred heads ring the bell whistle, the salivating dogs follow:

• 
  

• 

  Tina Gorzalski Vote this socialist out..............

  about an hour ago · 1

• 

  Ron Remington Something smells with his actions. Check his finances!

  about an hour ago

• 

  Jay Brandemeuhl I never did receive a follow up reply from him as to why we should give up local control of curriculum

  about an hour ago · 2

• 

  Steve Meade ummm because he's a bought and paid for shill?... durrr.

  31 minutes ago

  
  
  More on Common Core State Standards here!  
  
  Does anyone doubt that Luther Olsen is next on the formerly convicted felon,  Scott Jensen's hit list?  
  
  
  
  

The Ellis Incident and The Litjens Factor

The Ellis Incident, where State Senator Mike Ellis was caught on video tape discussing things like creating a super PAC to attack Penny Bernard Schaber, his would have been Democratic opponent until he decided not to run again, is a gift that just keeps giving.

It's raised a lot of questions and had a lot of ramifications, including the outing of one of WISGOP's main operatives, Judith Rhodes Engels.

There is, however, one aspect of the story that seems to have gone under the radar through the saga.

On Friday, April 11, just two days after the first edited video was released, former Michelle Litjens appeared on Joy Cardin's radio show, "Week in Review."

You can listen to a recording of the show here.  The subject of the Ellis Incident goes from about the 11:00 minute mark to about the 25:00 minute mark.  But here are some of the highlights that the reader/listener should pay heed to:

• At about 11:50, Litjens launches her attack on Ellis, claiming that he has a "big mouth."  She also implies that since he was first elected in 1970, he was "confused" by the changing times.  She also said that he probably didn't even know what a super PAC is, but because he did nothing illegal, this should be the "end of it."  She then throws in that Ellis should have known better after he was another video that showed him to be on the "wrong side" of the voucher issue.
• At 15:20, she brings up the possibility of Ellis being primaried.
• At 15:40, she brags that her phone has been ringing off the hook.
• At 16:00, she rips on Democrats for not supporting vouchers and how wrong she thinks they are for that.
• At 16:30, she again brings up the possibility of a primary race against Ellis, although this time she says she won't run again until her daughter graduates from school. (Since when did she start giving a damn about her family?!)
• At 17:30, Litjens claims that "hundreds" of people have approached her to express their disappointment in Ellis over vouchers.  She doesn't say why they approached her and not Ellis. Hmmm....
• At 18:00, again with the primary, this time saying that Ellis might just want to retire.
• At 20:15, Litjens says that Ellis has a "big mouth" and that this is what happens when one runs their big mouth late at night and after several drinks. She also suggests again that Ellis might not be up for another run.
• At 23:00, Litjens again runs Ellis down and says that the "voters are going to have an opportunity to make a choice."

It's been pretty widely accepted that the fact that Project Veritas was brought in to take Ellis out, although who ordered the hit is not clear.  

Michelle "Hitwoman" Litjens

However, it is very obvious that Litjens was leading the post-video attack on Ellis, laying the groundwork for the upcoming fight if Ellis hadn't decided to hang up his broken gavel. You can see that the oncoming attacks were going to be all about school vouchers, thinking they had a winning issue with that.  It might have won them the primary, but it could very well cost them the seat, which would be more than all right.

The fact that the powers that be chose Litjens to launch the first salvo isn't surprising either.  Given the fact that she is the paramour of Robin Vos and is rumored to have been fundraising for American Federation of Children, she would very probably been aware of the move to take out Ellis - through a primary, if necessary - and the reason why they wanted Ellis out.  The really stunning part of this is that Ellis has been in line with 98% of the Teapublican agenda, but they still wanted him out for not toeing the line enough.

And we have already seen that Litjens has no problems with ordering hits on fellow Republicans that she doesn't feel are far enough to the extreme right fringe zone.  

