Newsroom

The Talking Point Approach to Law

There seems to be a theme developing in the media regarding Michael Gableman. It is not one that would surprise those that have been paying close attention. Apparently they are just beginning to get a clue that this guy is little more than a walking breathing list of talking points. A couple weeks ago I […]

Revolting’ Development for Gableman

Roundly criticized for his Willie Horton-style race-baiting TV spot, Burnett County Judge Mike Gableman got more bad news yesterday. Dodge County District Attorney Stephen Bauer officially yanked his support for Gableman, citing the ad and calling the ad “revolting.” According to Bauer: “This is not a factual ad. …This crossed the line. It was revolting, […]

Celebrating Sunshine Week by Hiding Public Records?

Yesterday One Wisconsin Now was forced to file an open records complaint because Michael Gableman has refused to turn over emails from his state account. He claims that eight of those emails are personal even though they fit our search criteria of mostly political names and words. Yesterday the Associated Press reported on our struggle […]

Is Gableman Above the (Open Records) Law?

*UPDATE BELOW*Way back in September, One Wisconsin Now made an open records request of Burnett County Judge Michael Gableman. In it we asked for copies of emails from his state email account that fit a very specific set of keywords and phrases. Most of them were political which included both names of individuals and organizations […]

John Roberts Sets Murderer Free!

Don’€™t mind me, I’€™m just practicing my hand at writing a Gableman/WMC style attack ad. You see, the United States Supreme Court threw out the murder conviction of a man yesterday because they found that the prosecution improperly kept African Americans off of the jury during the African American defendant’€™s trial. I can already see […]

More Questionable Use of State Time by Gableman?

We already know that when Michael Gableman was working in Appleton as an Administrative Law Judge, that he traveled to a Republican fundraiser some 250 miles away without taking off from his state job. While he was being paid by the hardworking people of Wisconsin, he was busy traveling the state to help raise cash […]

A Test for Torinus

 *UPDATE* I learned after posting this item that John Torinus decided not to serve on the WJCIC after all.  I am only aware of one news source that reported this change in his status and missed the development. The Wisconsin Judicial Campaign Integrity Committee made a few late additions to their ranks, both of which […]

Heckuva job, Scottie.

Heckuva job, Scottie. That must be what Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker told himself, before rewarding himself with a $50,000 a year pay raise. Walker wouldn’t use the term “raise.”  But, as Gertrude Stein would say, a raise is a raise is a raise. Walker’s announcement that if he is reelected on April 1 he […]

Cost of the War

Today is the fifth year of the War in Iraq. People are gathering at events all over the state to demand an end to the War. Below are the details on those events: Appleton: Vigil, sponsored by Fox Valley Peace Coalition. At the corner of College and Appleton Streets. Begins at 5:30 p.m. Elm Grove: Commemoration, […]

The Three Trillion Dollar War

Later this afternoon, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the War in Iraq, national security and economic experts will reflect on the true cost of the war in a press conference. The event is sponsored by the Iraq Campaign 2008 Coalition and will feature Nobel prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard professor […]

Assembly Leadership Ignores Everone But WMC

Last week the leadership in the State Assembly killed two bills that would have restored Natural Resources Board appointment authority of the DNR Secretary. They did this despite the overwhelming support for the bills by hunters, anglers, and a broad array of legislators. The Senate version of the bill passed by a strong bipartisan 21-12 […]

Introducing WMCWatch.org

The One Wisconsin Institute has completed a comprehensive online library of information about Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state’s largest and arguably most influential corporate lobbying organization. At WMCWatch.org, visitors will find information about the priorities, people, corporations and contributions of WMC. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has an enormous amount of influence on state policy. […]

“Report shows ID is a bad idea”

The League of Women Voters says it all in this MJS editorial. “…it is shocking that proponents of voter ID are citing a report which rolled out old findings that appear to point to widespread illegal voting in Milwaukee in the 2004 election. The truth is that virtually all of the irregularities identified in the […]

Tell Committee to Reinstate the Estate Tax

State Senator Mark Miller today announced a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Finance, which he chairs. The public hearing will take place in Milwaukee at 10 am on Wednesday, March 19 on the University of Wisconsin ‘€“ Milwaukee campus. The goal is to get input from the public on the governor’€™s budget adjustment […]

Helping ‘Hands’: More Inspiration for Gableman?

As Cory pointed out, Mike Gableman’s unconscionably slimy ad about Louis Butler is a knock off of the race-bating Willie Horton ad that ran during the Bush-Dukakis race of 1988. Any thoughts on the next old inflamatory ad they’ll borrow from? Maybe this one?

