By Jeff Simpson
That is what a 3 judge panel accused the Wisconsin republicans of engaging in, when looking into missing records in the Wisconsin redistricting case.
It is appe
aring that AFTER they were ordered to turn over all files to the democrats, someone logged into the taxpayer owned computers and deleted hundreds of thousands of emails!
New federal court filings allege that legislative aides appear to
have deleted “hundreds of thousands” of files at “suspicious times” from
state computers used by Republicans in redistricting.
The plaintiffs in a case that challenged the redistricting law
are asking the Legislature or attorneys representing the state to start
paying for the forensic investigation. They say the probe has racked up
nearly $100,000 in costs so far, fueled largely by the complexity of
restoring deleted files.
The filings are part of a post-trial
investigation ordered by the three-judge federal panel that heard the
redistricting case. A final report on the investigation is due May 10.
Finding that “fraud, misrepresentation or misconduct” likely occurred,
the judges ordered a post-trial investigation into the missing records.
In February, the panel ordered the state to turn over three
redistricting computers that had been housed at the Madison office of
the Michael, Best and Friedrich law firm.
Predictably, the party of "personal responsibility"(yes, I know. That is funny to me also) took none. Scott Fitzgerald who will take any chance to ramble aimlessly on telling us how bad democrats are seems to have lost his tongue when it comes to fraud on his watch.
Robin Vos has forgotten anything that happened, and refers all questions to the Wisconsin taxpayer funded attorneys representing him in this misconduct.
The computers were used by
legislative aides Tad Ottman and Adam Foltz
and consultant Joe Handrick. Ottman and Foltz work for Senate Majority
Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), though Foltz worked for
then-Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) at the time of
redistricting. Handrick worked for lobbying and law firm Reinhart
Boerner Van Deuren at the time he served as a redistricting consultant
for the Legislature. Handrick, a former GOP representative, now works at
the state Department of Workforce Development.
For those scoring at home, a quick timeline of the events:
According to the filing, the first deletions came Jan. 6, 2012, just
after attorneys for the state were ordered by the panel to turn over
additional records in the case. The second deletions, on July 25, 2012,
were made days after control of the Senate shifted to the Democrats as a
result of recall elections in July 2012. (Republicans have since
regained the majority in the Senate.)
“On July 18, 2012, after
majority control of the state Senate shifted, the new majority leader
(Democratic Sen. Mark Miller) requested Michael Best’s redistricting
file,” the filing states.
“The following day (July 19), Michael
Best agreed that it would make its redistricting file available for
review. One week later (July 25), a user logged into the account of Tad
Ottman, aide to state Senator Scott Fitzgerald — who just had been
replaced as majority leader — deleted hundreds of thousands of
redistricting files.
“The following week, Michael Best turned over its redistricting file to the new Senate majority leader (Miller).”
The republicans have sure ruined the name brand of Michael Best over these last two years! It also amazes me that Ottman and Foltz still have jobs being funded by the taxpayers. Is there not a fireable offense for the republicans?
If you think fraud, directly defying court orders and deleting emails that the public have a right to know, then call these people up and let them know!
Robin Vos - @speakervos
Toll Free: 888-534-0063
Madison Office: 608-266-3387
Home Phone: 262-514-2597
The Wisconsin Republican Party has no shame!
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