Tanya! Tanya! Tanya!

By Jeff Simpson

Has done it again.

Mary Burke's "Top Political Advisor" Tanya Bjork, recently gave an interview to one of my favorite people Heather Rayne and her new blog "Purple Rayne".

In this interview, Tanya Bjork runs down her resume, which at first glance seems impressive.

Let me shed some light on Tanya’s impressive and extensive work history:

·         Senior Advisor to Protect Your Care – a national organization working to promote t Affordable Care Act

·         Senior Advisor to President Obama’s Re-election campaign

·         Director of Federal Affairs for Wisconsin under Governor Jim Doyle

·         General Election State Director for the Barrack Obama campaign in Wisconsin (winning WI               with 56% and flipping more counties from red to blue than another other state in the country)

·         Regional Director of EMILY’s List

·         AFL-CIO Regional Political Director for Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois

·         Field Director for U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone’s re-election campaign

·         Political Director for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold’s re-election campaign

·         Worked in the Wisconsin and Minnesota state legislatures facilitating and developing the passage of legislation on criminal justice, labor relations, consumer affairs, campaign finance reform and education

·         Developed training curriculum and trained throughout the country and world for groups such            as AFL-CIO, EMILY’s List, Wellstone Action, EMERGE, Progressive Majority, Illinois Women’s             Institute for Leadership and Planned Parenthood

·         Training for National Democratic Institute in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain

·         Winner of the 2013 Eleanor Roosevelt Statewide Impact Award

However, in typical Bjork fashion, she seems to have left some things out of her resume.   Let me help fill in the blanks.   FYI.   While I did not "ask" her persay, I did do what you need to do to get THE TRUTH in politics - Follow the Money!

Let's look at some discrepancies from her past:

2010:

2010

At some unknown point in 2010, "Know Your Care" and "Protect Your Care" are filed with the IRS.

2010 - January 2010 - According to her own Linked-In page, Bjork starts working as a "Senior Advisor" for Protect Your Care" 

2010 - December 2010 - Bjork stops working for the state of Wisconsin as Director of Federal Affairs
2010 - March 2010, The State worker and non lobbyist, is REFERRED to as a "lobbyist' in this Madison Magazine article.    

2011:

Jan 27 -- Bjork attends a Families USA conference where she says she is listed as being from the "New Partners" firm.

April 14 -- Bjork is announced as the "campaign manager" of  "Protect your Care" 

2012 

Capitol Navigators (run by Bjork's husband, Scott Tyre) is paid $150,600 for "program consulting" by the c-3 group "Know your care."  "New Partners" is paid 350K

 Bjork starts listing herself as a partner at Capitol Navigators on her linked-in page

2013 

Aug 1 -- "Know Your Care" is awarded a government grant of over one million dollars to help navigate the health care exchanges.  Bjork is listed as the contact -- at the same phone number 202-261-2380 as New Partners / "Protect Your Care" / "Know Your Care"

October -- Bjork is named as senior adviser to Mary Burke's campaign.

I know this is all very complicated, and "how sausage is made" in inside politics but consider the following points:

• According to her own Linked-In page, which she filled out, while she was the State of Wisconsin's Director of Federal Affairs, she also served as a "Senior Advisor" to Obama's soft money campaign front group, "Protect Your Care."  The overlap of serving a campaign entity and an official government entity is more than a year.

• In early 2011, Bjork officially becomes a member of the Democratic consulting firm "New Partners." In April of 2011, it is announced that Bjork will be the "campaign manager" of Protect Your Care. Curiously, "New Partners" has the same physical address, phone number and same staff as Protect Your Care and Know Your Care.  Everybody pushes the limits, but I've never seen anything this bold.

• In 2012 -- Bjork starts listing herself as a partner in her husband's Madison-based lobbying firm "Capitol Navigators." She also lists Cap Nav as her employer in financial contributions.  This same year, the C-3 charity "Know your care" pays CapNav 150K for "program consulting."  This whole set-up is a bit odd considering that CapNav's client list looks more like an ALEC membership list-- many literally paying millions to oppose Obamacare. 

• In 2013, "Know Your Care" is awarded a government grant of over one million dollars to educate people on how to navigate the exchanges.  Bjork is listed as the "fiscal"contact on the grant.