But it does raise one more question for me - With all of the Republicans who are deciding not to run again, how many of them are choosing so because they could read the writing on the wall and how many of them are walking away in disgust for the level of corruption and bullying that is coming from Scott Walker, Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald?

Some Ramifications Of The Ellis Incident

We've already seen that the video of Mike Ellis bragging about how he ran the state senate and how he had plans to destroy his opponent by the use of a Super PAC by a Republican operative has raised a lot of questions that the corporate media will not touch.

The Ellis Incident also has a lot of ramifications, such as the compromising of Judith Rhodes Engels, who seems more and more likely to be a subject in the ongoing John Doe probe.

But, as we have seen too many times with the Republicans, there is more.  There is always more.

Void in the 19th

With Ellis bowing out and not running for reelection, this leaves a void in the GOP's strategy of maintaining, much less strengthening, their strangle hold on the senate.

The Democrat who is running, State Representative Penny Bernard Shaber is already a well known and popular person in the area and has been running her senatorial campaign for months.

This leaves the Republicans to scramble to identify their candidate. Some of the names that have entered or been bantered about include: former representatives Steve Wieckert and Roger Roth, current representative Dave Murphy and State Treasurer Jack Voight. 

There isn't much to any of these people but the stench of losers.

The ramification here is that the Republicans powers that be felt it more important to sacrifice Ellis than to holding that seat.

The New World Order

Ellis was one of the few remaining old school Republicans.  But he was also a bit of a loose cannon.  He, like so many of his colleagues, was known to speak first and think later.  

But he was also known to kill a bad bill, even if it was a GOP bill.

The new world order, led by the likes of Scott Walker and Robin Vos, doesn't like independent thinkers.  They only want obedience and conformity.  If they want to know what you think, they'll tell you what you are supposed to think.

What happens to Ellis is what happens to those that don't toe the line.

The ramification here is that Ellis was used as an example to other party members.  It doesn't matter what's on your resume. Step out of line and the man will come and take you away.

Sons of Doe

Since a Super PAC had not yet been set up by Ellis, he probably will miss being a subject in the ongoing John Doe probe.  

However, the matter of fact way that Ellis talked about setting up a Super PAC would indicate that this would be a common thing for him and other Republicans.

You know that the investigators have seen this video and have parsed every word of it.  Will this give them better insight on the machinations of the GOP and the third party groups?  Will it give them a better idea of what to look for and what questions to ask of the people who are being investigated?

The ramification here is that in their zeal to punish and make an example of Ellis, the GOP might have just inadvertently compromised the very people and third party groups that they were trying to protect.

The biggest ramification from all of this is that despite having the big corporate money backing them up, they are still so paranoid and insecure that they are still making stupid mistakes like these.  If the Democrats find a way to exploit this, and not screw it up themselves (they have that knack too), things could get very interesting this fall.

Questions Regarding The Ellis Incident

As the gentle reader is probably well aware of by now, the disreputable James O'Keefe of the equally disreputable Project Veritas was sicced on Wisconsin State Senator Mike Ellis, which resulted in a rather incriminating video.

Now, we've already discussed how, in the zeal to take out Ellis, they left one of their key operatives, Judith Rhodes Engels, exposed and pretty well implicated in the ongoing Sons of John Doe investigations.

However, there are a lot of questions that have been left unanswered, enough to go around for almost everyone.

The biggest question is "Who called for the hit?"

Some say it was Scott Jensen because Ellis has been opposed to a statewide expansion of the profiteering of the education system.  It's also been said that the orders came from Washington, D.C. (read Reince Priebus, who still has his fingers in a lot of pies in Wisconsin), because he wasn't crazy teahadist enough for them.  I've also heard that the attack on Ellis was nothing more than a decoy to take some of the attention away from Bill Kramer and his sexual assault charges.

