
Scott Walker’s Record on Politics
Gov. Scott Walker Is a Masterful Career Politician, Willing to Do or Say Anything to Get Elected
Gov. Scott Walker is a masterful career politician, willing to do or say anything to get elected. He carefully cultivates relationships with key players and donors.
Scott Walker is also willing to push the boundaries of ethics and law, which has ensnared him two John Doe investigations into activities of his campaign. In addition, he was able to take advantage of a recall fundraising loophole to raise unlimited campaign cash and solidify a nationwide network of mega-donors.
His political philosophy can be summed up in three easy steps we call the Walker Doctrine: (1) Reward my donors, (2) Increase my power, and (3) Punish my enemies.
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Ex-Gov. Scott Walker secures enough fellow travelers to launch Hawaiian cruise this winter"Scott Walker couldn't get enough people to pay to cruise Alaska with him when he actually had power and influence," said Analiese Eicher, executive director of the liberal One Wisconsin Now. "I guess we'll find out what the market is for a failed, ex-governor in Hawaii." category-politics
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Trump Circus Comes to Towncategory-politics
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Walker to charge at least $15,000 on speaking circuitLiberal group One Wisconsin Now tweeted that Walker should speak on “How I Crashed and Burned a Presidential Campaign in 71 Days.” category-politics
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Scott Walker refusing to ride quietly into the sunsetHe is clearly happy those laws will be challenged by the likes of the ACLU, One Wisconsin Institute and other respected groups that have announced such plans. category-politics
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Devil’s Advocates Radio: December 14, 2018Will there be a lawsuit? Yeah, probably. Scott Walker signed the three #LameDuckCoup bills into law today and Scot Ross may sue as part of One Wisconsin Now. category-early-voting
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Scott Walker’s Legacy: Giving Taxpayer Funds to Corporations and Destroying Democracy“Scott Walker is yapping on social media about ‘transparency’ so he’s going to have to tell the people of Wisconsin how restricting their right to vote is creating more transparency,” Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, told The Progressive. One Wisconsin Now was the lead plaintiff in a 2016 federal case that put on hold a Republican plan to limit early voting in the last election. Massive early voting in Madison and Milwaukee and other areas of the state led to presidential-level turnout, and helped Democrats win every statewide race. category-early-voting
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UNSPUN: December 12, 2018Tensions are running high in state politics as Governor Scott Walker considers a package of bills passed in a special legislative session. category-early-voting
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GOP Blames Voters Voting for Electoral Defeats, Proposes Plan to Limit Participation in 2020 State High Court RaceWisconsin Republicans appear to have settled on an explanation for why they lost every statewide race on the ballot in the November 6 elections: Too many voters voted. As part of his alarming post-election assault on checks and balances in state government, Assembly Republican leader Rep. Robin Vos is seeking to address what the GOP sees as their problem, proposing a law change to limit voter participation in a critical 2020 election for Wisconsin State Supreme Court. category-voter-rights
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Scott Walker, lawmakers consider helping conservative justice before Tony Evers becomes governorAnaliese Eicher, program director for the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, noted Republicans fought plans to hold special elections this year and complained about the cost of past recall elections.
"The only consistent thing about this gang is their unwillingness to respect voters and the choices they make," she said in a statement.
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Mamma Mia! Those Are Some Big ContributionsIn September 2018 Scott Walker charged Wisconsin taxpayers over $6,500 to fly from Madison to Milwaukee to Omaha, Nebraska and back to Madison. On the agenda for the day was a stop in Omaha, Nebraska for a conference hosted by Gov. Pete Ricketts. It turned out to be a profitable endeavor for Wisconsin Republicans as Rickets mother, Marlene, just week later gave a maximum $20,000 contribution to Walker’s campaign and two contributions totaling over $1 million to the Republican Party of Wisconsin. category-campaign-fundraising
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Report Finds Scott Walker Tops Nation in Out-of-State Fundraising for Gubernatorial CandidatesA report from the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Public Integrity found Scott Walker’s haul of $11.5 million from donors not living in Wisconsin through early October led the nation for out-of-state contributions for state level office seekers. Walker continued the trend of snagging big money from people who do not have to live with him as their state’s governor with his latest finance filing made public on Monday evening, bringing his total raised for his gubernatorial campaigns since 2010 to over $109 million. category-campaign-fundraising
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Eric Trump Can Expect Smooth Landing in Wisconsin RapidsEric Trump will be flying in to Wisconsin today as Republicans experience electoral turbulence across the country and here in state. Whatever the potential bumps at the ballot box for the party of Donald Trump, his son from the first of Trump’s three marriages, should enjoy a smooth landing for his stop in Wisconsin Rapids. Thanks to a 2017 budget provision approved by Wisconsin’s frequently flying governor Scott Walker, the runways have been upgraded at the small central Wisconsin airport to accommodate luxury jet travel to an exclusive golf resort owned and run by for a major Republican donor. category-political-allies
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Donald Trump turns focus to Wisconsin’s races for Senate, governorTrump's visit "just reinforces Walker's racist, sexist, xenophobic record," said Analiese Eicher, program director for the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. "It's doubling down on the policies that divide us."
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NRA Campaign Ad Mispronounces Name of Walker Opponent EversThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now obtained a copy of the ad Friday. It says the buy is $740,000 in Green Bay, Wausau and La Crosse.
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Republicans Pick Republican WalkerOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on the latest anonymously-funded Marquette University poll. category-politics
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Five Things to Remember When Scott Walker Whines About Campaign FundraisingTrailing in the polls and desperate to continue his quarter century political career, Scott Walker is, as he said during an appearance on Republican radio station WISN-AM this morning, “getting back to basics.” Part of his strategy reset means recycling lines about how unions will be opposing him and whining about spending against him. category-campaign-fundraising
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The Wisconsin Race For GovernorScot Ross joined Joy Reid on MSNBC's AM Joy to discuss Wisconsin's 2018 gubernatorial race where public education advocate Tony Evers faces embattled incumbent Scott Walker.
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Will Frequent Flyer Scott Walker Get Bumped from Trip with Veep on Air Force 2When Vice President Mike Pence jets to Wisconsin today on Air Force 2 to raise campaign cash, he’ll be greeted at the airport by frequent flyer Gov. Scott Walker. With Walker’s political future experiencing turbulence after after One Wisconsin Now’s report last week detailing Walker’s misuse and abuse of the state plane, Executive Director Scot Ross said a plane photo-op would probably create more baggage for the 25-year career politician. category-ethics
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on That Poll Over ThereOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on the latest Charles Franklin poll, held a week after approximately 104,000 more Democrats voted in the gubernatorial primary than voted in the Republican U.S. Senate primary. category-politics
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Tight Wisconsin races come amid signs of more GOP excitement"If you poll Scott Walker supporters, Scott Walker will do OK," liberal activist Scot Ross, head of the group One Wisconsin Now, said in a statement.
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State Lobby for Big Corporate Special Interests Starts Spending to Try to Save Scott WalkerWisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) has entered the November electoral fray dropping nearly $1 million on a television ad attacking Gov. Scott Walker’s general election opponent, Tony Evers. category-politics
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Scott Walker touts tax breaks as he and Tony Evers joust over road fundingScot Ross, director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said Walker was responding to polls that show voters aren't happy with Walker's performance in some areas.
"Instead of running on his record, he's running on what he didn't do," Ross said by email.
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Desperate Scott Walker Running on What He Didn’t DoLast week, after admitting he was losing the race for governor and before he even knew who he would face in the November election, Scott Walker personally launched a desperate, racist attack on Democrats. Today, Walker released his first general election ad based entirely on a poll conducted by his campaign the last week of July, which One Wisconsin Now obtained a copy of the questions asked. One Wisconsin Now provided the following fact check on the ad. category-politics
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Scott Walker and GOP Senate candidates say they oppose a Harley boycott after avoiding the issue"Every time Scott Walker tries to thread the needle with Donald Trump, he looks like a career politician who's willing to be on all sides of an issue," said a statement from Scot Ross, director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
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Democrats argue the case against a third Scott Walker termGov. Scott Walker has a list of reasons he says he should be re-elected to a third term. And over the past year he has traveled the state and spent millions on campaign ads to drive that message home. But the eight Democrats running against him have their own list of reasons he shouldn’t be re-elected. The Wisconsin State Journal asked each of them to lay out their best case against a third Walker term. The written answers — from Tony Evers, Matt Flynn, Mike McCabe, Mahlon Mitchell, Josh Pade, Kelda Roys, Paul Soglin and Kathleen Vinehout — include many arguments that will likely be featured in TV ads and other campaign spots in the run-up to the Aug. 14 primary. category-politics
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NRB approves land swap with major Scott Walker donorThe Natural Resources Board approved a land swap with a major donor to Republican Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday after balking last fall at the outright sale of publicly owned lakefront property. The state will give up 1.75 acres with waterfront access next to an 11-unit condominium owned by Elizabeth Uihlein on Rest Lake near Manitowish Waters in exchange for about 43 acres on Mann Lake in the town of Boulder Junction. George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wild-life Federation, had criticized the original plan because it meant giving up waterfront property. Meyer told the board Wednesday that if the state is going to give up waterfront it should obtain waterfront in return. category-campaign-fundraising
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In Trump’s shadow, Scott Walker seeks 3rd term as Wisconsin governorAs incumbent Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker seeks reelection to a third term, he may be in for a rough road ahead that reflects the GOP’s struggle to hold onto its identity in the age of President Donald Trump.In fact, a new NBC News/Marist poll shows Tony Evers, the state superintendent of schools who’s poised to win the August 14 Democratic primary, leading Walker, a Republican, by 13 points in what’s bound to be a competitive race. After surviving a 2012 recall election and a failed 2016 presidential run, Walker has attempted to appeal to both Trump supporters and moderate voters — an approach that may cost him reelection this fall. category-politics
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Desperate Scott Walker Goes Negative Weeks Before Democratic Primary to Pick His General Election OpponentIn the latest sign of the extreme desperation of career politician Scott Walker to hang on to his government paycheck, the state Republican Party he controls has begun running negative ads against a number of potential Democratic opponents. The state political news service WisPolitics.com this morning reported the Republican Party of Wisconsin is hitting the radio airwaves with ads attacking four Democrats seeking their party’s gubernatorial nomination in the August 14 primary election. category-political-style
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Latest polls suggest Scott Walker faces tougher re-election path than Tammy BaldwinWalker led state school Superintendent Tony Evers, his best known Democratic challenger, by 4 points in a June poll by the Marquette University Law School. But he trailed Evers by 13 points in a July survey by Marist/NBC and by 7 points in a survey released Monday by Emerson College in Boston. The Marquette poll in July didn’t do head-to-head matchups between Walker and his eight Democratic challengers. Walker has a negative approval rating in the Emerson poll but a narrowly positive one in Marquette’s polling. category-politics
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Walker donors nailing down more Foxconn contractsOne Wisconsin Now reports that more Foxconn contracts are being awarded to Walker campaign donors. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker’s troubles highlight deeper GOP issues in governors’ racesPoll of the week: A Marist College poll gives Democrat Tony Evers a 54% to 41% lead over Republican Gov. Scott Walker in the Wisconsin gubernatorial election. This poll is more optimistic for Evers, the most likely Democratic nominee, than the only previous nonpartisan poll of the race. Walker led Evers by a 48% to 44% margin in a June Marquette University poll. The average of the two puts Evers ahead by 4.5 percentage points. category-politics
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Poll shows Walker trailing Democrat by double-digits in WisconsinA new poll from NBC News and Marist College shows Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker trailing a Democratic challenger by double-digits, part of a raft of rough results for Republicans across three Midwestern states. The poll showed Wisconsin state education superintendent Tony Evers, the Democratic primary front-runner, taking 54 percent to Walker’s 41 percent in a head-to-head matchup. Walker has warned for months that Republicans need to be active and vigilant as he runs for a third term, with Democrats winning a series of down-ballot elections in Wisconsin earlier this year. category-politics
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Poll finds Scott Walker job approval still among 10 worst in countryThe poll comes as Walker’s campaign has spent more than $2 million and Americans for Prosperity spent almost $1 million on ads across the state touting the governor’s record, according to research by liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, which tracks campaign ad spending. category-politics
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In re-election bid, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker trails Democrat by 13 points, poll saysState schools Superintendent Tony Evers holds a strong lead over Republican Gov. Scott Walker in a hypothetical fall match-up, according to an NBC News/Marist College Poll released Thursday. Evers leads Walker, 54 percent to 41 percent, the poll showed. Just 34 percent of registered Wisconsin voters say Walker deserves re-election, while 61 percent said someone else deserves a chance in the job. category-politics
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Walker overshadows Dem guv field in ad spendingThe liberal One Wisconsin Now, which tracks media buys, says Walker’s TV buys running May 1-Aug. 19 are up to $2.3 million between broadcast and cable. The group said Milwaukee was Walker’s biggest market at $817,000, followed by Green Bay at $626,000. category-politics
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More Donors to Gov. Scott Walker’s Campaign Get Foxconn ContractsA review of campaign finance records reveals companies with connections to Gov. Scott Walker’s political campaigns continue to be awarded contracts as part of the $4.5 billion taxpayer-subsidized Foxconn project in Southeastern Wisconsin. According to reports and reviews of campaign finance information, individuals associated with companies receiving contracts announced today have donated over $44,000 to Scott Walker. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker appears with Trump for worker event at White HouseGov. Scott Walker has attended a White House ceremony with President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet focused on bolstering American workers including at the planned Foxconn Technology Group project in Wisconsin. Walker was among many other elected officials, business leaders and others who were at the event Thursday. Trump signed an executive order establishing a new council focusing on creating solutions for the country’s most urgent workforce issues. It is to be charged with creating a national strategy for making sure Americans have access to affordable, relevant education and job training. category-political-allies
