While Scott Walker has been running millions of dollars in TV and radio ads during the recalls and the Koch Brothers Americans for (the Koch Brothers) Prosperity along with the RW MacIver Institute are now running pro-Walker "It's Working" ads in a huge statewide ad buy, there has been no media activity on our side outside of regular news reporting since the State Senate recalls this past summer (and those targeted Republican State Senators).
That changes tonight with a new ad from the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
Here's the new ad:
Scott Walker has been out spending ten million bucks during the signature gathering in the recall while whining about "all that outside union money" pouring in against him. That he has the unmitigated gall to keep saying that while spending his time out of state on his own massive fundraising tour is just pure Scott Walker. A stinking liar who projects everything he does onto others in order to hide his own activities. It's the (Karl Rove) Republican Way!
You can read more about the ad from the Wisconsin Democratic Party here and here.
The ad is called "Walkergate" because it highlights the eery parallels between Nixon's Watergate scandal and the criminal investigation into Scott Walker's current and former top-level aides that has already uncovered the theft of more than $60,000 intended for the widows and children of Soldiers killed in action, child sex crimes, secret email networks, illegal campaign contributions, and the abuse of taxpayer resources for political gain. Prosecutors have brought a total of fifteen felonies and three misdemeanors against six of Scott Walker's closest aides and associates -- with one conviction and two guilty pleas to date.
I found this for your amusement. It starts and ends with pictures of Walker and his Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch being absolutely miserable at the State Capitol during MLK celebrations. If you want to see them being completely miserable, check out Laura Clawsons
report here on DK which includes an amazing video of Walker being told MLK would have stood with the unions:
(Sorry, I pulled the video to make the diary easier to load since I've added other video. You can still see it via this link if you'd like)
I'll be a bit of a hypocrite here (please forgive me) in posting the Act Blue Link to the Wisconsin Democratic Party in support of the ad. Forces opposed to Walker aren't receiving huge amounts of funds, but I'll ask for some on behalf of the Democrats.
Frankly, we're poor. I'm helping database recall petition signatures and the office is constantly out of things like paper towels and toilet paper in the bathroom (it was paper towels yesterday which meant drying my hands on my shirt) and I keep forgetting to bring some supplies with me so we don't have to do without.
For more information on Walkergate (the ongoing 20 month John Doe Probe) you can go here. For ongoing information about Walkers outrages please check here
Thanks for all your support.
Update: Not Related to the Diary Edition: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a article up linking to an (.pdf) article in the next issue of The New Yorker on Scott Walker.
I'm about halfway through the article now and it's quite good. I've noticed 2 obvious (to me) errors so far:
Early on the writer talks about "public sector union corruption" in Milwaukee, which was actually corruption with the then Milwaukee County Executive and several County Supervisors in establishing a generous pension bonus for themselves which they "sold" to the rest of the board by including Milwaukee County employees. Known as the Pension Scandal, it led to the recall/resignation of the County Executive and several board members. Scott Walker was elected as Milwaukee County Executive in the recall election that followed (he approved of recalls them).
The second error I found was a reference to 50 year State Senator Fred Kessler. Actually, it's Risser.
I'll post more, if needed, as I continue along in this extensive article.
Update: I finished the article and recommend the read. It's a balanced article with a decent summary of what's been been going on except that it doesn't mention the ongoing 20 month John Doe Probe with the drip drip drip of revelations and indictments that have been coming out more frequently.
Update 3: Happy Fake Koch Call to Walker Anniversary Edition:
It's been a year since blogger Ian Murphy did this:
Part 1:
Part 2:
It was important not because it exposed Walkers true agenda with his "drop the bomb" comment, self comparison to Ronald Reagan, and admission that he considered "planting troublemakers" in the crowds of protesters (he didn't not because of safety concerns or that it would be illegal, but because he feared pressure to sit down and negotiate with protest leaders, something he refused to do), but because it revealed the big money behind the Republican wave of 2010.
The Kochs with their Americans for (the Kochs) Prosperity and other phony, billionaire established "grassroots organizations" had a major impact in the 2010 elections with endless streams of attack ads aimed at Democrats. This might have been the most important phone call in America because the revelations just kept coming. Today, the big time money behind Republicans is well know as are the activities of groups like ALEC.
It started a year ago with one phone call. Happy First Anniversary and keep it coming!
Update: More Begging Edition: Sorry, the tin cup is coming out again, this time for Lori Compas and her Act Blue page. She's the woman who organized the recall against entrenched, strident Republican State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (even I didn't think he was recallable and I was wrong). She will announce tomorrow that she's running against him in the upcoming recall election. He'll have access to huge amounts of cash (he already has tens of thousands in his war chest) and she's just a member of the community (and kick-ass recaller) who wants better representation in the State Senate. If you have a couple of bucks and would like to see Scott FitzGrifter have a sad, please consider a contribution. Thank you.
Update: Governor Whiner, Bullshitter, and Liar Edition: Walker was interviewed this weekend by Politico with a reporter standing there like a video stenographer accepting the BS and lies of Walker without a single follow up or challenge.
Most outrageous was Walkers continuing whine about "big government union bosses" and their big money influence over the recalls. He does, correctly, cite the $44 million in spending on ads during the summer recalls, but has the complete audacity to say that "the majority of that was spent on attacks on Republicans". The very opposite is true, with non-stop attack ads against Democrats by outside astroturf groups.
He now shamefully proclaims that 76% of his recall election money is from "grassroots support" in increments of $50 or less. I call BS and point to his endless and unlimited out of state fundraising. Yet the Politico reporter simply stands there.
He also has the balls to claim that unempoyment is down in Wisconsin and that jobs are being created when actual, factual, real statistics show the past 6 months Wisconsin has experienced record setting job losses! No follow up for the "stenographer" here, either.
Here's the video of the shamelessness: