The Breathtaking Audacity Of Scott Walker

Even after ten years of calling out Scott Walker on his bad policies, his misconduct in office, and his malfeasance, he still has the ability to leave me flabbergasted from time to time.

Please let me explain.

Just yesterday, I wrote about how Scott Walker blatantly abused the power of his office as Milwaukee County Executive in taking a taxpayer-funded Harley Davidson ride around the state, purportedly to promote tourism, but was nothing more than a campaign stunt:

If you take a closer look at Walker's email, he sent it on Friday, May 14, 2010. Yet on the very next day, Saturday, May 15, Walker left Milwaukee on his infamous Harley Davidson "Executive Ride." This ride, which was purportedly to promote tourism for Milwaukee County, was nothing more than a poorly disguised campaign event for Walker. He moved the ride up from it's usual time at the end of June because, get ready for this, it was too warm then to go for a motorcycle ride. In what I'm sure is a coincidence (meaning it was anything but a coincidence), Walker's bike ride led back to Milwaukee just in time for the Republican state convention, in which the party nominees were named. Shazam! How'd that happen?!

This campaign bike rid is also what led the DPW to file a complaint against Walker, first with the GAB and then with the Milwaukee County District Attorney, based in part on the fact that Russell, who went along on the ride as a county employee, was apparently doing what appears to be campaign work.

Walker didn't even wait a day before he violated his own directive.

Fun fact: For some reason, Walker didn't take a bike ride in 2011. I can't imagine why not.

But there's more. There's always more.

There's always more indeed.

I noticed today that Walker, despite having a John Doe investigation actively looking into his campaign and his county staff because of this, is doing the same bloody thing all over again!

On Wednesday, February 1, Walker went to Wausau as part of something he calls "Governor Walker's Turning Around Wisconsin Tour."

As the gentle reader will notice, this was sent from the Governor's Office, making it official state business.

But does anyone really believe that?

It's so obviously another gimmick, just like the bike ride was, in which Walker is using taxpayer dollars to run his "Please don't hold me accountable for my misdeeds by recalling me" campaign, that it's actually breathtaking in its audacity.

What's even more stunningly outrageous is that his "Turning Wisconsin Around Tour," according to the press release, is about his "agenda" for job creation.*

Well, to be fair, maybe it's not so outrageous after all.

As I have previously discussed, and as the following graph so eloquently shows, when it comes to job creation, Walker has definitely turned this state around, from a positive job growth period to six straight months of job losses, at twice the rate that Doyle had even in the height of the recession:

One does wonder how anyone can believe the tripe that Walker and WISGOP is trying to force down our throats.

However, regardless of Walker's hypocrisy and outright lies, this continued pattern of abusing the power of his office, whether county executive or governor, should not and can not be allowed to go on without Walker being called out on it.**

Whether it's via the recall or via being indicted in Walkergate, we cannot be rid of this weasel soon enough.

*Strangely, the WSAW-TV story on this decided to focus on education, which is another area he has failed miserably in. Also noteworthy, in the comment sections, it appears Walker's appearance at the school caused fights to break out. He's even divisive to our children.

**I would also like to know where the hell is the media who is supposed to be watchdogs for the people.  Has journalism dropped to such a low standard? I hope not, but still...