It is amazing to me, especially considering her past,  that she would set up a tax-deductible charity (gov subsidized) that is literally getting one million dollar government grants, when there is literally no separation between the charity and the political group-- same people in the same place doing the same thing.  

One of the main points of Obamacare, is that it mandates what has to be spent by companies on actual health care and limits what they can spend on money gouging by the executives.  It is unfortunate and against everything we stand for if we engage in those same practices we fought so hard to end.    

I would also like to point out that there is no lobbying reform, in the Mary Burke platform.  It seems that we needed to hammer public employees to balance the budget in 2010, but lobbying reform has no effect on it?   

This also helps debunk the stupid myth that teachers have been running roughshod over the taxpayers.   If the teachers had to much power why would their average salary be $51,000?  We see here, what happens when your allowed to pay yourself and run roughshod over the American taxpayer.  







Obamacare was designed so Americans could afford healthcare, and as we know it was very rough rollout.   Tanya Bjork was enlisted to help the navigate the exchanges, and the rollout was seriously bumbled.  Through it all though, the one person who was very successful during the Obamacare launch was Tanya Bjork!    Who in their right mind would take a job that was so important, not only to the Democratic Party and our President, but also the American people. 

 

I  however, do not have an explanation, as to why Tanya Bjork, the top political adviser for the Democratic candidate, who has made hundreds of thousands of dollars off the back of taxpayers, would counsel her candidate to say this:

Are there any parts of ACT 10 that you agree with?
Yes, I do believe [state employees] paying a fair share of health care and pension costs is something we needed in order to be able to balance the budget.

Nor do I have an explanation as to why Ms. Bjork is still part of this incredibly important campaign. 
Is this really the person we want guiding the ship, in defeating a well funded extreme right wing incumbent?




My answer is a resounding NO!!!  

 

Let's Navigate the Capitol - Bjork Style

By Jeff Simpson

I have written lately about Mary Burke's top political advisor - Tonya Bjork.   I covered her initially into her being knee deep in the Caucus scandal, secondly being a major player with Wisconsin Hospital PAC who has given thousands of dollars to Scott Walker.

Before we get into today's lesson, we need to clarify something.   There was some sloppy criticism of my post about Tanya Bjork's association with the Wisconsin Hospital PAC.   Apparently she gave all of the money to their Conduit.  A conduit is set up(and quite possibly illegal) for someone like Tanya Bjork to give money to Wisconsin Hospitals PAC and then direct that money elsewhere.  That way if you want to give more than the max.  You can funnel your money through their PAC allowing you to give more than the legal amount, and hope the media stays lazy and does not track your donations.(*clarification, I am not accusing Tonya Bjork of doing this, I am merely pointing out that I do not see any other reason for a conduit.  If you want to give money to a politician give money to them.  No need to give it to someone else to give to them).

Just some more context, before we move on(H/T one of our readers).   Wisconsin Hospitals PAC, of which Tanya Bjork was a major player and fundraiser for,  gave approximately 80% of their donations to the red team.  Would you belong to an organizations that so directly conflicts with your values?   I would not.


Today we are going to cover her day job.  Owner, with her husband/partner Scott Tyre, of a LOBBYING firm called Capitol Navigators.

Here is Tanya's husband at a typical day of work:
 

Here is their client list:

• Altria Corporate Services
• American Petroleum Institute
• American Express Co.
• Association of General Contractors of Wisconsin
• Aurora Health Care
• Community Corrections Corp.
• DCI Group
• Deloitte
• Dewey Square Group
• General Motors
• H & R Block
• Hill Top Public Solutions
• HSBC
• Johnson Controls, Inc.
• Kwik Trip
• MulchSeal
• National Association of Professional Employer Organization
• SC Johnson & Sons Inc.
• Superior Services, Inc
• TDS Telecom
• US Oil
• Water Remediation Technology, LLC
• Webber Merritt
• Wisconsin Bankers Association
• Wisconsin Cable Communications Association
• Wisconsin Cluster of YMCAs
• Wisconsin Early Autism Program
• Wisconsin Hospital Association

Before we go any further, let me address the first objection.  That this is her husbands firm.   1. Wisconsin is a 50/50 state, if they were to get divorced she would be part owner of it real quick(just ask Robin Vos) and 2. She lists her employer as (drum roll please) Capitol Navigators!