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8 remaining Democratic gubernatorial candidates go after Scott Walker in first debateThe eight remaining Democrats running for governor mostly avoided taking shots at each other in their first televised debate Thursday night and instead trained much of their fire on Gov. Scott Walker. … Walker, speaking to supporters at a nearby event before the debate, said Democrats are focused on what they are against, and he will focus on an optimistic message. “Their rhetoric is increasingly not only becoming more and more dangerously liberal, they’re increasingly talking with rhetoric that’s filled with more and more hatred,” Walker said. “We need to counter that but not with more of the same. We need to counter that with optimism and organization.” category-political-style
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Scott Walker: Wisconsin’s $100 Million ManNo other Wisconsin politician has crossed the threshold Scott Walker is expected to when he discloses his most recent round of campaign fundraising — shaking down donors for over $100 million for his campaigns for governor. In advance of a Walker media availability today to try to distract from the Democratic gubernatorial debate One Wisconsin Now Executive director Scot Ross denounced Walker for incessantly whining about campaign spending, while he has amassed $100 million since 2009. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker addresses supporters ahead of democratic gubernatorial debateHe stressed that even though he’s running for a fourth time, it won’t be an easy race. He said he thinks the Democratic side is angry and he wants to counter that with optimism and organization. … “I think things are good in this state,” said Walker. “More people are working, property taxes are down, schools have more money, more extra dollars, a lot of people take it for granted.” He also shared his plans if re-elected for another term, saying he will focus on making Wisconsin a great state for both retirees and millennials. “Overriding strategy is to try and figure out how to keep more of our graduates here in the state,” he said. “How do we do more to attract even more millennials.” He says Foxconn is one of the ways he thinks Wisconsin will attract the younger generation. category-politics
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Gubernatorial candidates Walker and Roys stop in Northeast WisconsinIncumbent, Republican Scott Walker, meanwhile, made a stop at an LED manufacturer in Manitowoc. He said he’s confident, saying the technique he’s had in past campaigns will work again. “I think the people in this state want leaders who tell them what they’re for, not who they’re against, and I think that’s the biggest differential – and that’s why we’ve been successful in the past, we always lay out a clear plan about what we’re for and where the states at,” said Walker. category-politics
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GOP Senate candidate joins Gov. Walker in conga lineGov. Scott Walker hasn’t officially endorsed anyone in the Republican U.S. Senate primary, but there are numerous signals that his preferred candidate is state Sen. Leah Vukmir. The latest? A smiling Vukmir joined Walker in a conga line at a Fourth of July party Saturday night at the governor’s mansion and blasted a photo of it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. category-political-allies
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Scott Walker’s former corrections secretary endorses Tony Evers in governor raceWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s former corrections secretary, Ed Wall, is endorsing Democratic candidate Tony Evers in the race for governor. Wall, appointed by Walker in 2012, resigned from his post shortly after it was reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had taken over an investigation into abuse at the state’s youth prison in 2016… In a statement, Wall said he is endorsing the state Superintendent of Public Instruction because “we need a Governor who is a true leader — an adult in the room, who unlike Scott Walker, will put Wisconsin before his own political ambitions.”… Wall says in the ad that he went to Walker’s chief of staff with concerns about the facility, but was told the governor was having a hard time raising campaign funds with negative headlines in the news. He also says he gave Walker several plans to fix the situation, but that Walker “didn’t want to deal with it,” and that cabinet secretaries were encouraged not to create written records. “I thought Scott Walker would help me protect kids, but I was wrong,” Wall says in the ad. A spokesman for the Walker campaign referred questions to the state Republican Party. category-political-allies
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Scott Walker Makes Taxpayers Finance His Campaign Operation, AgainRepublican Gov. Scott Walker is using taxpayer resources to stage a “major” announcement this morning at a business run by a major GOP donor, in the midst of today’s special election in the Green Bay media market. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said this “taxpayer-funded photo-op” was designed to influence today’s senate special election and is a clear violation of laws against the use of tax dollars to support political campaigns. category-political-style
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Dems, Gov. Walker criticize Wisconsin Broadcasters decisionWe asked Gov. Walker what he thinks, and he agreed with the Democrats. “I thought they should do all 10, and if anything I would’ve proposed adding an hour so that you get enough time, even if they did five and five to divvy it up. I still think for the voters it’s important for people to hear about the ideas of all the candidates and certainly hopeful that there will be formats for them to do that,” said Walker. “At a time where it’s wide open, it’s important that if they do it in its original format, it was very possible that someone who was not on the stage might actually have won the primary.” category-politics
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Scott Walker: Don’t read too much into June 12 special election results, no matter who winsNo matter who wins two special legislative elections on June 12, Gov. Scott Walker is cautioning against reading too much into the results. Walker hasn’t endorsed a candidate in either race and told reporters Wednesday he’ll “look at the race between now and the 12th.”… Walker has referred to the two elections as a “wake-up call” for Republicans ahead of the November midterms. “I think in the end, nothing compares to what you’re going to see in November, even the spring special election,” Walker said when asked whether the June 12 elections could be a bellwether for the fall. “A special election on the 12th, be it nearby here or up in the northeast, I don’t know that you can read too much into it, regardless of whether a Republican or a Democrat wins. It’s a much, much bigger field come November.”… Walker initially refused to call special elections because the two seats are both on the ballot in November, but was ordered by several judges to do so…. Walker also reiterated that he would campaign with President Donald Trump if the president were to visit Wisconsin to support Republican candidates, but said he hasn’t asked him to do so. “I would certainly campaign with him if he’s campaigning for the ticket. Usually a president or vice president comes in particularly closer to the campaign to help someone who needs name recognition. That’s not a problem I have,” Walker said. Walker said Wisconsin voters are “some of the best-informed in the country,” and said he expects they will cast their votes in the gubernatorial election based on who they want to lead the state, not their feelings about Trump. category-politics
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As Democrats Line Up Against Him, Walker Takes Upbeat ApproachWhen Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker stopped at a Shopko department store in the Waukesha County village of Sussex recently to promote his new $100-per-child tax credit, the mood was relaxed, and so was Walker… Walker said the child tax credit was another way to give back to taxpayers. He said Democrats who call the checks election year bribes are really just knocking him. “Let’s just be honest here, state Democrats — you fill in the blank — they’re opposed to whatever I’m for,” Walker said. “I think voters want people who tell you what they’re for and do it as opposed to people who tell you what they’re against.” As Walker seeks his third term as governor, and pursues his fourth general election victory in the past eight years, it’s events like these that are defining his campaign… Walker has even gone so far as to suggest this year that Democrats are filled with “anger and hatred” toward him, referencing a comment by state schools Superintendent Tony Evers, one of the many Democrats running for governor, who said Walker was an “idiot” for rejecting federal Medicaid funds. “I think a lot of voters are shocked to think that people who hold office would call other people in office things like that,” Walker said…But Walker downplays suggestions that Trump makes his case more difficult. “You know, Washington is a whole different place,” Walker said. ” I think the contrast is, if people don’t like what’s happening in Washington with anybody – Democrat, Republican alike – if they don’t like the tone there, we’re the cure to that. In Wisconsin, we get things done.” It’s a fine line for Walker, who supports Trump and has said he would campaign with the president if he returns to Wisconsin. category-politics
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Foxconn’s lead developer has close ties to WalkerFoxconn Technology Group has selected a company led by a Republican megadonor with close ties to Gov. Scott Walker to develop the master plan for its massive campus in Wisconsin. Foxconn announced Monday that it chose Hammes Company to be the lead developer on the project that will house a display-screen factory on a campus spread over 2,900 acres. category-foxconn
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is sending 671,000 families an election-year check. Democrats call it bribery.Starting May 15, parents in Wisconsin can log on to a state-run website, answer a few questions and sign up to get checks worth $100 per child. To Gov. Scott Walker (R), who drove the one-time tax payout into law, it’s a chance to turn a state budget surplus into a bonus for parents who could use extra cash. To his critics, who note that Walker is a few months away from a tough reelection bid, it looks like campaign-year bribery of the up to 671,000 families who could receive checks. category-political-style
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Gov. Scott Walker says he would campaign with Donald Trump if he comes to WisconsinGov. Scott Walker said Monday that he would campaign with President Donald Trump if he comes to Wisconsin, despite recently saying he was unlikely to appear with national Republicans for the rest of the year. The Republican governor pushed back against reports that he was trying to distance himself from the president as he campaigns for re-election during a Midwest Conservative Summit event at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. Walker said he expects Trump to visit the state to campaign, and insisted he would happily join him. “If he’s here — I would imagine he’s probably going to be here for a U.S. Senate candidate — sure, I’d be with him,” Walker said during an interview with conservative pundit Charlie Sykes at the event, which was hosted by The Weekly Standard. That’s in contrast with what Walker recently told the New York Times… But on April 13, Walker told the New York Times the appearance with Pence would “probably” be his last one with a national figure, according to emails Walker sent to the newspaper that Walker’s campaign released Monday. “As for me, I’m not likely to campaign with anyone on the national level,” Walker wrote… Trump repeatedly criticized Walker on the 2016 campaign trail, and Walker endorsed Ted Cruz a week before Wisconsin’s primary. Walker skipped a Trump event in Green Bay in August 2016 so he could survey flood damage. But their relationship has improved since then, and Walker has been hesitant to criticize Trump since he became president. Walker spoke on Monday about working with the Trump administration to bring the massive Foxconn Technology Group plant to Mount Pleasant. category-political-allies
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Increasingly Desperate Gov. Scott Walker to Start Re-Election TV Ads May 1The increasingly desperate campaign of Scott Walker has upped the ante from issuing wake up calls to hitting the panic button. According to media reports, Walker has reserved television ad time beginning May 1 and running into July in the La Crosse and Green Bay media markets. category-politics
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Vice President Mike Pence on Scott Walker: ‘I think he’s the best governor in America’It’s pretty clear that Vice President Mike Pence stands with Gov. Scott Walker, who faces a potentially tough re-election fight in the fall. “I think he’s the best governor in America, which I can say with much greater confidence now that I don’t have my old job back,” said Pence, a former Indiana governor, during a fundraiser for Walker Wednesday night at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee. category-political-allies
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Vice President Mike Pence touts tax cuts, raises cash for Scott Walker in MilwaukeeWith the midterm elections just over six months away, Vice President Mike Pence came to Milwaukee on Wednesday to rally conservatives, bolster public support for the Republican tax overhaul and raise campaign cash for Gov. Scott Walker… Woo, who received a standing ovation from the audience, talked about the pro-business policies of the Trump administration and saluted Walker, who helped put together the deal to bring the Taiwan-based manufacturer to the state. “We owe it to Governor Walker,” said Woo, special assistant to Foxconn’s chief executive officer. category-campaign-fundraising
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Wary of GOP complacency, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker braces for a possible ‘blue wave’This is Scott Walker’s 15th campaign in 28 years, and he can see which way the wind is blowing. “The wind’s not at our back. It’s not at our side. It is firmly in our face,” the governor said at a Lincoln Day Republican dinner last Saturday… “My number-one concern for almost a year has been complacency, not just of (GOP) voters but even of activists,” Walker said in an interview during his stop at the Boscobel Bowl and Banquet. The governor cited a recent state poll by the Marquette Law School showing a 10-point “enthusiasm gap” between Democratic and Republican voters. “People say to me all the time: … ‘You got this’ … ‘We’re fine, there’s nothing to get worked up about.’… We almost needed the jarring effect of a statewide election (loss). Because suddenly people go, ‘He’s not kidding!” said Walker, referring to the double-digit win April 3 by liberal candidate Rebecca Dallet in a highly politicized state Supreme Court race… This is the first time Walker has run for governor when his own party controls Washington, which can be a major disadvantage in mid-term elections. Finally, there are the added complications of running as a Trump-era Republican. “I think it’s even more complicated than people think,” Walker said in the interview. Democratic voters not only detest Trump, but the president’s nonstop media presence keeps them perpetually stirred up, he suggested… The left is “more motivated than any time I’ve seen in the last 25 years,” he told Republicans in Boscobel attending the Lincoln Day dinner for Grant and Crawford counties in swingy southwest Wisconsin. On the right, meanwhile, some Trump voters are mad at Republicans in Washington for not getting enough done. “That’s to me another subtext,” said Walker. “Right now, I think they’re more upset with Republicans in Congress than they are with those (lawmakers) on the left, because they just assume the left is not going to be with (Trump).”… “He’s being responsive to what the public wants,” Walker strategist Keith Gilkes said at a recent Wispolitics.com forum. “We are compassionate conservatives.” category-politics
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Ex-Walker campaign manager joins Trump’s teamThe former campaign manager to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s presidential bid has joined Donald Trump’s White House campaign. Rick Wiley, a GOP strategist with deep ties to the Republican Party, is joining the campaign as its national political director, deepening its bench of veteran GOP operatives with national political experience. category-political-allies
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Ex-Walker campaign manager joins Trump’s teamThe former campaign manager to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s presidential bid has joined Donald Trump’s White House campaign. Rick Wiley, a GOP strategist with deep ties to the Republican Party, is joining the campaign as its national political director, deepening its bench of veteran GOP operatives with national political experience.