But there are many other questions that need to be answered. Some of these include the following:

For Judith Rhodes Engels:

• Have you and//or how many of these "fake organizations" have you set up for the GOP?
• Are you currently under investigation for the Sons of Doe probe for illegal collusion between political campaigns and third party groups?
• Who told you to share the "All Contributions" Excel file with Kelly Rindfleisch as was uncovered during her criminal trial?  
• Considering that you probably knew that Ellis was being targeted, how much money did you get for your role?

For Kelly Rindfleisch:

• You were convicted for your role in the original Walkergate misconduct.  Were you taking orders from Rhodes Engels at the time?
• Who told you how to do the fundraising you did for Brett Davis and then for Scott Walker?
• Where are you working now?

For Mike Ellis:

• Is this really how you want your career to end?
• Are you going to take any action against your attackers or are you going to scoot off with your tail between your legs?
• If Governor Walker calls a special session, would you go back?  
• If you do go back for a special session, how much of a rubber stamp for Walker are you going to be?
• What are you going to do with all that loot in your campaign chest?

For Scott Walker:

• What did you know and when did you know it?

For Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm:

• After you clear the legal obstacles that Scott Walker, George O'Keefe and others are trying to put in your way, how much longer before you start slapping cuffs on people? After all, it's pretty damn obvious what is going on here.

It would be nice if the state media would do some sort of follow up, but they are already busy shouting "Squirrel!" over the GOP's latest distraction.

Judi! Judi! Judi!

As the gentle reader is surely aware, State Senator Mike Ellis  has chosen not to run for reelection after all.  Of course, Ellis was prompted to come to this conclusion after he was caught on video generally making a fool of himself.

There is little doubt that someone had ordered the video to be taken of Ellis to take him out of politics, although the who and why behind the move is up for speculation. Some have said it was Scott Jensen because Ellis was against the expansion of school privatization.  Some have thought the order came from Reince Priebus, who is the head of the national GOP but is still very much involved in Wisconsin politics, because Ellis wasn't enough of a team player and to help take some attention off of Bill Kramer's sexual assault charges and how the entire WISGOP knew about it but elected him as a party leader anyway.

Regardless of who ordered the attack on Ellis or why they did so, the one thing for sure is that they got way more than they bargained for.

One of the many cringe-worthy moments from the video included this line from Ellis:

“I am putting together my own super PAC,” Ellis says in the video. “I don’t want to attack (Bernard Schaber), I want Judi (Rhodes Engels), somebody else to attack.” Rhodes Engels is a fundraiser for Senate Republicans.

Not only did Ellis talk about doing something illegal, which is the essence of the Sons of Doe investigation, but he dared to name one the Republicans' most valued operatives, Judith Rhodes Engels.

Now, if that name sounds familiar to you, there is a good reason for it.

Rhodes Engels was tied up in the original caucus scandal (scroll down to page 16) from a dozen years ago.  It was during the scandal that Rhodes Engels shown herself to be worth much more than the $6,300 in legal defense.  During the caucus scandal hearings, Rhodes Engels showed that she not only knew her job, but knew to keep her mouth shut.

Thus it's no surprise that Rhodes Engels worked her way up through the ranks and became rather conspicuous even as she tried to keep a low profile.  Over the last couple of years, we've learned that Rhodes Engels is a valuable asset to the Republican Party.  Among her accomplishments:

• Got herself in some key positions with Senator Scott Fitzgerald, including his number one fundraiser;
• As Fitzgerald's top fundraiser, was able to share his list of big donors with the Scott Walker/Brett Davis campaigns;
• Helped Scott Walker with his campaign Harley rides around the state;
• Was deeply involved with the illegal and immoral gerrymandering - her involvement in which was also illegal since she was a political operative and not a state employee.

In fact, Rhodes Engels got so big in the party that she had to form her own consulting agency - Cross Rhodes - so that she could do all the various and sordid activities that WISGOP and Party members would have her do.  Just a scratch at the surface of her agency shows that's already very lucrative - and that does not count all the dark money that is flowing through there.