Yes, I understand that the donations under her name are all Democrats, but let's take a look at a partial list of the rest of the people that Capitol Navigators have donated too(recognize any of these names):

*Robin Vos
*Jeff Fitzgerald 
*Scott Fitzgerald 
*Committee to elect a Republican Senate
*Republican Assembly Campaign Committee
* Scott Suder 
* Mike Huebsch 

"Dont play both sides of the fence because one day your leg is going to get caught trying to get over on the other side."  Unknown

 Nothing says progressive champion like sending $500 to Robin Vos!  Let's be real, CapitolNavigators has made lots of money suppressing and squashing progressive legislation and helping get the current extreme right wing legislation passed.  Hey, whatever makes you a buck.  Its a tough economy out there(thanks in part to the legislation you lobby). 

Before I come to my conclusion, let's bring one more piece of evidence into the equation.  Do not forget that Scott Walker withdrew a student appointment to Board of Regents(a basically figurehead position) because the original pick, they found out signed the recall.petition.  (FYI: Tanya Bjork and her Husband Scott Tyre did NOT sign the recall petition).

 

Now to my conclusion, We have a very vindictive and petty republican party running our state government.  Tanya and her husband make a very nice living with their lobbying firm, lobbying both parties.   DO you trust Tanya Bjork to do the right thing and attack Scott Walker, when and where he needs to be attacked, to win?  Knowing that her living depends on playing both sides in the Capitol?  Do we trust that when there comes a time, when her career and her current job, collide, that the people of Wisconsin will not get the short end of the stick?

Looking back at her career, from the caucus scandal(which still disgusts me) through her time at Wisconsin Hospitals PAC and beyond, she  has a definite pattern of having an ambitiously me first attitude.   Her willingness to break the law to advance her personal career in the Caucus scandal, and her apparent willingness to suppress her personal beliefs and values, with Wisconsin Hospitals PAC in order to pad her resume speaks volumes to me.

When it comes down to making the tough call, one that might win the race but cost her Lobbying firm business in the end -  Whose side will she be on?

I think we know the answer to that.  I also think we do not like the answer!

Draw your own conclusions.

However, there is enough bad, evil, slimy, play both parties evidence there for me to far outweigh the non existent progressive credentials of this supposedly democratic lobbyist, that I know what side I believe she will pick!

If you're going to connect with the good people of WI, a well connected, political insider who makes a living lobbying, and was in the middle of the biggest political corruption scandal, is probably NOT the best choice to do that.  

I was also hoping, that one of the campaign issues would be Walkers cronyism and incompetent politically motivated hires, one that we would easily win.  Unless, we allow Tanya Bjork to run the campaign and we send the message that cronyism is alive and well in our party also!  


I personally would rather this Bjork be running the show, at least she understands marketing:




It has been made perfectly clear to me, by party members, that no amount of grassroots support matters.  So the only thing they will listen to is our pocketbooks.

For me personally - No Money for Burke until Bjork is gone.   I prefer my Democratic Candidates sans republican lobbyists on their staff.  

@Burke4Wi

Burke for Wisconsin
PO Box 2479
Madison, WI 53701
(608) 807-0602
info@burkeforwisconsin.com


PS:  In case you were wondering, Wisconsin Hospitals PAC - Supported ACT10.  Helping break the Nurses union, maybe not the most progressive position someone could take.

PSS:  To the people on the Burke Campaign, you might want to add Mary Burke's twitter account to the website contact info.  It is the year 2013 after all.

PSSS:  Adding the twitter account does not count as actual content.   The website could use some of that also.   

An Open Letter To Mary Burke

Dear Ms. Burke: 

A while back, Cap Times columnist Paul Fanlund, correctly pointed out, that in the Governors race of 2014, the high road is WIDE open.  

Asked before the recent Democratic state convention what he expected to hear from that event, Walker told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “What they are going to do, because they have nothing to offer in response, they are going to attack and attack and attack and attack, and then attack again.”
So Walker uses the word “attack” five times, which sounds like pretty much all of the chapter titles in Scott Walker’s complete guide to governing.
Beating Walker is possible. This isn’t Alabama. It is a swing state that elected Tammy Baldwin.
In the end, I think there is a critical mass of voters who are not active combatants who yearn for a new path, one that the right Democratic candidate could chart.
Put another way, when it comes to taking down Scott Walker, the high road is open for business.

