I gotta say it again. Republicans have balls. Moon sized balls, in fact.
Kelly Reindfleisch, former top aide to Scott Walker (R-FitzWalkerStan), who was indicted on felony misconduct charges of doing political work while on taxpayer time in the Milwaukee County Executives office when Walker was in office, has been desperately trying to avoid her day in court.
She already tried and failed to move her case to a Republican dominated county in Wisconsin rather than have the case heard in Milwaukee County. She's been told by the judge that her case needs to be tried in the county where the alleged crimes were committed and her motion was denied.
Now, however, she and her lawyer are trying a new tactic: claiming that she still has immunity from prosecution from a deal she made in 2002 when she was caught up in the state legislatures "caucus scandal". At that time numerous state legislators and their staffs were found to be engaged in political work inside the legislators office during official taxpayer funded time. She cut a deal with prosecutors to avoid prosecution by cooperating with the investigation and was given immunity.
Sound familiar? Yup. It's the same scenario that Walkers top aides are being charged with as part of the ongoing John Doe Probe. It seems that the rotten apple involved in the caucus scandal hasn't fallen far from her original tree. She and others seem to have been up to the same political work on the taxpayer dime (and reportedly using a secret internet connection to avoid the mandated archiving of communications required of government offices) that she was doing as a participant in the caucus scandal. She's been charged with 4 counts of felony misconduct along with her colleague, Darlene Wink. However, Wink made a deal with prosecutors in the John Doe in which she is being charged with misdemeanors rather than felonies in return for her cooperation.
Today, the judge told her that the immunity deal of 2002 only covered her past crimes and not future ones. He told her "no" to her grasping at straws attempt to sleaze her way out of personal responsibility and accountability for her actions.
For a second time, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Hansher has denied a bid by Kelly Rindfleisch, a former aide to Gov. Scott Walker, to have felony misconduct charges against her thrown out because of an immunity deal she cut in 2002.
Rindfleisch's 2002 immunity deal with the Dane County district attorney related to the state Capitol caucus scandal probe only and can't be applied to the current charges against her, Hansher said in a ruling issued Tuesday.
Her 2002 immunity deal related to an investigation into state legislators and aides doing campaign work while on their taxpayer-paid jobs. Rindfleisch held jobs as a legislative aide to Republican lawmakers and also has worked for the Senate and Assembly Republican caucus staffs.
I find it fascinating how much Republicans just love to ruminate about "personal responsibility and accountability" for others, but complain and whine when it's time for their own personal responsiblity and accountability.
Her trial has been scheduled for October 15. If she follows the same strategy as former Walker administration colleague Tim Russell, her lawyers will be asking for a postponement or she'll change lawyers in order to force a delay until after the November elections. As I diaried yesterday, Russell just changed lawyers (for the 5th time) to postpone his September scheduled trial until December.
Unless there is a conclusion and final report of either the Milwaukee County or FBI investigations, there is unlikely to be new revelations about the John Doe Probe until these 2 trials are in process.
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