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Democratic governors launch ‘Where’s Walker?’ effort as Republican group plans ad blitzThe Democratic Governors Association on Thursday launched a “Where’s Walker?” website dedicated to highlighting Gov. Scott Walker’s travels throughout the country during his second term, as he seeks re-election for a third. The push comes as Walker is set to headline a fundraising dinner Thursday evening for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, who is seeking a second term in November. The effort from national Democrats comes days after the Republican Governors Association announced that it has booked $5.1 million in television ad buys to support Walker in the fall. Walker has spent the last week appealing to supporters in hopes of preventing a “blue wave” from sweeping Wisconsin and cutting into the strong Republican majority that stretches across state government… Walker’s travels ramped up dramatically in 2015 as he explored and ultimately ran a short-lived presidential campaign. The DGA map reflects that portion of his second term, with 47 documented visits to Iowa and 29 to the New Hampshire area. After his presidential bid fizzled, Walker served as head of the Republican Governors Association — a role that sent him across the country as he stumped for Republican candidates and and incumbents. category-campaign-fundraising
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WTMJ Exclusive: Walker comments on Speaker Ryan reportedly not seeking re-election“I talked to him before a while back when it was kind of the start of the rumblings this might be the case. At that point, he made it clear he had made a decision,” said Gov. Walker. “I prayed with him quite a bit when he was being considered for Speaker,” said Walker. “Paul never wanted to be Speaker. He’s not a political guy, a political junkie. He’s a policy wonk, through and through. One of the biggest things he wanted to do was reform the tax code. Obviously that was a big part of the work he did at the end of last year.” Walker also discussed Ryan as a vice presidential candidate for Mitt Romney in 2012. “Paul was always a policy guy. It inflated a bit when Romney asked him to be on the ticket, but the reason Paul was on the ticket was that he believed…Mitt was serious about governing, that he had a clear plan and he thought Paul wasn’t a political asset, but a policy and and intellectual asset…that he could convince Congress to act on some of the really important things he felt at the time needed to happen in this country,” said Walker. “There is barely a person in that first district, Republican or Democrat alike, that Paul hasn’t worked with, talked to, touched along the way,” the Governor added. “Paul has always been well connected to his district, and more importantly to his family.” category-political-allies
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Republican Governors Association books $5M for Scott Walker adsThe Republican Governors Association said Monday it has booked $5.1 million in television ad buys for the fall in Wisconsin as Gov. Scott Walker warned on conservative talk radio that winning re-election will be more difficult than when he overcame a recall effort in 2012… Walker, who is up for a third term in November, has repeatedly warned in recent months that Democratic wins in other state elections should alarm Republicans. He called a Democratic special state Senate election victory in January a “wake up call” and cautioned after the liberal’s choice for state Supreme Court won in a landslide last week that a “blue wave” could be coming to Wisconsin. “The left, man, they’re motivated,” Walker said Monday on “The Jay Weber Show.” ”Unfortunately, anger and hatred is a pretty powerful motivator. We’ve got to match that, but we’ve got to match that not with that anger and hatred. We’ve got a great story to tell.” category-politics
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Governor Walker sees ‘blue wave’ in Northeast WisconsinGovernor Scott Walker visited Door County for a Lincoln Day Dinner event Saturday, sharing the state’s accomplishments to his supporters. On his way to the event in Sturgeon Bay, Governor Walker was greeted by ‘blue wave’ protesters. This after Governor Walker tweeted Tuesday that the state is at risk of a ‘blue wave’ and the far left is driven by anger and hatred. “After the election results came in on Tuesday night, Governor Walker said the left was motivated by anger and hatred and we took exception to that. Since he was going to be here tonight we wanted to focus on a positive message that we love our country and we love our state,” said Pam Harvey-Jacobs, one of the protest’s organizers… “It’s largely a waste of taxpayers’ money, but it’s what the court ordered so we’re going forward with it. Our focus is going to be in the fall because that’s where we need to get the vote out and get our positive message out to counter the negative one we see from Washington,” added Governor Scott Walker. category-politics
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Whose Campaign is Wisconsin Next PAC Working For?Gov. Scott Walker’s former campaign manager, pollsters and digital team ganged up to form a super-PAC, ostensibly for the benefit of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir. But, based on the recent ad the PAC says it is spending $625,000 to air on statewide cable and television and digitally, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross wondered for whom are they working? category-political-allies
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Walker warns GOP ‘at risk of a #BlueWave’ after Democratic win in Wisconsin court raceOn the heels of a major swing in Democrats’ favor in a state Senate race in Wisconsin earlier this year, it’s the latest indication that the political ground has shifted since President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson won there in 2016. Walker, who is up for re-election to a third term next fall, tweeted that the results were another sign that the GOP is in trouble. “Tonight’s results show we are at risk of a #BlueWave in WI. The Far Left is driven by anger & hatred — we must counter it with optimism & organization. Let’s share our positive story with voters & win in November,” he tweeted. category-politics
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Political advisor with ties to Walker, Ryan accused of keeping sex slaveThe ex-fiancée of a political operative with ties to Gov. Scott Walker and House Speaker Paul Ryan alleges he battered her and had her sign a five-page contract stating that she would be his “slave and property” shortly after they met… Sparks served as a Wisconsin spokesman during Ryan’s 2012 vice presidential run with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and on Walker’s effort to fight a recall challenge. category-political-allies
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Scott Walker Is Quietly Keeping His National Profile AliveThose close to Walker insist his first priority is reelection in Wisconsin. But they also acknowledge that Walker is methodical and strategic about his endorsements, and that a governor whose political identity is rooted in a clash with organized labor and public employee unions puts a priority on helping candidates who embrace conservative principles consistent with his brand. “Gov. Walker endorses candidates who are willing to go big and bold, with reforms to state government that take on the big government special interests,” Brian Reisinger, a senior adviser to Walker’s political team, told BuzzFeed News. Walker’s activity is not unusual for a former presidential candidate or governor who’s still regarded as a bright prospect within his party. But it does underscore the complicated relationship Republicans have with President Trump as midterm elections approach. Many borrow from Trump’s anti-establishment playbook and hope for his support in tough primaries; others hope he keeps his distance, especially in the fall. And that creates some space for an old 2016 rival such as Walker — who, unlike, say, John Kasich, is not seen as a threat to challenge Trump in 2020 — as a safe alternative. category-politics
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Oops! Scott Walker didn’t endorse Leah Vukmir but for a short time it sure looked that wayGov. Scott Walker has vowed to remain neutral in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. But for a short time Friday it looked as if Walker had endorsed state Sen. Leah Vukmir over Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson. It was a mistake… Walker campaign spokesman Brian Reisinger said: “The governor is remaining neutral in the U.S. Senate race and plans to support the Republican who wins the primary and becomes the nominee.”… Even though the governor is neutral, his wife, Tonette Walker, has endorsed Vukmir and their younger son, Alex, has a job on Vukmir’s campaign. During a fundraising event Tuesday night, Tonette Walker said that Vukmir is a “wonderful candidate” and she “wanted to see a woman” face Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. But she also indicated the endorsement was intensely personal. Without mentioning Nicholson’s name, she said that Nicholson refused to shake her son’s hand when they were together at an event. category-political-allies
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Scott Walker Was Elected in Special ElectionGov. Scott Walker, who has created a constitutional crisis in Wisconsin by canceling special elections required under state law, was himself elected in special elections to two of the three offices he has held during his nearly 25 years in elected office. With a hearing on Walker’s constitutional end-around bill set today for the Senate Elections and Utilities Committee, Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director, reiterated Walker’s “galactic hypocrisy,” adding that Republican committee member and likely committee deciding vote Chris Kapenga was also elected to his current office in a special election. category-voter-rights
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Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s fight to win back Wisconsin for Democrats, explained“You couldn’t have two more different people,” Scot Ross, who leads the progressive group One Wisconsin Now, told me. “First thing Walker does in the morning is check the polls, stick his finger in the air, and then figure out how to spend our tax dollars based on the first two. Tammy is just totally different. She gets up in the morning and wants to help people. I don’t see how you could have a better contrast.”
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Wisconsin sales tax holiday bill appears dead and entire tax cut bill at risk of impasseA Wisconsin sales tax holiday appears all but dead in the state Senate and an impasse between GOP lawmakers is putting the entire tax cut bill at risk… GOP Gov. Scott Walker has pushed hard for that child tax rebate, making it the centerpiece of his re-election agenda as he heads into a difficult fall campaign. category-budget
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Paul Ryan, Ron Johnson to return money from group associated with accused billionaire Steve WynnScot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, called on Walker and the Republican Governors Association "do the right thing" and give back all of the money.
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Wisconsin Republicans Returning Money Received From WynnThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now called for two other Republican groups to return donations it received from Wynn.
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Scott Walker Took $255,000 from Serial Sexual Misconduct Perpetrator Steve WynnTwo political funds Gov. Scott Walker is associated with took $255,000 in contributions from Steve Wynn, the ousted Republican National Committee finance chair and casino magnate accused of repeated instances of sexual assault and misconduct. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker helps local GOP open state’s ninth Republican field officeEleven days after a special election turned Wisconsin’s 10th Senate District blue, the mood was scrappy as La Crosse County Republicans — with help from Gov. Scott Walker — opened the state’s ninth GOP field office for the upcoming election cycle… With nine field offices already open, Wisconsin Republicans are far ahead of their pace of two and four years ago, when there were two offices in 2016 and four in 2014 up and running at the same point in the campaign season. “We just need to be little ambassadors for Gov. Walker,” Courtney said, urging personal contact with friends and neighbors recounting Republican accomplishments such as tax relief and a state college tuition freeze. Walker concurred. “We’re doing good and important things, but we can’t assume our neighbors know about it,” he said. “The most effective tool is talking to people.” category-politics
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Third of Walker Donations Came From Out-Of-StateThe analysis found Walker’s campaign collected nearly $7.2 million in donations in 2017, with nearly $6.6 million coming from individual contributors. About $4.2 million, or 64 percent, came from Wisconsin donors. Nearly $2.4 million, or 36 percent, came from out-of-staters. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker’s presidential campaign has reimbursed state $135,000 for security costsGov. Scott Walker’s presidential campaign has reimbursed the state $135,000 for the governor’s taxpayer-funded security detail during his presidential run last year, the Department of Administration said Monday. That brings the total recovered by the state for his political travel-related security last year to nearly $260,000, which Walker and his administration say represents the total amount the state has billed to his campaign. category-president-2016
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It’s Come to This: With 2018 Election Year Gimmick Gov. Scott Walker is Literally Seeking to Buy VotesIn the State of the State speech peppered with campaign slogans and a grab bag of poll tested proposals, Gov. Scott Walker declared he want to enact a “child tax credit.” But instead of real reforms to help families with budget busting expenses like child care or student loan debt, Walker’s election year scheme would send a one time check to Wisconsin families, conveniently timed to be paid out around the November 2018 election. category-budget
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Walker Travels Wisconsin To Sell New Child Tax Credit PlanState lawmakers still have to approve the tax credit. Walker emphasized the rebate application website wouldn't be up until May, and that rebate checks wouldn't be issued until September. The liberal group One Wisconsin Now said the governor is literally seeking to buy votes, handing out money months before the November election.
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Desperate and Scared Gov. Scott Walker Delivers Annual State of the State SpeechOn the heels of an historic election defeat for Republicans in a special election, and, as his election campaign ramps up, Gov. Scott Walker today delivered the annual State of the State speech. category-political-style
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Scott Walker’s Election Year State of State Promise PrimerCareer politician Scott Walker is in full election mode, ensuring today’s State of the State speech will be loaded with campaign slogans and election year promises, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. But Ross warned that Gov. Walker’s record shows election year promises have a long, documented history of expiring right after the polls close on election night. category-politics
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Team Michael Screnock = Team Scott WalkerDuring his brief career as a lawyer, Michael Screnock worked as part of legal teams defending Gov. Scott Walker’s divisive policies attacking workers’ rights and the Republican rigging of legislative district lines. Now that Screnock is running for the state Supreme Court, Gov. Walker’s campaign team is all in working to get him elected, based on a review of campaign finance records. category-political-allies
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Scott Walker has nearly four times more cash than the Democratic fieldMike Browne, deputy director of liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, said the Democratic fundraising total shows “a fair amount of enthusiasm” on the Democratic side given the candidates have been fundraising for six months or less, while Walker’s total “suggests the shine is off the Scott Walker brand a little bit.”
“You can’t say anybody lost the Democratic primary today because there’s a lot of time to go,” Browne said. “All of them seem to have found people willing to put their money where their mouths are.”
