A secret recording has revealed that high-ranking officials in the Republican Party of Wisconsin are actively seeking to run spoiler, fake Democratic candidates in the upcoming recall elections. Via
FlotsamInaWebSea's diary, the recording indicates that this effort stems from the very top of the Wisconsin GOP (emphasis mine):
La Crosse County Republicans discussed running a spoiler candidate against Democrat Jennifer Shilling in an effort to delay the recall election of Sen. Dan Kapanke, according to a secret recording of the party’s general membership meeting last week.
On the recording obtained by the Tribune, party vice chairman Julian Bradley says he just spoke with Mark Jefferson, executive director of the state GOP, and “we are actively keeping our ears to the ground and if anybody knows anybody for a candidate that would be interested on the Democratic side in running in the primary against Jennifer Shilling…. So if anybody knows any Democrats who would be interested, please let us know.”
This is a Republican county chair relaying a discussion he had with the executive director of the state party. As such, this should not be considered an isolated incident coming from a
rouge rogue county chair (yes, rogue, not rouge, stupid spell checker). The orders are coming from the very top, and likely being discussed in all six of the recall elections Republicans face.
This isn't surprising, given that this is a Republican Party led by a Governor who discussed planting violent troublemakers in the protest crowds back in February and March. They are quite open to planting fakes, double agents, and useful idiots into Democratic spaces if they think doing so will help Republicans.
They got billionaires and dirty tricks while we only have people power. Still, desperation like this shows we are winning. Make Wisconsin Republicans pay for this crap by contributing $5 to the recall effort on Orange to Blue.