The Joke is Still on You Jim

Last year I went to the Online News Association conference and blogged about the experience. The highlight for me was when Jim Pugh joined a panel discussion on polling. Jim is the resident mouthpiece for Wisconsin’€™s corporate lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC). As I reported last year, Pugh was nearly laughed out of the […]

Lunatic fringe to file frivolous lawsuit

Our wacky neighbors at Pro(foundly deluded)-life Wisconsin are either really, really against both birth control and women, or they are really, really spoiling for a new fundraising campaign. Most likely it’s both columns A & B. In an article about the celebration at the signing of the Compassion Care for Rape Victims, the Cap Times offered the following: […]

Now We Know

When Michael Gableman refused to sign a clean campaign pledge that simply sought to reinforce the judicial code, I wondered what he had in mind in this race for our high court. Now we know, he is intent on dragging it into the lowest gutter. Michael Gableman did not use his very first ad to […]

Five Years of the War in Iraq

Next week will mark year five of the war in Iraq. According to the database at the National Priorities Project, Wisconsin taxpayers have paid $8.3 Billion for the war. With those same funds Wisconsin could have provided health care to over 5.3 Million people, retro-fit over 10 million homes with renewable electricity, or build over 500 […]

Media Debunks Gableman’s Resume

Mike Gableman has been touting his crime prosecuting prowess. While on the loathsome Vicki McKenna’s show in December (fyi — she called OWN “soulless”), Gableman said, ‘€œI did prosecute everything from child sexual assault cases, arson cases, white collar crime, and domestic abuse.’€ But two media outlets have analyzed Gableman’s claims, which are currently being […]

McCain Earmark Grandstanding Doesn’t Apply to Corporate Pork

After seven years of Republican-control in Washington, DC, the orgy of special interest spending, led by Bush and McCain’s abominable Iraq policy, has plunged the country into a $9 trillion debt. John McCain, the “stay the course Senator,” wants to end federal earmarks. It’s all in the timing, I suppose. I fail to recall McCain seeking a permanent ban on earmarks when his party called […]

Black and Brown Coalition Discussion Destructive, Simplistic and Separatist

Hispanic and Black separatists have been spearheading national debate on the issue of Black and Brown coalitions. The debate has become intense now that Barack Obama has become the democratic front runner for President of the United States. As the election season continues, separatists will develop more reasons for creating divisions between African-Americans and Latinos, […]

Milwaukee March Against the War

Milwaukee will mark the fifth anniversary of the war and occupation of Iraq with a march and rally on Saturday, March 15. Please put it on your calander. The rally starts at 1 p.m. at O’Donnell Park, at the east end of Wisconsin Avenue, near the orange sunburst sculpture. Speakers will include Rep. Gwen Moore, […]

Madison will hold International Stem Cell Summit

Recently, Madison has won the bid to host an international stem cell summit that will bring in over 1000 top researchers and investors to the city. This bid will continue the state’s leadership in the stem cell industry. Hosting the event will bring international notoriety to the state’s outstanding advocacy to the issue. Wisconsin, with […]

The Gableman Mirage on Crime and Punishment

In early debates and speeches, Michael Gableman has continually suggested that he has gone toe to toe with arsonists and other criminals. It has been very clear that Gableman and his corporate supporters are trying to make him into a crime fighting super hero. Even though the high court does not exist to lock up […]

Blogs and Ad hominem attacks

I was writing on a blog recently and felt that I became the target of numerous personal attacks. I was surprised by this because it was a political blog discussing current issues in the Milwaukee area. However, my political leanings seems to bring out the devil in quite a few other bloggers. I wonder if […]

What Happens in Vegas…

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) is opposing the Senate Democrats’€™ economic development plan, Wisconsin Invests Now. The plan seeks to invest in Wisconsin’€™s infrastructure for future growth and quickly provide more well paying jobs. The good news is that the plan would be paid for by closing the corporate tax loophole known as the ‘€œLas […]

Beware of Lightbourn Budget Advice

George Lightbourn and his minions at the right wing WPRI have been lecturing Governor Doyle and the legislature on sound budgeting. Lightbourn hardly seems to be the person to give advice on difficult budgets since he has helped cause his fair share of them. George Lightbourn was the Secretary of Administration under two Republican governors. […]

Does WMC Really Care about Crime?

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has been running radio ads supporting their choice for State Supreme Court, Michael Gableman. This week they launched their first television ad backing Gableman. Using the same formula that has been successful for them in the past, the WMC ad focuses on crime and paints Gableman as some sort of crime […]

Doyle to sign Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill

After passing through both branches of the state government, the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle. This law will require emergency room personnel to give information about emergency contraception to all victims of sexual assault, and dispense it if desired. Emergency contraception greatly reduces […]

Gableman AWOL on Commissions

New documents obtained by One Wisconsin Now raise further questions about the accuracy of Mike Gableman’s resume and his own statements at a February 29 Wispolitics.com forum that he was selected to be Burnett County judge by Governor Scott McCallum “based on my service on statewide commissions.” Documents obtained by One Wisconsin Now show as […]

Healthy Wisconsin is Back

This morning the Senate Committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance and Job Creation, took up a new and improved version of Healthy Wisconsin. Just like the version that passed the Senate last summer, the revised legislation guarantees every Wisconsinite the same quality health care that state legislators enjoy. The new version of Healthy Wisconsin is […]