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Scott Walker calls Dem victory in GOP-leaning Wisconsin Senate seat ‘a wake-up call’A Democrat’s victory in a special election to fill a vacant seat in the Wisconsin state Legislature is “a wake-up call for Republicans in Wisconsin,” Gov. Scott Walker wrote on Twitter on Tuesday night. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that Patty Schachtner, a Democrat, was victorious in Tuesday’s special election for Wisconsin’s 10th Senate District, a Republican-learning district in the northwest part of the state along the Minnesota border. category-politics
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Scott Walker has nearly four times more cash than the Democratic fieldGov. Scott Walker’s campaign began the year with nearly four times as much money as the sprawling Democratic field after out-fundraising his potential rivals by more than two-and-a-half times last year. Walker raised $7.2 million last year compared with the $2.6 million cumulative haul of the eight Democratic candidates who filed campaign reports with the state Ethics Commission on Tuesday. category-campaign-fundraising
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Republican Rep. Andre Jacque Announces State Senate BidJacque is the first candidate to announce plans to run since Lasee resigned last week to take a job in Gov. Scott Walker’s administration. Walker said he won’t appoint anyone to fill the seat this year, leaving it open until the November election. category-politics
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Pedophile Patron Also Props Up Gov. Scott Walker’s Political MachineIllinois billionaire Richard Uihlein is garnering scrutiny for pouring big campaign cash into the effort to elect pedophile Roy Moore to the United States Senate. But Moore’s take is dwarfed by the millions Gov. Scott Walker has snagged from Uihlein for his own campaigns and political groups with which he is associated. category-campaign-fundraising
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One Wisconsin Now Calls on Gov. Scott Walker and Fellow Conservative Politicians to Give Back Donations from Roy Moore’s $100,000 Supporter Richard UihleinRoy Moore, Republican U.S. Senate candidate and accused pedophile, is reported to be the beneficiary of a $100,000 contribution to a Political Action Committee (PAC) supporting his candidacy from Richard Uihlein, an Illinois business magnate. Uihlein’s political giving also extends to Wisconsin, where numerous Republicans politicians and the groups that support them, including Gov. Scott Walker, have raked in his campaign cash. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross today called on the recipients of Uihlein’s campaign cash to give the money back in light of his outrageous support of pedophile Moore. category-campaign-fundraising
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How often does Gov. Scott Walker, seeking re-election in 2018, hold events open to the public?"No, I mean, since 2015, Scott Walker has not done a public event where you don't have to pay admission or be on an approved list. I mean, it is disgraceful, this guy -- I mean since 2015, we’re talking two years you have not been able to go to a Scott Walker event unless you open your checkbook or your organization is a lobbying firm and they open their checkbook."
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Report: Rigged Bid Delivers State Contract for Gov. Scott Walker’s Campaign TreasurerAs reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a consulting firm owned by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign treasurer Kate Lind received a state contract for services, after being the only one to bid on it. The firm, Solutions KCB, is slated to get at least $35,000, and possibly much more, to raise money for a party celebrating the 100th anniversary of the State Capitol. The firm also subcontracted for work from a new public relations company opened by Gov. Walker’s campaign manager. category-ethics
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Scott Walker’s campaign treasurer’s firm gets Capitol contract after being the only bidder"This rigged deal to give a state contract to Governor Walker's campaign treasurer's business is as sleazy as it gets," said a statement from Mike Browne, deputy director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. "We've seen Walker's gang ignore the separation between his campaign and outside groups. Now it looks like now there's no wall between his campaign business and state business."
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker downplays Foxconn because deal not a sure campaign winnerScot Ross, head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, noted Walker regularly gets polls of his own.
"If he’s not mentioning Foxconn, it’s because his internal polling is even less favorable," Ross said.
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Wisconsin’s Gov. Scott Walker Launches Bid for Third Term"You're not going to beat Scott Walker by promising he'll make Wisconsin worse," said Scot Ross, director of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. "You'll beat Scott Walker by promising you'll make Wisconsin better."
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Walker calls for ‘army of grassroots volunteers’“You’re not going to beat Scott Walker by promising he’ll make Wisconsin worse,” said Scot Ross, director of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. “You’ll beat Scott Walker by promising you’ll make Wisconsin better.”
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Ten Things to Know About Scott Walker, 2017 EditionIt’s that time, again. Scott Walker, who’s been running for political office for nearly his entire adult life, since 1992, is running for office again. category-politics
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At Least 925,000 Reasons Why Right-Wing Florida Group Produces Campaign-Style Video Promoting Wisconsin Gov. Scott WalkerWhy would the right-wing, Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) produce and distribute a high-quality, 4-minute-long campaign-style video to promote Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his agenda as he prepares to announce his long-expected re-election bid? The Bradley Foundation, Walker’s close ally and supporter of his political ambitions, has given FGA nearly one million reasons, doling out at least $925,000 to the group from 2013 through 2016, the latest year for which donation information is available. category-campaign-fundraising
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Right-Wing Florida Group Produces Campaign-Style Video Promoting Scott WalkerScott Walker has launched a campaign video, eerily at the same time as a 4 minute video featuring Walker is released by a group from Florida. Huh. Bryan Kelly welcomes special guest Mike Browne to discuss.
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Devil’s Advocates Radio: September 19, 2017Apparently, the Republican Governors Association, led by Scott Walker is spreading Russia-style fake news. The Devil’s talk to Scot Ross about it.
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Bipartisan Critics Assail Scott Walker-Led Republican Governors Association’s Dishonest, Russian Style Foray Into Fake NewsAccording to a media report, the Gov. Scott Walker-led Republican Governors Association (RGA) has launched a propaganda website masquerading as a legitimate news outlet to spread negative attacks on Democrats and promote Republicans. The website was promoted in an RGA fundraising appeal obtained by One Wisconsin Now as, “fact-checking the liberal media,” but includes a mix of stories from legitimate media sources in addition to right wing news outlets and the RGA’s own press releases. category-political-style
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Foxconn Creates A Job … for Top Scott Walker Campaign ConsultantAny doubt campaign politics is the driving force behind Gov. Scott Walker gambling $3 billion on a subsidy for Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn has been dispelled by the creation of a single job. According to a report from Wispolitics.com, the lobbying firm hired by Foxconn has brought on Keith Gilkes, Walker’s longtime campaign manager and the head of the Unintimidated PAC that supported his presidential ambitions, to do “public affairs and communications.” category-foxconn
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UNSPUN: July 19, 2017Our political analysts, Bill McCoshen with Capitol Consultants and Scot Ross with One Wisconsin Now, join NBC15's Leigh Mills to help Unspin the political headlines. Tammy Baldwin and Scott Walker Fundraising Reports.
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Scott Walker, Worst Governor in Nation on Student Loan Debt, to Host Donald Trump, Owner of Scam For Profit ‘University’Gov. Scott Walker – the worst governor in the nation on the student loan debt crisis – will host Donald Trump – owner of a scam for profit “university” and whose administration is currently repealing consumer protections for student loan borrowers at an event today at the Waukesha County Technical College. According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, Walker and Trump may be a perfect match for each other, but over 43 million Americans with student debt, including nearly one million in Wisconsin, deserve better than the policies of this duo. category-higher-education
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Scott Walker says people outside Washington like Donald Trump“Scott Walker is all in for Trump because he wants every dime he can raise from Trump,” said Scot Ross, director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. “Now that he’s in full campaign mode, Scott Walker appears to be the one elected Republican encouraging Trump to tweet more, not less.”
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Scott Walker Still Welcoming Donald Trump to Wisconsin to Raise Campaign CashMany politicians would seek to distance themselves from someone the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation not only called a liar, but also testified under oath before a U.S. Senate committee engaged in untoward if not illegal conduct. But not Gov. Scott Walker, who is set to welcome Donald Trump to Wisconsin next week to raise campaign cash for his gubernatorial bid. category-campaign-fundraising
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Greitens signs bill scrapping union requirements with Wisconsin governor looking onGov. Eric Greitens on Tuesday signed legislation banning local governments from giving preferential treatment to union contractors on public construction projects. And sharing the stage with him when he signed it was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Walker, who was in St. Louis for a fundraiser as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, rose to national prominence after a series of fights with labor unions in Wisconsin and surviving a recall attempt in 2012. He was seen as a strong candidate for president in 2016, but he faded quickly in the crowded Republican field and dropped out months before states began holding primaries. category-labor
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MillerCoors Loves Scott WalkerRepublican Gov. Scott Walker recently celebrated expansion plans with a couple of companies whose employees contributed more than $100,000 to his campaign. Last Friday, Walker was in Milwaukee where MillerCoors broke ground to expand its 10th Street Brewery. MillerCoors employees contributed about $72,000 between January 2010 and December 2016 to Walker’s three campaigns for governor. Topping the list of MillerCoors executives who contributed to Walker were: category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker’s commission bankrolled by Bradley FoundationWhen Gov. Scott Walker laid out a plan in his state budget address urging people to take steps to avoid welfare, it mirrored a platform of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, which has pushed for greater personal responsibility and more stringent welfare requirements. Documents hacked from the Bradley Foundation’s computer server show the connection is not just philosophical — it’s financial. category-political-allies
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St. Norbert survey reveals Wisconsin’s view of Trump, Walker, issuesA new survey from St. Norbert College shows how the state feels about President Donald Trump, Gov. Scott Walker, and topics like climate change and the Steven Avery case. The Wisconsin Survey was conducted April 24-May 8, with 303 Wisconsin adult residents sampled via landline and cell phone. category-politics
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Why Aren’t Prominent Democrats Stepping Up To Challenge Walker For Governor?There’s been continued speculation on who might challenge Gov. Scott Walker in 2018. Walker has indicated that if he will run for a third term, he’ll announce this summer. Since the beginning of the year, a number of well-known Wisconsin Democrats decided not to run for governor in 2018 – dramatically thinning the field. They include Congressman Ron Kind and state Sen. Minority Leader Jennifer Schilling, along with former state Sen. Tim Cullen of Janesville. Cullen concluded he could not generate what he’d need to challenge a two-time incumbent. category-politics
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Campaigning with Jean Stothert in Omaha, Scott Walker stirs up union oppositionWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker drew a few hundred people to a Monday rally with Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert — and a few hundred union members to protest outside the event. Walker, whose moves to restrict labor unions have made him a polarizing figure nationally, said there’s a clear distinction between Stothert and challenger Heath Mello. The governor came to Omaha in part as a response to last week’s Mello rally with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. “Do you want Midwest common sense?” Walker asked about 250 attendees. “Or East Coast radical values?” category-labor
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Vinehout Still Mulling 2018 Run For GovernorState Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, says she is still considering a bid to challenge Gov. Scott Walker in 2018. Vinehout responded to speculation Monday that Wisconsin Democrats aren’t running a candidate against Walker because they don’t think they can win against likely incumbent Walker. “I think that’s a lot of hype,” Vinehout told WPR. “I think the governor wants to put out that image. I think he and his Republican allies want to create a certain image of the Democrats, but that’s not the reality.” category-politics
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Democrats afraid to run against ‘bulletproof’ Scott Walker?This week, local political talk shows had to ask: Are Democrats afraid to run because they don’t think Walker can be beat? After all, Wisconsin is enjoying low unemployment, Gov. Scott Walker is beloved by state Republicans and he should have no trouble collecting millions in campaign funds, guests on “UpFront with Mike Gousha” and “Capital City Sunday” said. category-campaign-fundraising
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Top Democrats aren’t stepping forward to challenge Gov. Walker in 2018Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, believes there is more than enough time for Democratic candidates to establish their political identities.
Ross also believes Gov. Walker has one major obstacle the Democrats don't - President Donald Trump.
"Being on the ballot at a time when you're going to have meals on wheels canceled, libraries, after-school programs (canceled), whatever they're doing on healthcare - I mean, the Republican agenda is in turmoil," said Ross. "That's where I think Scott Walker's going to have a real challenge."
