If nothing else, the recall effort against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is confirming what many already knew: His strongest demographic is 50ish white males with anger management issues who reside in Waukesha County.
Consider this gentleman from Brookfield:
The 59-year-old man, identified as Fred Frisby, was cited later by Brookfield police for disorderly conduct.
This incident is so similar to dozens of other being reported by recall volunteers that is has to be considered a coordinated effort. Walker has so far refused to issue a statement condemning these actions.
You may remember my recent post where I shared the story of another Waukesha County middle-aged white male who decided to harass petition signers late at night by telephone. He got their names off a very brief news clip that showed signatures on a petition.
He actually told the Madison television reporter who confronted him about it that he was undecided about the recall and simply wanted reasons why he should sign the petition. That's right - instead of simply going to the local recall office and asking why he should consider signing a petition, the man stayed up late parsing through news video to identify names of people who live 85 miles away, then called them at 10:30 p.m. because he just wanted some advice.
In a follow up, WKOW TV reports that they have since obtained a voicemail that the man left for one of his harassment targets.
Another Dane County resident provided 27 News with a voicemail recording of a call from Stoll's telephone number to her home. She said the voicemail was Stoll's third late night call placed to her home November 25.
"This is unbelievable, you've hung up on me... this is so typical of how you people think," the voicemail message states.
"You won't even answer the phone and now you signed a petition where they put your name and phone number up on TV and now you're running like a (expletive) coward."
The expletive starts with an F, and Stoll is yelling on the voicemail. I can't embed the video of the news story, but it's worth a listen.
I will say it again. This is not an isolated incident. After hearing stories like this from almost every recall petition circulator I have spoken with, it's clearly part of a strategy of intimidation. Members of the Waukesha County angry white male brigade especially do the same thing every time. They drive up rapidly, pretend to take photos of circulators, harass them for being on private property even though they have permission or are on public property, and repeat the same talking points. Every time. Whether they are simply sharing strategies in social media or getting advice from right-wing hate radio, it is a planned attack.
But it will fail. Walker's supporters are desperate, and the vast majority of Wisconsinites want "that fascist bastard, Scott Walker*" out of office.
*Keith Olbermann, 12/6/2011, Current TV:
UPDATE...(hat-tip stcroix cheesehead) As if right on cue, the first arrest was just announced in the John Doe investigation looking at illegal campaign activity when Scott Walker was the Milwaukee County Executive and running for governor. I posted my diary about the 50ish white dudes from Waukesha County, and 20 minutes later the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel announces the arrest. A 50-year-old white male! He is a resident of Milwaukee, though. He needs to move to Waukesha County!
http://www.jsonline.com/...
On Tuesday, authorities arrested Andrew P. Jensen Jr., a commercial real estate broker with Boerke Co. and a past president of the Commercial Association of REALTORS Wisconsin.
...
The sheriff's website states that charges are pending against Jensen.
...
Jensen was a minor contributor to Walker's gubernatorial campaign, donating $850 to Walker. Boerke Co. employees gave a total of $12,150.
Insiders told No Quarter that he was arrested for refusing to cooperate with the long-running John Doe investigation by Milwaukee County prosecutors.