Anyone who has read CogDis the last few years know that this is the place to come for Walkergate coverage. While Scott Walker, thanks to a well funded "legal defense" fund, was never charged,  many of his closest advisors were convicted or granted immunity.   One of common threads between all of these thugs, besides lack of ethics and morals, is that many of them were knee deep in the original Caucus Scandal.

We have established that the High Ground is a winning strategy and one that is completely wide open.  Unfortunately somewhere along the way Mary Burke has decided to take a different path.    Check out Team Burke! 

Burke’s campaign team includes fundraiser Katie Boyce, a Doyle fundraiser and deputy chief of staff in his second term. Her treasurer is Sheila Conroy, who led the Office of State Employee Relations for Doyle (and is married to Madison biotech CEO Kevin Conroy, who was mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate before Burke got in the race).

Burke’s senior political adviser is Tanya Bjork, whom Doyle hired as national liaison. The appointment was controversial partly because Bjork was convicted of two misdemeanors related to the caucus scandal for campaigning on state time and trying to cover it up. She also was senior adviser for President Obama’s Wisconsin campaign in 2008 and 2012.

Whoa!  Hit the brakes.  

Did she really hire Tanya Bjork has TOP POLITICAL ADVISOR?   What will Tanya Bjork advise? How to campaign from the Capitol and illegally change records?   Just because Scott Walker does it, does not mean it is OK!

Tanya Bjork, 38, was convicted of two misdemeanors in 2005 for her role in the largest political scandal in state history. Bjork served as a chief of staff to former Sen. Brian Burke (D-Milwaukee), who was convicted of a felony and misdemeanor in 2005 as part of a widespread investigation that uncovered political campaigning using taxpayer resources. Before she worked for Burke, she worked for the Assembly Democratic Caucus.

Bjork pleaded no contest to charges that she altered records and illegally solicited campaign funds in the Capitol.

Why would anyone think, that hiring someone who was guilty in the last Caucus Scandal, was a good idea?   I have criticized the way that  Mary Burke has run her campaign to date, saying that she has gotten really bad advice.  I did not know at the time that she was getting really bad advice from a bad apple! 

Who was the last democrat to hire one of these people to their staff?  This Guy! Is that who we want to emulate?  

Speaking of Walker supporters.

 No, just because Tanya Bjork did not sign the recall petition, does NOT mean she supports him, I am sure she was busy that day!  You know she loves the Democratic Party!

There is also a possibility she was busy hanging out with her partner and his good friend:

See her husband is head of (irony alert ahead) a lobbying firm called Capitol Navigators. Scott is such agreat lobbyist that he was elected by his peers(we know what a fine upstanding group of people they are) as    Scott was also elected by his peers to the board of the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists.  No word if Bob Ney or Jack Abramoff sent him letters of congrats!   Heck as  amember of the Lobbyist board, his hit and run misdemeanor conviction is a feather in his cap.

For the record, I would NEVER suggest that because the current batch of republicans are so vindictive, that they would punish Mr. Tyre, if his partner Ms. Bjork went after Scott Walker with the vigor needed to win the election.   Nor would I suggest that she would let something like the very lavish lifestyle they are accustomed to, get in the way of doing the right thing,   I also would never ever suggest this would be the reason behind the candidate, that she is the top political adviser of  to let such amazingly unethical scandals such as United Sportsmen, fall by the wayside unchallenged.   I also want it clear that I would never suggest that, as top political adviser to one candidate, and her partner being a well paid lobbyist playing both sides, that she wins no matter who wins the election. 

That would be just crazy for me to point out that if we lose next November, while you are here:




    

She will be here:



I would NOT suggest any of that so I hope you do not think it either!

I have met Mary Burke and find her to be very intelligent, friendly, smart and passionate for making Wisconsin a better place.  Mary Burke is ethical and full of integrity.  The last thing that Mary Burke needs,  is the dead weight of the Capitol Scandal on her back.  