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Scott Walker coming to Omaha to rally voters for Jean StothertWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will appear in Omaha next week to support Mayor Jean Stothert. Walker is expected to appear Monday at a number of events, including a rally, said Dave Boomer, communications director of the Stothert campaign. The time and place have yet to be determined; Boomer said the campaign was working on those details Tuesday. category-politics
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Gov. Scott Walker: ‘Why wouldn’t I run’ for third termIn front of a live audience at Country Springs Hotel in Pewaukee Wednesday night for Insight 2017, Gov. Scott Walker was asked whether he would run for a third term as governor. “Why wouldn’t I run?” he said after explaining how pleased he was with the state of Wisconsin’s economy and number of people employed in the state. category-politics
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Security concerns prompt cancellation of governor’s annual Easter egg huntAn Easter egg hunt held each spring at the Governor’s Mansion has been canceled because of threats to the security of Gov. Scott Walker and the public, according to an email sent Thursday afternoon from first lady Tonette Walker. The hunt was scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Walkers’ Maple Bluff home but was called off on Thursday “due to a threat toward top government officials” as law enforcement in the area and across the country continue to search for a Janesville man who allegedly stole a cache of guns and wrote an anti-government manifesto threatening public officials. category-politics
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Scott Walker Is a Top Target for Democrats. So Why Can’t They Find Someone to Run Against Him?Scott Walker presents a big, ripe political target for Democrats. So why haven’t they been able to come up with a serious challenger to run against him? Wisconsin’s Republican governor has angered Democrats and many independents with his conservative stances on issues such as abortion, voting rights and, most of all, union-busting. Walker’s approval ratings dipped perilously low as a result of his unsuccessful presidential bid. They have since ticked back up but remain subpar, in the mid-40s. category-politics
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Norman gets endorsement from Scott Walker in Congress raceCongressional candidate Ralph Norman has won the endorsement of former presidential candidate and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. “Ralph Norman knows how important it is to stand with taxpayers against the big government special interests, and his record in both the private sector and the state legislature prove it,” Walker said in a statement. category-politics
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Election prospects brighten for incumbents Scott Walker and Tammy BaldwinThere will be two big names on the Wisconsin ballot next year, and a few months ago both looked exceedingly vulnerable. The state’s GOP governor, Scott Walker, was dogged by poor approval ratings throughout 2015 and 2016. category-politics
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to donors on re-election bid: ‘I’m ready.’In the call with several dozen top donors and fundraisers — the first in a series — the GOP governor stopped short of committing to running for a third term, according to sources who were on the line. But Walker gave his strongest signal yet that he wants to run and wants to have the financial commitments needed to carry out a campaign expected to run into the tens of millions of dollars on both sides. “I’m ready,” sources said Walker told donors. “I’m as excited as I’ve ever been about Wisconsin’s future.” category-politics
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Scott Walker’s re-election prospects in 2018 may have just improvedA potential Democratic challenger Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in 2018 has dropped out of contention. Former Wisconsin state Sen. Tim Cullen told reporters in Madison, Wis., on Wednesday that he doesn’t believe he can keep pace with Walker’s fundraising effort. Walker raised $35 million in 2014 and Cullen said he expects the incumbent to get $45 million in 2018. Cullen said he couldn’t see himself spending multiple hours a day on the phone with donors. category-campaign-fundraising
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Ahead of likely 2018 re-election bid, Scott Walker’s approval rating at 45 percentThe governor’s approval rating is now 45 percent, according to a Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday. That’s up slightly from the last poll, released in October 2016, when 42 percent of voters said they approved of Walker’s job performance. Since September, Walker’s approval rating has hovered in the low 40s. The new numbers mark Walker’s highest approval rating since just before he won re-election in November 2014. He went into that election, against Democrat Mary Burke, with a 49 percent approval rating. category-politics
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Candidate Scott Walker: The Neverending StoryOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on comments by Scott Walker’s Republican Governors Association related to the 2018 gubernatorial campaign. category-politics
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Wisconsin rural voters will be key again in 2018 when Scott Walker, Tammy Baldwin runIf there’s one brutal lesson for Democrats in their mounting Wisconsin losses, it’s that a shrinking geographic base invites disaster. It’s a pattern the party can’t afford to repeat in 2018, when GOP Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Senate Democrat Tammy Baldwin are both up for re-election. “The key politically to winning back governor is a rural strategy in Wisconsin,” says Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, who represents the ultra-blue city of Madison but also rural areas that swung from Barack Obama to Donald Trump in 2016. If Walker dominates the rural vote as he did in 2010, 2012 and 2014, he’ll be all but impossible to defeat in 2018. category-politics
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Scott Walker: Trump has work to do to keep the Wisconsin voters who helped him to the White House“We need to earn those votes every single time. I don’t think any vote, particularly those votes are in no way a given,” Walker, a Republican, told CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Wednesday. “They were looking for somebody to shake things up. We did it in Wisconsin. To keep earning their vote, Donald Trump as president is going to have to deliver on his promises.” … Walker said Trump will need to focus on fulfilling his campaign promises to keep the trust of people in Wisconsin. The governor said he was most optimistic about Trump’s early push to slash regulations, adding that he believes three-fourths of regulations could get cut or moved to the state level. category-president-2016
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Walker’s Christian cruise cancelledYou may have to settle for the Dells this year. That’s because Gov. Scott Walker’s Christian cruise to Alaska won’t be setting sail this summer, after all. Officials confirmed they have canceled the “inspirational” cruise that Walker and first lady Tonette Walker were planning to lead on Aug. 12-19. The Walkers were to be accompanied as hosts by a small group of evangelical Christian leaders and musicians. category-conservative-values
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Gov. Walker’s campaign lobbies for Gov. Walker’s budgetWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign launched an effort on Monday to encourage voters to contact their lawmakers in support of his budget proposal. Walker continues to signal his plans to seek re-election in 2018, but has said he will not make an official announcement until after the budget process is complete. The digital push includes a website, WalkerBudget.com, which highlights the governor’s proposals for K-12 education, higher education and tax cuts. The website features form letters on those issues to be sent to lawmakers based on a voter’s zip code. category-politics
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Gov. Walker using budget to advance re-election strategyGov. Scott Walker’s latest budget proposal has left little doubt that he plans to run for re-election in 2018 and may telegraph his strategy for winning a third term. Walker has said he won’t announce a decision until after the budget wraps up this summer. But after his approval rating tanked during a short-lived presidential run in 2015, he spent time last year hosting private meetings around the state and announced plans to ratchet up his campaign fundraising. The latest sign of an imminent run is a 2017-19 budget proposal chock-full of new spending that offers something for just about everyone. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker says he wouldn’t run for re-election had Clinton wonWalker made his comment in an interview Friday on MSNBC. Walker has not said whether he will run for a third term in 2018, but he’s raising money and taking steps as if he is going to do it. Walker says in the interview “If Hillary Clinton was president of the United States right now, I would not have run for re-election” in Wisconsin. Walker says he looks forward to working with Republican President Donald Trump on a series of reforms, including welfare programs and how federal aid is sent to the states. Walker also calls Trump’s Cabinet picks a “top-notch group.” category-president-2016
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Scott Walker huddles with GOP donors at NFC gameWalker, his wife, Tonette, and their sons, Matt and Alex, all traveled to the game and drew notice from liberal critics such as the group One Wisconsin Now when the family tweeted a photo of themselves on the field ahead of Green Bay's disappointing loss in Atlanta.
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Walker sold donor list to pay debtIn clearing more than $1 million in campaign debt over the past year, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker got the majority of the money by selling his donor list to other candidates… In 2016, Walker brought in more than $823,000 by selling his donor list to other GOP candidates such as U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida; Ohio Gov. John Kasich; and Ben Carson, the nominee to serve as U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary, Federal Elections Commission records show. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker pays off presidential campaign debt, clearing path for likely re-election bidWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has paid off the last of his presidential campaign debt, clearing the way for a likely re-election bid next year. Walker ended his campaign in September 2015 about $1.2 million in the red. He steadily chipped away at it to reach his goal of paying down the debt by the end of 2016. “This upholds the formidable status of your fundraising operation,” wrote campaign adviser Joe Fadness in a memo to the governor obtained by the Cap Times Friday. “As with your statewide campaigns — your election, the recall and your re-election — by retiring your presidential debt, you have shown that you are able to generate tremendous backing from devoted supporters under difficult circumstances.” category-president-2016
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Scott Walker sees bright future ahead after difficult 2 yearsAt a recent state economic summit, Gov. Scott Walker slipped on a pair of sunglasses and quoted the 1980s tune “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”… Walker points to the state’s 4.1 percent unemployment rate — the lowest since January 2001 — and record-high employment levels as positive signs. He has shifted gears from his 2010 pledge to create 250,000 jobs in his first term, a mark the state still hasn’t hit, to a new focus on workforce training… Walker also dismisses his low job approval numbers, which bottomed out at 37 percent in September 2015, just before he ended his 71-day presidential election, the third shortest since 1972. category-politics
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Scott Walker ties himself to the Federalist SocietyJenni Dye, research director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said Walker’s approach of appointing judges who are Federalist Society members or align with the group’s principles goes beyond endorsing judges who interpret law as it is written. “The conservatives have one goal: Attaining power in the courts to actively rewrite the laws to fit their corporate and radical social agendas,” Dye said.
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Career Politician Scott Walker, Addressing State Big Biz Lobby Before Holding Fundraiser for Himself, Reports ‘Interest’ in Re-Election BidGov. Scott Walker was interviewed by members of the state media today, after addressing a gathering of the state big business lobby, the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, which has spent millions to support his political career, and before he travels tonight to the tony Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee to fete himself at a holiday fundraiser. category-politics
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Scott Walker Celebrates Season of Giving … With Fundraiser for HimselfWhat’s on your Christmas wish list if you’re a governor with a taxpayer-funded mansion in which to live, a chauffeur to drive you to and from work, state planes to fly you around the state and country (or to avoid pesky I-94 traffic between Madison and Milwaukee), top-notch health care benefits for you and your family and a generous pension? If you’re Scott Walker, it’s a donation of $5,000, $2,500, $1,000 or $500 to his campaign warchest. category-campaign-fundraising
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Wisconsin Comrades Set to Welcome Donald Trump, Whitewash Russian Attempts to Influence ElectionsTop Wisconsin Republicans U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Gov. Scott Walker have announced they will be standing with Donald Trump on stage this evening as he visits Wisconsin. With their recent statements, Trump’s Wisconsin GOP comrades also have his back when it comes to downplaying rising concerns about alleged Russian sponsored cyber attacks and media disinformation campaign designed to influence the U.S. Presidential election. category-politics
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Scott Walker: Hillary Clinton’s comments are ‘inflaming’ racial tension in MilwaukeeIn an interview on “Fox and Friends,” Walker accused both Clinton and Obama of making the situation in the city worse, though he did not specify how. “I think comments like that are just inflaming the situation,” the former GOP presidential candidate said of Clinton’s remarks. He continued: “I think people understand in that neighborhood, in Sherman Park and Milwaukee, they want the law enforcement to step up and protect them. The people who live in that neighborhood want police in Milwaukee and the sheriff’s department to step up and protect them. They don’t want the the criminals who are doing those actions against those businesses to do that. I think statements like that and the lack of leadership we’ve had from the president on this issue only inflames the situation.” category-president-2016
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Wisconsin Republicans Stay Silent as Trump Touts ViolenceIn a campaign appearance Tuesday, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump made comments inciting violence as a means to prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing judges to the federal judiciary if she is elected President. category-president-2016
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Trump Visit Has WISGOP Crying Crocodile Tears for Sacred Cow Paul RyanRepublican Presidential nominee Donald Trump visits Wisconsin today, but top state Republicans like Gov. Walker, Sen. Ron Johnson and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos will be nowhere to be found at the event, despite all pledging their support to Trump. category-president-2016
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Trump faces divided party in Midwestern battlegroundsDonald Trump faced an all-too-clear sign of GOP divisions Friday in Midwestern battlegrounds, embraced by party leaders in one state but ignored in another. He unleashed a scathing attack on Hillary Clinton’s character as he tried to overcome deepening concerns about his presidential candidacy… House Speaker Paul Ryan cited a scheduling conflict, while Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he’d attend an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner instead of appearing with his party’s standard bearer. category-president-2016
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Walker, Ryan and Johnson all skipping Trump campaign stopWisconsin’s three highest-ranking Republicans won’t be joining their party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump, when he campaigns in the state Friday. Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday joined with House Speaker Paul Ryan and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in announcing he would be skipping the Trump rally in Green Bay… Walker will be touring northern Wisconsin on Friday to meet with residents and local officials recovering from flash flooding last month. It is his third trip to that region since the flooding in mid-July. Walker’s campaign spokesman Joe Fadness said Walker will join Trump in the future as long as the events don’t interfere with his work in Wisconsin. category-president-2016
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Donald Trump to hold rally in Green Bay on FridayA rising chorus of Republican lawmakers and veterans groups hastened to disavow Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of a bereaved military family Monday, but the GOP presidential nominee refused to back down. He complained anew that he had been “viciously attacked” by the parents of a Muslim U.S. Army captain who was killed in Iraq. Coming just days before Trump plans to hold a rally in Green Bay, the controversy is again causing some of the state’s Republican officials to distance themselves from their party’s standard bearer. The Wisconsin visit on Friday, Trump’s first since the state’s April primary, comes a week after Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, campaigned in Republican-heavy Waukesha. “I don’t care what they say. You’ll never hear me question anything about a Gold Star family,” Gov. Scott Walker said on Sunday. “I’ve gone to too many funerals, met too many families. What they’ve sacrificed is just unbelievable…” It’s been an uneasy alliance for both Ryan and Walker, who were both late to endorse him and who previously criticized Trump over comments he made questioning the fairness of a judge because of his Hispanic heritage and his proposal to temporary ban foreign Muslims from entering the country. But Walker and Ryan, along with Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, all appeared at the national convention two weeks ago and gave full-throated endorsements of Trump. Walker also appeared at the Pence rally in Wisconsin last week. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker defers question on plagiarism in Melania Trump speechGov. Scott Walker deferred to the Trump campaign a question Tuesday about evidence of plagiarism in Melania Trump’s Republican National Convention speech — an issue that surfaced with his 2014 opponent’s campaign. “She’s not the candidate, so I’ll give her deference and let them explain staff or otherwise,” Walker said. “Donald Trump is the candidate, Mike Pence is the vice presidential candidate and I’ll be watching closely what they say Wednesday and Thursday night.”
