As chair of the State Assembly Corrections Committee in his early years Scott Walker toed the early 1990’s GOP party line on crime — supporting mandatory minimum sentencing laws and building more prisons.

That he parlayed his tough on crime rhetoric into campaign contributions from the special interests that built prisons and housed the overflow of Wisconsin inmates in out of state facilities raises the ever present question: were his actions motivated by a concern, however misguided, for the public good or was he using his position at the time to advance himself?

His positions on the issue of concealed carry of firearms provides clues. Representing solidly Republican suburban ring communities around the City of Milwaukee, Walker supported legislation to allow the carrying of hidden weapons. But when running for Milwaukee County Executive, Walker voted against concealed carry legislation. As he again eyes higher office and seeks to woo right-wing Republicans by touting his conservative bona fides Walker forgets his past vote against a concealed carry bill and touts his efforts to roll back gun safety laws in Wisconsin.