The fact that Ellis mentioned her in connection to creating a Super PAC to take out his opponent is very damaging to Rhodes Engels and to the Republican Party as a whole.  So much so that Rhodes Engels, who does her best work behind closed doors and behind the scenes, had to come out into the daylight and speak to the media:

Rhodes said in a statement that “I have never set up any ‘Super PAC’ nor have I had any intention of doing so nor have I ever had any conversation with Senator Ellis about it.

“I will not work for any committee that would imply that I would improperly do so. I have terminated my contract with the Ellis to Madison Committee.”

She resigned Wednesday.

The problem with her denial is that it was scripted and premeditated, whereas Ellis comments were natural and spontaneous. Ellis did not spitball things nor did he stutter..  Ellis' commentary was all natural which would make one inclined to believe what he was saying about Rhodes Engels was not only true but was also common knowledge.

In their zeal to take out Ellis, whoever was behind ordering the video to be taken and released might have blown up their own party by handing themselves over to John Doe and his Sons.

Which goes to show that even the most cantankerous, angry, misogynistic Teapublican can still do good - even if it's by accident.

Mike Ellis Raw

Forget the edited versions by Breidbardt's little Gilligan Jimmy O'Keefe, here is the full unedited version. 

It is interesting that Scott Jensen sicced this guy:

 


 on Senator Mike Ellis for not doing what he was told on School Vouchers.  I guess it takes a "formerly" convicted felon to use one of his peers to send a message to make sure and support what he is doing.  

For the School "choice" advocates, do you really think Scott Jensen's priority is educating your kids or padding his wallet?

Rickert's Revelation

By Jeff Simpson

Wisconsin State Journal columnist Chris Rickert recently asked people who would be the Senators who could bridge our bur bipartisan divide and bring sanity back to WI.  

I asked a few Legislature-watchers if they could point to anyone who might be willing to take up the mantle of considered consensus-building.
Democratic state Rep. Mandy Wright got more than one vote, as did Republican Sens. Rob Cowles and Luther Olsen. Among other names mentioned were Democratic Sens. Jen Shilling and Julie Lassa and Republican Sen. Mike Ellis.

Does anything show us the difference between the two parties than these two paragraphs?  

 Democrat Mandy Wright:

Republican Mike Ellis:

 That is the voice of reason in the republican party?  Thanks to Chris Rickert for showing us exactly how different the two parties are! 

Science on the Down Low

By Jeff Simpson

In what should NOT be a story:

On Wednesday Rep. Jeffrey Mursau, R-Crivitz, the chair of the Assembly Committee on Environment and Forestry, will co-host a forum with the panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo, on the effects of climate change in Wisconsin.

When Rep. Mursau and Rep. Fred Clark decided to get together and have a discussion on the effects of climate change, it seemed innocent enough.

The forum will include testimony from a number of experts, including two UW-Madison climate scientists — Dan Vimont and Galen McKinley — and other environmental experts, such as Michelle Miller, associate director of the UW Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, and David Liebel, a UW engineering professor who specializes in storm water systems.
"Our goal on this thing is to open the conversation with our colleagues about climate change," says Clark.

 In Fitzwalkerstan though, common sense and logic are so 2009.   It seems that having a discussion about climate change and including actual scientists and experts in the discussion is something that is inexcusable.

The right wing noise machine went ballistic, from the racist Brian Sikma to the  racist, sexist, boring Jerry Bader to the shrill, hateful Vicki Mckenna.  All are having a three year old temper tantrum thinking that people might actually learn something during a bipartisan gathering.  

In today;s republican party, open minds, compromise and bipartisanship are unwelcome and will be punished!     As prominent as the hate and ignorance is amongst the base and the right wing echo chamber on the right, a lack of backbone is just as prominent in the elected official class. 

It is this type of controversy that Clark said he is trying to avoid by keeping the forum, which is not an official committee hearing, off-limits to media and the public.
"Unfortunately some of these extreme tea party groups are really threatening a lot of legislators who might even have an interest in coming to learn about this issue," he said. "This is a briefing for legislators. We want to dial down the expectations or the grandstanding as much as possible."