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#Thanks, Obama!Failed Republican presidential candidate and current Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has refused to condemn documented plagiarism by the Donald Trump campaign, which is the exact opposite of Walker’s thunderous condemnations in 2014 over allegations of plagiarism by his Democratic opponent. category-president-2016
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Walker won’t run for president again as sitting governorWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Monday that he won’t run for president again as a sitting governor and that he intends to use his prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention this week to argue that “America deserves better” than Hillary Clinton. “The fears and concerns that people have about Hillary Clinton, I think, are going to be the most compelling things that unite Republicans,” Walker told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Cleveland, where he is attending the convention… “My likely next election is re-election,” said Walker, who is up for a third term in 2018. “As I’ve said before, If I was re-elected as governor, I’ve made it clear I would not run for anything else. I would fill that term out.” Walker said he learned from his ill-fated run for president last year that “you can’t run for an office like that while still being governor, unless you’re willing to concede being governor, which I wasn’t. You’re just not able to be the candidate you need to be.” category-president-2016
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As Scott Walker reaches 50 listening sessions, critics continue to question invite-only policyGov. Scott Walker’s office has asked legislators, lobbyists, state agency heads and local economic development agencies to help select attendees for the governor’s invite-only listening sessions throughout the state, records show. The records provided to the Cap Times offer insight into the selection process for participants in the governor’s marquee effort to reacquaint himself with Wisconsin voters after his failed presidential bid.Walker announced plans in his Jan. 20 State of the State address to hold listening sessions in 2016, asking for people’s long-term visions for Wisconsin. “I call it our 2020 Vision Project,” Walker said in the address. “The idea is to bring together a diverse mix of people in small group settings all across the state. I want to hear from you about what makes Wisconsin great, where we want our state to be in the next two decades and how we should measure success.” category-ethics
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Walker approval rating 38 percent in latest Marquette pollGov. Scott Walker’s approval rating remains below 40 percent… The Marquette Law School Poll was conducted Thursday through Sunday, sampling 801 registered Wisconsin voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 points. category-president-2016
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Wisconsin Republicans to honor Walker at conventionAnd Scot Ross, head of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, said this: "It sure is 'Midwest nice' of Gov. Walker to give Republicans a place to drown their sorrows over Donald Trump being their presidential nominee."
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Walker says he’ll speak at Republican National ConventionWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he’ll speak at the Republican National Convention… Walker acknowledged he’s now rejecting the idea that Donald Trump could be replaced as the nominee. Walker said two weeks ago that he believed delegates should be free to vote their consciences. But he told WKOW a vote for anyone other than Trump is a “de facto vote” for Hilary Clinton. The governor, who’s been the subject of Trump attacks, says he’ll put them aside for the good of the country. category-president-2016
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Leading WI GOPers split with Ryan, Walker over conventionTwo top Wisconsin Republicans with significant roles in this month’s GOP national convention are splitting with their state’s highest profile politicians, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Gov. Scott Walker, in an internal fight over how delegates should vote at the gathering… The Wisconsin GOP activists, Steve King and Mary Buestrin, wrote a letter Friday calling an effort by party rebels to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate “an attempt to disenfranchise the 14 million Republican primary voters who voted for Donald Trump and destroy our chances to win in November”… Ryan and Walker have endorsed Trump, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee… Walker has said, “Delegates are and should be able to vote the way they see fit.” Ryan spokesman Zack Roday said, “Speaker Ryan isn’t going to tell members of the House Republican Conference to do something that’s contrary to their conscience.” That was a reference to Ryan also saying GOP lawmakers should follow “their conscience” in deciding whether to endorse Trump. category-president-2016
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Would Trump University Have Gotten Less Scrutiny in Wisconsin Under Law Change Proposed by Gov. Walker After Taking $10,000 Trump Contribution?Trump University, the for-profit “college” owned by Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been under scrutiny by the courts and the press for business practices that left students deep in debt with little to show for their time and money. But according to a media report in the Capital Times, in Wisconsin the shady outfit could have received less scrutiny under a provision Gov. Scott Walker included in his state budget after receiving a then maximum allowed by law campaign contribution of $10,000. Trump had also previously given to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, an organization investigated by state prosecutors for allegations of illegally coordinating with Walker’s campaigns. category-for-profit-colleges
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Scott Walker: Trump donation was not accompanied by any Trump U conversationsThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now raised questions about the timing of that proposal in relation to the ongoing Trump University investigation and Trump's donation to Walker.
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Scott Walker sought changes to Wisconsin Idea, emails show after judge orders release of recordsRecords released Friday by Gov. Scott Walker’s office in response to a judge’s order make clear he sought controversial changes in 2015 to the University of Wisconsin System’s mission statement, known as the Wisconsin Idea. The office made public 82 pages of records late Friday after Dane County Judge Amy Smith said Walker’s office erroneously withheld 12 email exchanges and six of nine attachments from the public… Walker’s release of records on Friday comes as the governor on Twitter has been hammering Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. category-budget
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Racial disparities seen in providing free IDs to vote, data showAmong Wisconsinites who lack ID cards and other documents proving their identity, race is a key factor in who requests free IDs to vote and whose requests are approved, according to data cited Monday in a court trial of a challenge to the state’s voter ID requirement… On Monday, the plaintiffs highlighted DMV data showing racial disparities in those who requested free IDs, as well as which of those requests were rejected. Two-thirds of the 981 people who used the petition process to request free IDs through April 19 were minorities, who make up 12 percent of the state’s citizen voting age population. That’s according to data submitted by the DMV to Allan Lichtman, an expert witness for the plaintiffs… Gov. Scott Walker earlier this month issued a rule he said is aimed at helping people to vote in the November election if they’re stalled in the petition process. category-voter-rights
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Wisconsin among 11 states suing over Obama administration’s mandate on gender identityWisconsin is joining 10 other states in a federal lawsuit to challenge President Barack Obama’s mandate requiring all public K-12 and postsecondary schools to allow students to use locker rooms and restrooms based on their “gender identity.” Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, backed by Gov. Scott Walker, is leading the state’s entry into the lawsuit, joining Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. category-conservative-values
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DMV official testifies in voter ID trialSome voters might not have been able to cast ballots this fall if not for a new state rule put in place on the eve of a trial over Wisconsin’s voter ID law, the official responsible for issuing ID cards testified Monday. Her testimony came as the federal judge hearing the trial expressed serious concern about voters who have found themselves in a Catch-22 in getting IDs needed to vote because they lack birth certificates or other key documents…Some people have found themselves caught up in that process for months and, at least in one case, for nearly two years. These are the voters who the judge described as stuck. Just before the trial started, GOP Gov. Scott Walker approved new state rules that will allow such people to quickly get temporary receipts with their photos printed on them that they can use for voting while they wait for a determination on whether they can get a state-issued ID… During Monday’s exchanges, lawyers for the plaintiffs homed in on racial disparities, noting minorities make up a big share of those needing ID cards because they don’t have driver’s licenses, as well as a large chunk of those facing the toughest time getting IDs. category-voter-rights
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Walker releases names of potential Prosser replacementsMore than half of the applicants vying to replace retiring Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser already owe their jobs to Gov. Scott Walker – and now he could tap one of them for the state’s highest court… Walker expects to appoint a replacement by the time Prosser retires on July 31. It will be the Republican governor’s second appointment to the state’s highest court. category-cronyism
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Polluter penalties drop 78%Financial penalties for violations of Wisconsin environmental laws fell sharply in 2015 to their lowest level in at least a decade. Data released by a conservation organization show forfeitures paid by individuals and companies for violating state law totaled $306,834 last year. That’s down 78% from nearly $1.4 million paid out in 2014. It’s also the lowest amount paid out for violations dating back to at least 2006, according to data. The figures are the most recent showing Department of Natural Resources enforcement activity has dropped off under the administration of Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican who took office in 2011 with a pro-business agenda and a vow to make the DNR more friendly to the private sector. category-dnr
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Wisconsin Supreme Court deals Walker loss on education caseA divided Wisconsin Supreme Court dealt Gov. Scott Walker a defeat on Wednesday, upholding a ruling that preserves the independence of the state’s elected education secretary and denies the governor veto power he sought over the office… The state constitution “requires the Legislature to keep the supervision of public instruction in the hands of officers of supervision of public instruction,” Justice Michael Gableman wrote for the majority. “To do otherwise would require a constitutional amendment…” That law raised questions about whether it was a violation of the 1996 state Supreme Court ruling that the Department of Public Instruction was independent of the governor’s control. category-education
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Lawmaker Breaks GOP Silence On Trump At Wis. GOP Convention10:35 a.m. Gov. Scott Walker says Republicans need to “focus like a laser beam” on helping Sen. Ron Johnson win re-election, but he isn’t making the same call to action for Donald Trump. Walker spoke for more than 30 minutes at the Wisconsin Republican Party convention Saturday and didn’t mention the presumptive presidential nominee Trump once. And Walker only made a passing reference to the presidential race when he joked about his own failed campaign. Walker has said he supports Trump because he pledged to back whoever the GOP nominee is. 10:15 a.m. Gov. Scott Walker is taking swipes at University of Wisconsin faculty who have recently been passing no-confidence resolutions targeting the Board of Regents and system president Ray Cross… Walker is also saying he “gets a kick” out of Democrats who talk about student loan debt. Walker asks why they didn’t support his tuition freeze at UW which has been in place for four years. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker news suppressed by FacebookGov. Scott Walker was one of several conservative names appearing in popular news stories that were kept from being promoted on Facebook by the social media website’s own employees tasked with telling users which news was trending, according to a Gizmodo article released this week citing unnamed sources. According to a former employee who worked at Facebook, workers often suppressed news stories that would appeal to conservative users from the “trending” section of Facebook… On Twitter, Walker urged people to sign a petition to “stand against Facebook’s attempt to silence conservatives.” category-politics
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Walker approves rule implementing unemployment drug testsGov. Scott Walker has approved a rule implementing drug screening requirements for unemployment benefits. The rule implements provisions in the state budget. Under the rule, those who fail an employer drug test or refuse to take one can be denied unemployment benefits. Those who fail would get taxpayer-funded treatment. Walker announced the new rule Wednesday, saying it brings the state one step closer to moving residents from government dependence to independence. category-drug-testing
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TPM’s Elected Official Trump Endorsement ScorecardDonald Trump is the last man standing to be the Republican presidential nominee after Tuesday’s Indiana primary, after beating out more than a dozen other contenders throughout the campaign. Here’s a roundup of where elected GOP officials stand on their party’s presumptive nominee… Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker had previously said he would support the nominee and that Trump was better than Hillary Clinton in terms of taxes and government regulations. But Trump’s attack on a federal judge’s ethnicity seemed to change his mind a bit. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker’s HR agency slammed civil service changes in private memoThe personnel agency in Gov. Scott Walker’s administration privately blasted changes to the state’s civil service days after they were proposed, telling his office the overhaul would slow hiring, turn away qualified job applicants and trigger more lawsuits against the state, public records show. Documents obtained under the state’s open records law by the Wisconsin State Journal include a memo that sharply critiques a version of the civil service bill passed by Republican legislators and signed by Walker in February. category-civil-service
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Run on a Ticket With Donald Trump? No, Thanks, Many Republicans Say“Scott Walker has a visceral negative reaction to Trump’s character,” said Ed Goeas, a longtime adviser to the Wisconsin governor. category-president-2016
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Prosecutors: Walker campaign, group ‘one and the same’Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign and a supposedly independent conservative group were “one and the same,” prosecutors told the U.S. Supreme Court in a filing this week seeking to reopen a probe of the governor’s campaign that state courts shut down. The Wisconsin Supreme Court last year halted the investigation in a ruling that concluded candidates and political groups can freely work together. That ruling “is the very undoing of campaign disclosure requirements,” Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm and two other prosecutors wrote in their filing…The prosecutors also argued two Wisconsin justices should not have participated in the case because they benefited from heavy spending by some of the groups being investigated. For instance, the groups laid out $3.3 million in 2011 to re-elect Wisconsin Justice David Prosser, who announced this week he will retire in July. category-ethics
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Scott Walker signs wetlands billGov. Scott Walker signed wide-ranging legislation on Tuesday that makes changes in regulations of wetlands and navigable waters that supporters say will benefit waterfront property owners. Walker signed Senate Bill 459, which designates areas as specialized wetlands, allowing property owners to conduct more building activity in these areas. The law will also allow dredging in artificial bodies of water; require disputes over piers to be handled by circuit courts, instead of through administrative hearings; and curb the ability of the Department of Natural Resources to block municipalities from constructing storm-water management ponds… The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters said the law will roll back wetlands protections and lead to more flooding and loss of wildlife habitat. Walker tweeted, “Property owners should be able to improve & enjoy their property in a reasonable manner without unclear and overbearing regulations.” … In a statement, Walker said, “This legislation not only protects Wisconsin property owners, it also helps create an environment where people want to live and raise a family, which ultimately bolsters our economy and job creation.” category-dnr
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Meet the new Scott Walker spokesman, same as the old spokesmanGov. Scott Walker named a familiar new spokesman for his office Monday. Tom Evenson, who has previously served as Walker’s official spokesman, his campaign spokesman and most recently as communications director at the Department of Financial Institutions, is returning to Walker’s office as deputy communications director and press secretary. Evenson was previously Walker’s official spokesman from April 2013 until March 2014, when he moved back to Walker’s campaign ahead of Walker’s successful 2014 re-election. He also served as a personal aide on Walker’s short-lived presidential campaign last year. category-politics
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Scott Walker won’t rule out Donald Trump’s talk of him as vice presidentGov. Scott Walker was “shocked” that Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump was favorably discussing the possibility of Walker as his running mate.In an interview published Monday, USA Today asked Trump about possible vice presidential running mates… “I like Walker actually in a lot of ways,” Trump told the newspaper. “I hit him very hard. … But I’ve always liked him. There are people I like, but I don’t think they like me because I have hit them hard.” Asked Monday in Madison about the comments, Walker wouldn’t rule out being Trump’s vice presidential pick, instead saying he was focused on being governor. He said he laughed when he read Trump’s comments. “It’s kind of interesting to hear that after the things that were said about me a couple weeks ago,” Walker said. “It’s almost breathtaking that I was listed in the first place.” Walker also noted the possibility that the vice presidential nominee won’t be chosen by the party’s presidential candidate, as happens in typical election cycles, because the presidential nominee might not be known before the Republican National Convention in mid-July. category-president-2016
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Court Strikes Down Scott Walker’s Right-To-Work Law As UnconstitutionalWisconsin’s right-to-work law, championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker as he was mounting his run for president, was struck down Friday as violating the state constitution…“We are confident Wisconsin’s freedom-to-work law is constitutional and will ultimately be upheld,” Walker wrote on Twitter. Three unions filed the lawsuit last year shortly after Walker signed the bill into law. Right-to-work laws prohibit businesses and unions from reaching agreements that require all workers, not just union members, to pay union dues. Twenty-four other states have such laws. category-collective-bargaining
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Gov. Walker: Endorser of Ted Cruz, Recipient of Donald Trump Donations, Lends His List to John Kasich for Fundraising EffortWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, himself a candidate the Republican Presidential nomination for 71 days, has publicly endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in the GOP race for President. But Walker has also rented out his fundraising list to Cruz and Trump’s nomination rival Gov. John Kasich for a fundraising plea hitting e-mail inboxes today. category-president-2016
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Cruz, Walker Embrace As Wisconsin Crowd Goes Silent for PalinWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, appearing with Cruz on stage for the first time since announcing his endorsement on Tuesday, embraced the Texas senator at the GOP’s Milwaukee County Fish Fry. Cruz now holds a double-digit lead over Trump in Wisconsin ahead of the state’s primary on Tuesday.“My reasons are all about who I’m for, not about who I’m against,” said Walker to his home state crowd, taking a veiled shot at Republican front-runner Trump. “I think that’s important in Wisconsin — we like to be for something, not against something.” category-president-2016
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One Wisconsin Now: Follow the money when it comes to WalkerGov. Scott Walker, himself a 2016 Republican presidential candidate for 71 days, endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz this week, and, says executive director Scot Ross of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, in announcing his pick, Walker failed to mention the most obvious reason for his support - Cruz is the only candidate still in the race who actively solicited money to help retire his massive campaign debt.