Dislike of Doyle blinds Bucher in judicial race

As they say in the military, there’s always that 2 per cent that doesn’t get the word. Case in point: A number of conservative Republicans find themselves supporting — horrors! — one of the hated liberal trial lawyers for a District II Appeals Court judgeship in southeastern Wisconsin, while the GOP establishment lines up on […]

Newsweek Says OWN Research Solid

In the midst of criticizing the false claims of the Mike Gableman campaign, Newsweek’s recent article also focused on an ad from the Greater Wisconsin Committee about Gableman’s suspicious appointment. To quote: “We’ll concede that the circumstantial evidence raises questions, and we haven’t heard a convincing alternative theory for Gableman’s appointment…” Their conclusion is that […]

Newsweek Chides Gableman Distortions

The distortions of Mike Gableman’s campaign have caught the attention of Newsweek and not in a good way for Burnett County’s oft-overturned jurist. The article focuses on part, the patently untrue allegation made by Gableman about the case of Richard Brown. Gableman has repeatedly claimed Brown, a registered sex offender, was let out on the […]

Majority of Wisconsin Judges appointed

Judges never forget their ambulance chasing days. They learn they have to be scoundrels to compete. It is part of a lawyers survival. Most lawyers are pretty boys or rich kids. Lets face it the average person thinks of making money to help the family etc. We all dream of college, but finances do not […]

Strict scrutiny for Indiana, and democracy for us

Wisconsin Democrats stonewalled Republican attempts to bring AJR17 (photo ID amendment) to a vote yesterday, despite the dramatic fanfare of a GOP press conference that went down in flames.  But a voter ID debate of greater import is raging right now in the uppermost echelons of our nation’s government, as the Supreme Court deliberates the […]

Winter Soldier: Speaking truth to power (with video)

“I was 17, Clinton was the president, I thought I’d get some money for college; I joined the National Guard.. didn’t know it was going to be the International Guard.” Next week, veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and occupations will come together in Washington, D.C. to tell the world about their experiences. Winter […]

Senate Dems Stop Disenfranshisement Scheme

Senate Republicans, flaunting the ridiculous rogue report put out by as-yet-to-be-identified members of the Milwaukee police bureaucracy, had hoped their press stunt Thursday calling for Voter ID would make news. Unfortunately for them, the news made was when Senator Spencer Coggs and Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker challenged them face to face. Coggs chimed in […]

OWN on the Radio!

Hey everyone…tune in to here Scot on a radio near you: Scot on the Eric Von Show (1290 AM Milwauke), today at 4:30 pm. You can listen online at http://www.1290wmcs.com/. Scot on WPR with Joy Cardin, 8 am tomorrow. Thanks!

Is Gableman Admitting Improper Conduct?

Questions raised by One Wisconsin Now that as an Administrative Law Judge Mike Gableman failed to take leave while traveling over 500 miles back and forth across the state for a fundraiser for former Governor Scott McCallum appear to have been confirmed Wednesday afternoon by a Gableman campaign press release. His campaign seems to be […]

Women’s Health and Safety Act

On Wednesday, February 27th, the Senate Health Committee heard testimony on SB 398, the Women’s Health and Safety Act. The bill seeks to repeal Wisconsin statute 940.04 (Wisconsin’s Criminal Abortion Ban), which, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, would outlaw nearly all forms of abortion in Wisconsin. Moreover, the law includes a penalty of up […]

Some Connections Mean More Than Others

One Wisconsin Now’€™s investigation into Michael Gableman’€™s record has prompted many troubling questions. Unfortunately we are only getting political spin from the Gableman campaign. OWN’€™s investigation into Gableman’€™s appointment revealed that although he was not a part of Governor McCallum’€™s appointment process, Gableman was allowed to leap frog over 6 local applicants to get the […]

Ya, you betcha, we gotta protest in St. Paul, hey!

Ya, you betcha, end the war now! They claim it’s a traditional Minnesota antiwar chant. Ya, sure, you betcha, you don’t t’ink it is? One t’ing we know for sure: Plans are well underway to protest at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul on Sept. 1-4. A big Labor Day march on Sept. 1 […]

Better Choice: Keep It Truthful

Burnett County Judge Mike Gableman has received unwanted publicity over his supicious appointment by then Gov. Scott McCallum. Gableman, a McCallum donor and fundraiser, miraculously leapt over two announced finalists picked by McCallum’s own screening committee and was given the job — located 300 miles from where he was living at the time. Gableman has a couple different answers […]

Statement on Brett Favre’s Retirement

(imagine letterhead and stuff) “As one who is four months older than Brett Favre, this announcement makes it crystal clear that I will never play professional football. The Bush economy and its negative effect on my retirement makes it unlikely I will retire anytime soon, either. Well, that and I’m not old enough.”

Gableman’s Shifting Answers Raise More Questions

Responding to mounting press questions about how he merited selection as Burnett County circuit judge, Mike Gableman shifted to a totally new argument at a Friday public appearance. Trying to explain to reporters how he was able to jump over two finalists for the Burnett County slot, Gableman said, “The governor indicated because of his […]