Mary Burke goes into her race against Scott Walker with the decided advantage in accomplishments, intelligence, personality, desire to help Wisconsin, business sense and many others.   Ms. Burke also has the clear advantage V. Mr. Walker in ethics, morals and integrity.  That is why it is imperative that she not sully her reputation or spoil this advantage by associating with anyone from the Caucus Scandal.  

Playing dirty politics, wasting taxpayer money and increasing your own bank account plays well on the right, but it absolutely does not on the left where people who are going to vote for you care about such things as honesty and the rule of law.    Our friends on the right, make such a mockery of justice that they treat convicted felon Scott Jensen like a serious person. That is them, that is not us! 

In a state that leads the country in incarceration of black males,  we allowed the group of caucasions involved in the caucus scandal were allowed to skate virtually punishment free, because they set the rules.  The only way to stop that is if the people say enough.  Here is a good spot to draw that line!  

 You would make an excellent Governor of Wisconsin, show us that you want to change the way we have done things and it is a new era.    Show us you are serious about the divisiveness, cronyism and corruption that has become everyday occurrences are over.  

Mary Burke please cleanse yourself of people involved in the Caucus scandal(and it was a scandal) and let's take the high road to victory in November!

Together!

Forward!

Sincerely,


Jeff Simpson,

Lifelong Wisconsin resident, public education advocate and concerned citizen!


Contact Ms. Burke here:  

Burke for Wisconsin
PO Box 2479
Madison, WI 53701
(608) 807-0602
info@burkeforwisconsin.com

@burkeforwi

H/T Political Capital for the pics!

Robin Vos Has Big Ambitions

Robin Vos has big ambitions.   After former speaker Jeff Fitzgerald crushing defeat in the race for Wisconsin's US Senator, the assembly speaker seat is wide open.    Robin Vos thinks that seat belongs to him.

First a quick refresher course on who Robin Vos is.   Robin Vos is the Wisconsin chair of ALEC(a shadow extremist hate  group) and he is also a Hingst!  It is not surprising that Vos feels that rules do not apply to him, as he got his start working for caucus scandal star, the highly unethical Bonnie Ladwig!  When your mentor only cares about power, and your own father likes to use Government to line his own pockets, then Vos is a product of his own environment.  

We also know that Vos is quite the ladies man, and after throwing his 2nd wife to the curb is back on the market.  (edit note: rumors of why he got divorced and coincidences between his divorce and other republican family value lawmakers divorces will remain as rumors for the time being.  However know that since the republicans have taken over our government, it has been like Melrose Place in Madison. .  Draw your own conclusions for the time being)

Ladies think you have what it takes to fill the bill?  Here is what turns Rockin Robin on:

 His "turn-ons: Long hair, Skinny dipping, Flirting, Public displays of affection, Dancing, Power, Money, Brainiacs, Boldness/Assertiveness.

Also, do not be afraid, this family values "conservative" always plays it safe:

 Vos says: "I'm a single guy," he said. "To say I am against birth control is to say I am against water."

It is obvious now that while Vos has more skeletons in his closet than John Edwards and he is void of all ethics, now we find out he has lost the last shred of credibility that he had.  Vos was so passionate to lead the charge against voter fraud in our great state, that he was willing to break the law to do so.   The problem that Vos faces, is the one case of voter fraud we found in WI came from his household.

It turns out that Samantha Vos, the dumped 2nd wife, was voting in Wisconsin while a resident of Idaho.  










Which brings us to asking some questions that need to be asked:

* Did Robin go to the polls with his wife?  Did she tell Robin that she voted those days?   Why would she be a resident of Idaho and living in WI?  What is the difference between Robin Vos & John Edwards?  How can a family values "conservative" bring themselves to vote for Robin Vos?   Is it simply because he has an "R" after his name?   Why doesn't the Racine Journal Times cover this?   If she voted during the recall, does that mean that Scott Walker is not a legitimately elected Governor?   Why doesn't the republicans who SEEM to care so deeply about "free and fair" elections, not seem to be the least bit upset about this?  Why has Robin Vos gotten away with such despicable behavior?  

Finally, one last item to clear up:  DO NOT RENT FROM ROBIN VOS!!  

Help Kelly Albrecht beat robin vos!