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Follow the Money: Gov. Walker Endorses Ted Cruz in Republican Presidential RaceGov. Scott Walker, himself a 2016 Republican presidential candidate for 71 days, endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz today. In announcing his pick, Walker failed to mention the most obvious reason for his support, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross — Cruz is the only candidate still in the race who actively solicited money to help retire his massive campaign debt. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker endorses Ted Cruz“After eight years of the failed Obama-Clinton Administration, Americans are looking for real leadership and a new direction. Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states — and to the people — and not bureaucrats in Washington,” Walker said in a statement released as he announced his decision on Sykes’ show. “Just like we did in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz is not afraid to challenge the status quo and to stand up against the big government special interests. He is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton. That’s why I endorse Ted Cruz for President of the United States.” In citing his reasoning for backing Cruz, Walker said, “I just fundamentally believe that he is a constitutional conservative,” in addition to favorably comparing Cruz’s style and policies as more suitable to the middle of the country. “I wanted to make sure I was supporting someone … I wasn’t against someone,” said Walker, who said he plans to campaign on behalf of Cruz ahead of the state’s primary on April 5. “I want to be for something.” category-president-2016
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($)10,000 Reasons Gov. Walker Isn’t Going After TrumpRepublicans desperately trying to derail their party’s presidential front-runner Donald Trump have seen the state’s leading Republican and failed presidential candidate Gov. Scott Walker sit silently on the sidelines. Gov. Walker is the only state Republican to have received campaign contributions from Trump, a maximum $10,000 contribution, on June 23, 2014. category-political-allies
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Scott Walker #Unintimidated, Except With TrumpGov. Scott Walker, whose presidential primary front-runner status ended with a spectacular 71-day flame out in early fall 2015, has yet to join establishment Republicans across Wisconsin trying to stop the near-inevitable nomination of Donald Trump as the GOP’s fall presidential candidate. Even a series of memorable attacks against Walker and the Republican-controlled Wisconsin state legislature’s dismal failures, haven’t been enough to get the governor to endorse any of Trump’s fellow contenders. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker: Vice president talk ‘premature’Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he’s not interested in a potential Cabinet post if a Republican is elected president, but he wouldn’t rule out a possible run for the vice presidency. Walker, in Green Bay on Tuesday, was quick to say no when asked if he’d be interested in a Cabinet post. But he was much less definitive when asked whether he would be interested in the No. 2 spot on the ticket this fall. “That’s just way too premature,” he said, smiling. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker talks endorsement — Cruz or KasichGov. Scott Walker said Tuesday he is considering endorsing Texas Sen. Ted Cruz or Ohio Gov. John Kasich next week, expressing “high admiration” for both. Walker said he would consider whether his endorsement would make a difference in the state’s April 5 presidential primary and won’t appear with any of the Republican candidates if he doesn’t endorse. “I’m not just doing it for the heck of it,” the governor said of a potential endorsement. “If I think it can have a positive impact, if it can have somewhat of an impact on how voters see the candidates and if that’s someone who aligns with my beliefs, I’ll make an endorsement. But I haven’t made that decision yet.” Walker has made clear in the past that he isn’t a fan of GOP front-runner and real estate mogul Donald Trump, but Walker declined to say whether he would support Trump if he wins their party’s nomination. category-president-2016
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Landscape shifts as Wisconsin primary nears"I think that's an interesting question, what does Walker today say about this?" said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. "Kasich has no mathematical ability to win the race, everyone who meets Cruz despises him, and then Trump," Ross said. "I'm not a Republican, but I wouldn't want to have this fight in my party."
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Special treatment or limited access: State policies spell out who can talk to the pressWhile the policy has been in place since at least 2008, the agency’s monthly and quarterly employment data came under intense scrutiny after Gov. Scott Walker promised to add 250,000 private sector jobs during his first term, prompting the agency exert greater control over shaping the message around those numbers. category-250000-jobs-promise
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Scott Walker calls for state agencies to track open records requests, speed up response timesIn advance of Sunshine Week, Gov. Scott Walker is ordering his administration to improve its handling of public records requests, speed up response times and provide mandatory records training for all state workers. The move comes months after he helped draft legislation, later withdrawn, to severely restrict the kind of information the public can use to learn about how state and local governments work on behalf of taxpayers. Walker is also fighting a lawsuit over his refusal to disclose certain records by saying they were part of a “deliberative process.” Walker on Friday issued an executive order that emphasizes a number of areas in the state’s Public Records Law, including responding to requests quickly and not charging for electronic responses to requests when possible. category-ethics
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Rebecca Bradley apologizes for student columns calling AIDS patients ‘degenerates’ and gays ‘queers’A spokeswoman for Gov. Scott Walker, who appointed Bradley to three judgeships in as many years — including as Supreme Court justice last fall — said Monday that “neither the Governor nor our office was aware of the columns.” The spokeswoman did not immediately respond to whether Walker would have appointed Bradley had he known. “Justice Bradley appropriately made it clear today that a column written in college does not reflect her views as a Supreme Court Justice, a court of appeals judge, a circuit court judge or as an attorney,” Walker said in a statement. category-conservative-values
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Walker, Ryan don’t join Mitt Romney in bashing TrumpGov. Scott Walker told a gathering at the Conservative Political Action Conference here Thursday that no matter how upset they may be about what is going on in the 2016 presidential race, they shouldn’t give up on politics, and should be “happy warriors.” That was about the closest Walker came Thursday to saying anything about Trump, whose surging anti-establishment candidacy helped drive Walker from the GOP presidential race last fall. “Some of you might be confused, dare I say, upset, about what’s happening in the presidential election, but I want to offer you some enthusiasm, some optimism today,” said Walker, who did not mention Trump’s name. “No matter what’s happening there, the conservative movement is alive and well in states all across America.” category-president-2016
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Walker signs bill allowing towns in Dane County to opt out of zoning lawsWalker also signed a bill allowing towns in Dane County to opt out of county zoning laws. The bill, authored by Rep. Keith Ripp, R-Lodi, was introduced after the Dane County Towns Association pushed for a way for towns to gain more autonomy over developments in rural areas, and to grow tax bases to pay for services. But officials from Dane County, its cities and villages and a group of towns say town governments lack the financial and staff resources to responsibly administer their own zoning codes, and that allowing an opt-out could unleash irresponsible rural development. category-environment
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Walker signs bills rolling back protections for state water supply, waterwaysThe governor signed a bill allowing farmers, food processors, frac sand mine operators and other operators of high-capacity wells to replace them without a state review of how the wells are affecting groundwater, lakes and streams. The law requires flow meters on wells and mandates study of certain areas affected by high-capacity wells. It waives permit requirements for lake associations that want to install high-capacity wells to pump water into lakes as part of a hydrological study. A bill that bolsters private property rights while loosening protections on thousands of bodies of water in Wisconsin also was signed into law. The law limits local powers over shoreline construction, allowing construction of boathouses, fishing rafts, utility facilities, water towers, rail systems and other kinds of construction to be built closer to bodies of water. category-dnr
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Wisconsin Republicans divided over how to respond to Donald TrumpMeanwhile, Gov. Scott Walker made clear that he would prefer Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida or Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas over the New York real estate mogul and reality TV celebrity. But the former presidential candidate steered clear of joining the emerging “#nevertrump” movement fanned by conservative activists on social media. “I signed a pledge and I’m a person of my word,” Walker said. “I wasn’t going to run against someone else and I wasn’t going to support someone other than the nominee.”Walker last fall dropped his presidential bid and called on others in the huge field to do the same in an effort for an alternative to Trump to emerge. category-president-2016
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Wisconsin uses Affordable Care Act but rejects funding for itWisconsin’s decision last week to challenge a fee imposed by the Affordable Care Act set up a comparison not lost on advocates who support the law.The fee has cost the state about $23 million so far. In contrast, Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature’s opposition to the law is projected to cost $678.6 million in state tax dollars through the 2017 fiscal year. category-affordable-care-act
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Walker Act 10 reduces union membership, powerMr. Walker led a push five years ago to cut collective bargaining rights for most public sector workers, saying he needed to solve a state budget gap. Since then, union membership has dropped precipitously. Long a labor stronghold, the state has lost tens of thousands of union members, leaving Wisconsin with a smaller percentage of union members than the national average, new federal figures show. The drop is most pronounced in the public sector: More than half of Wisconsin’s public workers were in unions before Mr. Walker’s cuts took effect. A little more than a quarter of them remain. The shift has shaken the order of election-year politics. Democrats, who most often have been the beneficiaries of money and ground-level help from the unions, said they were uncertain about what the coming elections would look like, and what forces could take the place of depleted labor groups. category-collective-bargaining
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Scott Walker was always the principal target’ of criminal probeGov. Scott Walker “was always the principal target” of a now-halted criminal investigation into his recall campaign, the state’s top ethics administrator wrote in a June 2014 email released Friday. The email from Government Accountability Board Ethics Division Administrator Jonathan Becker was written within minutes of special prosecutor Francis Schmitz issuing a statement on June 26, 2014, saying Walker was not a target of the probe. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ended the investigation in July saying the investigation’s legal theory was invalid. “I am thoroughly disgusted by your proposed press statement and it is simply not true,” Becker wrote. “The other side wants to obfuscate the case and make it seem like we are attacking independent (groups) and it needs to be clear that we are investigating a CANDIDATE’S improper coordination.” category-ethics
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Walker policies cited as factor in increase rise of EPA polluted water listings in WisconsinThe proposed EPA Impaired Waters List for 2016 in Wisconsin contains 1,694 listings, more than double the 761 approved for the list in 2004.The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recommended an additional 209 waterways for the 2016 list … Critics of Gov. Scott Walker blame the increased pollution in many agricultural counties like Brown, Kewaunee and Manitowoc on his promotion of new jobs in dairy and other agriculture that pollute waterways with runoff from livestock manure, fertilizers, pesticides and byproducts of cheese manufacturing. They claim that Walker has cut the DNR budget to such a low level that, they say, it is nearly impossible for its staff to monitor agriculture runoff that is creating the high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the state’s waters. category-agriculture
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Voter ID law prevented WWII armed services vet from votingA state Supreme Court justice on Tuesday urged Gov. Scott Walker to allow people to use veterans ID cards to vote after her uncle who fought at Iwo Jima was unable to cast a ballot in last week’s primary election. “It makes no sense to me that this proud patriot with a veterans card displaying his photo would be turned away from the polls and denied the right to vote,” Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote to the Republican governor. In her letter, Bradley said her uncle had fought at Iwo Jima, the bloody World War II battle that was immortalized in a photo of the U.S. flag being raised on the tiny Pacific island. category-voter-rights
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Taxpayer tab for Walker presidential run security risesTaxpayers cut nine checks for five figures — including one for more than $93,000 — to members of Gov. Scott Walker’s security team last year after a federal agency found the state had wrongly withheld overtime pay from them. In all, taxpayers had to pay more than $577,000 to nine current and former members of the team to cover overtime pay from May 2013 to May 2015, according to the State Patrol. That’s a period when the GOP governor was ramping up his run for president — an effort he abandoned in September amid fundraising trouble and plummeting poll numbers. category-president-2016
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Walker picks campaign donor for University of Wisconsin Board of RegentsA Milwaukee lawyer just named to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents by Gov. Scott Walker has been a frequent contributor to his campaign fund, donating $9,639.68 since 2010. Tracey Klein, a shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, made seven contributions to Walker totaling $7,439.68 in the months running up to his 2014 reelection alone, according to the online campaign finance database of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Klein also has contributed campaign funds to other conservative Republicans. category-cronyism
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Walker halts state work on clean power planCiting last week’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday ordered state agencies not to do any work to prepare for federal climate change regulations that would require Wisconsin utilities to cut carbon emissions from power plants. His executive order follows a decision last week by the Supreme Court to put the regulation — known as the Clean Power Plan — on hold, temporarily, while an appeals court considers a challenge by 27 states including Wisconsin that the rules are illegal. category-clean-air