 How sad that when our Legislature is finally discussing one of the most important topics facing mankind, they are forced to do it behind closed doors in private. When people in Wisconsin have an actual opportunity to learn something important and our legislature has a chance to show real leadership, they have to do it on the downlow! 

I guess we are relegated to pushing women around and cronies cashing out with taxpayer money as long as Scott Walker and the republicans are in charge of WI! 

 

Stand Up To Wisconsin Eye

 

Planned Parenthood put out an ad using some footage from Wisconsin Eye of OUR Elected representative Senator Mike Ellis.,  

Wisconsin Eye, which has a monopoly on footage in the people's house(I do not get it either) wants the spot pulled.  

So in true CogDis fashion. 

Here it is!   Watch it, share it, bookmark it and especially send it to anyone in Mike Ellis's district! 

It's Time For Women To Stand Up

Planned Parenthood is striking back against the barrage of attacks they have had to endure during the past two years.  Their target is State Senator Mike Ellis, one of the most misogynistic idiots in the state:



From their press release announcing this ad:

Today, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin launched the first phase of an ad campaign highlighting Senate President Mike Ellis and his abysmal record on restricting access to women’s health care. The ad features the public debate in the State Senate earlier this summer around a bill (SB 206) that was quickly passed to restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortion. The ad campaign comes on the heels of a successful rally earlier this week that gathered hundreds of people from across the state to call on their legislative leaders to stop the attack on women’s health and rights. The media campaign targets the Senate President Mike Ellis because he has used his power to shut down debate and facilitate the quick passage of an unprecedented number of bills that restrict women’s healthcare access and rights. Since the start of his reign as Senate President, Senator Ellis has facilitated the passage of many bills that include:

• 2011 Act 32: State Budget that ended funding at Planned Parenthood for patients receiving cancer screenings, wellness exams and birth control resulting in the closure of four rural Health Centers,
• 2013 Act 20: State Budget which cut thousands of hardworking Wisconsin citizens from Badgercare,
• 2011 Act 219: which repealed equal pay protections for women
• 2011 Act 216: which repealed medically accurate age appropriate sex education guidelines for our youth to reduce the incidence of teen pregnancy and the spread of STD’s
• 2013 Act 37: to restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortion by adding unnecessary regulations for doctors providing abortion and additional requirements for women seeking this medical care.

“Senate President Ellis has shown himself to be a career politician who doesn’t listen to his constituents and consistently votes against women’s ability to access essential healthcare,” said Tanya Atkinson Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin.

In Wisconsin right now, women are struggling more than ever before when it comes to getting health care. Over the last three years, Governor Scott Walker and the Legislature’s Republican leadership have introduced, moved and passed over a dozen bills restricting women’s access to everything from equal pay protections, health insurance coverage, sex education and birth control to abortion. Because of these laws women’s health will suffer. Our health care costs will increase. There will be more undiagnosed cancers, sexually transmitted disease, unintended pregnancies, delayed prenatal care and yes, more abortions. Walker and the Republican majority are playing politics with women’s health and reversing decades of bipartisan progress.

“Wisconsin voters who value commonsense, quality women’s health care have voices that matter,” concluded Atkinson. “It is up to us to insist that our leaders protect our health and wellbeing and stop this assault on women’s access to health care.”

As part of this campaign Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin will be educating our supporters to make sure they are aware of the dangerous bills that have already been passed restricting women’s access to healthcare and the danger of even more policies will have on the health and safety of women, families and Wisconsin communities.

“Through this campaign we will remind community members that we can prevail in protecting women’s health and rights, but only if we remain engaged and hold our elected leaders accountable and call on them to represent our best interests as a state.”

Senator Ellis Vs. The Constitution - The Movie

From a Facebook friend:



Ellis: "See. The place is going to Hell."

Indeed.