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Walker appointees at Department of Natural Resources considered disciplining employee for releasing public recordsPolitical appointees of the Department of Natural Resources discussed disciplining an employee after she provided public records to a Sheboygan County citizens group fighting plans by the Kohler Co. for a golf course on the shore of Lake Michigan, emails show. In the view of at least one top official then serving at the DNR, the employee took the extra step of compiling information the group had requested, presumably in a more understandable form, rather than turning over raw data. The case highlights the sensitivity of open records cases involving the DNR — an agency that under Gov. Scott Walker has come under fire from environmentalists and conservationists for a more pro-business tilt. Walker says the agency enforces all regulations but has sought to rein in what he says is the agency’s overreaching nature. Environmentalists have sued the DNR twice since December over the length of time they must wait for records they have requested. category-cronyism
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Walker signs overhaul of state civil service lawGov. Scott Walker signed legislation Friday overhauling the state’s century-old system of merit hiring and firing, gaining the first legislative priority he set after calling off his presidential bid last year. Inking the legislation at the offices of ManpowerGroup, Walker said the rewrite of the state’s civil service law would help the state keep the best possible employees and ensure that the state remains “efficient, effective and ultimately accountable to the people of Wisconsin” … Critics say it could lead to taxpayers being forced to pay salaries to the unqualified cronies of powerful state officials or lead to retribution against state employees who put public service ahead of political demands. Rick Badger, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 32, said the bill gave too much latitude to Walker and future governors. category-civil-service
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Walker was notified in 2012 of Lincoln Hills crisisA Racine County judge warned Gov. Scott Walker’s office in 2012 of severe safety issues at the state’s youth prison, and later the county stopped sending its juvenile offenders to the Irma facility that is now the subject of a criminal investigation. The letter, sent to Walker in February 2012, appears at odds with Walker’s previous statements that he was made aware of allegations of abuse at Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls within the past year. Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said the governor was not shown the letter from Racine County Circuit Judge Richard Kreul. category-criminal-justice
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Walker denies prior knowledge of Lincoln Hill youth prison abuses as Corrections Secretary resigns amid investigationWisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Wall has resigned amid an investigation into abuse allegations at the state’s youth prison, the governor’s office said Friday as news emerged that the FBI had taken over the inquiry. Gov. Scott Walker’s staff said Wall submitted his letter of resignation on Feb. 5. He will be replaced by Jon Litscher, who served as the corrections secretary more than a decade ago. The allegations first came to light publicly in December when state DOJ agents descended on Lincoln Hills and a sister facility, Copper Lake, which shares a campus in northern Wisconsin. But two newspapers reported Thursday that a judge sent a letter four years ago warning Walker of possible criminal conduct at the Lincoln Hills School in Irma. Walker has said he was unaware of allegations of misconduct until recently. His spokeswoman, Laurel Patrick, has said the governor never saw the judge’s note and that it had been referred to the corrections department. category-criminal-justice
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5 years after Walker’s Act 10 union membership falls in WisconsinIn the five years since Act 10 was signed by Gov. Scott Walker, union membership in Wisconsin has plummeted. In 2015, the number of union members fell well below the national average for the first time since lawmakers passed measures that all but eliminated collective bargaining for public workers. The percentage of Wisconsin public and private workers belonging to unions was 8.3 percent in 2015 — or 223,000 members — down from 13.3 percent in 2011 — or 339,000 members — according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. category-collective-bargaining
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Walker, GOP attack local controlSince Gov. Scott Walker took office in 2011, Republicans have passed nearly 100 unfunded mandates or measures that restrict the authority of local governments, according to a new memo. Over the last three legislative sessions, lawmakers have enacted 99 provisions that represent unfunded mandates or restrict the decision-making power of local governments, according to a Feb. 4 memo released by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau at the request of Assistant Assembly Minority Leader Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point. category-local-control
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Walker signs bill legalizing concealed carry of knives at event sponsored by NRA affiliated groupGov. Scott Walker has signed a bill legalizing concealed switchblades and knives. The governor signed the measure Saturday at the annual National Rifle Association and Wisconsin FORCE convention in Weston. Wisconsin FORCE, or Firearm Owners, Ranges, Clubs and Educators, is an NRA-chartered association that advocates for the right to bear arms. category-criminal-justice
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Major Walker donor seeks special treatment from state environmental protection agencyBusiness executive Richard E. Uihlein has continued to press his case to move a massive floating bog away from his property on the Chippewa Flowage in a meeting involving state, federal and business officials to review the controversial proposal. At a Jan. 28 meeting in Hayward, representatives of Uihlein presented a new option designed to ease concerns about a construction-scale project that initially called for nailing the 12-acre bog to the bottom of the lake. But it remains unclear whether Uihlein, a major financial supporter of Gov. Scott Walker, will proceed with plans. category-dnr
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Walker expects it will take all of 2016 to pay off debt from 71 day presidential runGov. Scott Walker says he plans to pay off his presidential campaign debt by the end of the year. Federal reports show Walker’s campaign owed $1.2 million at the end of 2015. The governor told reporters following a speech to the Wisconsin Counties Association at a Madison hotel on Wednesday that he believes his campaign has paid down a third of its total debt so far and he hopes to pay off the rest by the end of 2016. category-president-2016
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Walker’s presidential exit still felt”One is Trump got into the race and he sucked the air out of Scott Walker, and two, his consultants convinced him they were the front-runner and they were going to overbuild his campaign.” While campaign missteps damaged Walker, Trump was the key external factor that drove him from the race. category-president-2016
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On the Capitol: Conservative group makes 6 figure ad buy for Supreme Court raceWalker formed a nonprofit political organization called Our American Revival that raised $6.21 million in the first half of the year. His political advisers also launched their own Super PAC, Unintimidated PAC, which raised $20 million in the second quarter of the year. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker job approval level still at 38 percent 4 months after presidential runAnd only 36 percent say they would like Walker to run for a third term in 2018, one point higher than a poll in late September. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker still owes $1 million for presidential campaignWalker’s political operations have reimbursed state taxpayers $260,000 to cover hotel stays, airfare and other travel expenses last year for his security team. But in the future, taxpayers will have to pay such costs when state troopers accompany Walker on political trips, said Jim Dick, a spokesman for the state Department of Administration. Walker decided last year to have his political operations pick up some of those costs while he crisscrossed the country and traveled overseas as he explored and launched his presidential campaign. But Walker is returning to the previous practice as used by other governors of both parties. Democrat Jim Doyle, for instance, brought security along on his travels to political and other events, such as a December 2010 visit to Cancun for a United Nation climate change conference. category-president-2016
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Union membership in Wisconsin tumbles below national averageSince Walker and Republican lawmakers successfully passed measures in 2011 that rolled back the power of most public sector unions, the number of members has dropped sharply…As of February 2015, a WEAC official told the State Journal the union represented about 40,000 public school employees — down more than 50 percent from the union’s 98,000-member levels before Walker signed his signature legislation in 2011. category-collective-bargaining
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Scott Walker’s Gubernatorial Campaign Spent Big Money While He Ran for PresidentThe reckless spending of Gov. Scott Walker’s Presidential Campaign drove him from the race a mere 70 days after officially announcing his candidacy and left him with a reported debt of $1 million. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel news report based on One Wisconsin Now’s review of Walker’s state campaign finance report raises disturbing new questions about whether in his desperation for cash to fuel his political ambition Walker tapped his state campaign account to pay the bills. category-president-2016
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During presidential bid, Scott Walker also spent on state campaignMike Browne, deputy director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, wasn't convinced. He said he found it hard to see how emptying the governor's campaign fund in 2015 would help Walker in a potential statewide election in 2018. "A career politician like Scott Walker knows better than this, you amass a war chest three years out from the campaign instead of draining it," he said.
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Scott Walker touts state’s recovery as he seeks a political reboundScott Walker on Tuesday touted Wisconsin’s comeback from the Great Recession even as the Republican governor seeks his own recovery from an unsuccessful presidential run last year. “There are more people working in Wisconsin than at nearly any other point in our history; state finances are stable; our school students are doing well overall; college tuition is frozen; and property and income taxes are down from 2010,” Walker told lawmakers in a 40-minute speech. The state budget remains relatively tight — and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said Tuesday that new estimates on tax revenues would leave it still tighter. category-jobs
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Walker signs split of state’s GAB | Campaign finance measure also approvedGov. Scott Walker privately signed a measure Wednesday loosening the state’s campaign finance laws and eliminating the state elections and ethics agency that investigated his campaign for teaming up with conservative groups. category-campaign-fundraising
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Worker used as an example of problems not a civil servantOne of the state employees that Gov. Scott Walker and some lawmakers used to argue for broad changes to the state’s civil service system was never a civil servant, a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel review has found. In arguing for a proposed overhaul of the century-old system of merit hiring and firing, Walker and some GOP legislators pointed to the example of two railroad commission employees caught having an extramarital sexual relationship on state property and on taxpayers’ time for five months. They said the pair couldn’t be fired because of civil service rules. category-civil-service
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How the GOP can bring down TrumpSound farfetched? Trump has now led in New Hampshire nearly twice as long as Scott Walker was a presidential candidate. A recent Fox News poll found him leading in South Carolina with 30 percent of the vote, double the share going to the runner-up. It also showed him climbing higher rather than sinking after his controversial proposal to bar Muslims from entering the United States. category-president-2016
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Questions, answers about text messages, visitor logs and other Wisconsin open records issuesGov. Scott Walker on Monday refuted reports that his administration is doing anything questionable when it comes to Wisconsin ‘s open records law. But those reports brought to light a change made this summer by the state’s Public Records Board that could shield communications like public officials’ text messages and Facebook messages from being made public. category-ethics
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Morning briefing: Scott Walker among Republicans against Trump’s idea to ban MuslimsWalker among Republicans against Trump’s idea to ban Muslims: The Associated Press reports: “Gov. Scott Walker joins a growing number of Republicans publicly opposing presidential candidate Donald Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering the United States. Walker, who abandoned his own presidential campaign in September, was in Chippewa Falls Tuesday where he told WQOW-TV that the country’s founding principles are based on protecting religious liberties, so he disagrees with Trump’s proposal. category-conservative-values
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Scott Walker says he saves all of his state business-related text messagesGov. Scott Walker told reporters Monday he forwards all text messages related to state business to his state email account and that his administration complies with the law in handling records. “As you all know in the past four or five years I’ve been in office we’ve gotten tens of thousands of open records requests fulfilled,” Walker said after a menorah lighting ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion in Maple Bluff. “Many of them include information not only from me, but from other individuals that was forwarded or was included in personal texts or emails. That’s been a pretty consistent policy.” category-ethics
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Ex-DNR officials complain about enforcement under WalkerThe DNR has come under fire from Democrats and environmentalists under Gov. Scott Walker. Officials have said they are enforcing regulations but also trying to reduce unnecessary costs and red tape by an agency that is traditionally one of the most controversial in state government. The letters also raised questions over whether the DNR is as far along as it says it is in complying with 75 deficiencies the EPA cited in July 2011 over Wisconsin’s handling of water regulations. The EPA ordered the DNR to address the problems, which began before Walker entered office in January 2011. The DNR says some issues have been cleared up. In an Oct. 28 statement, the agency said the rest are moving ahead through a state rule-making process. category-dnr
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Paris climate debate reflected in Wisconsin divisionsThe conflicts now playing out on a world stage are also evident in Wisconsin, where the Republican-controlled state government is at odds with public sentiment on climate change. At the same time, industry leaders here are divided, as some businesses see opportunities in curbing carbon emissions while others fear costly new regulations… Gov. Scott Walker and his administration and Attorney General Brad Schimel have been sharply critical of the rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would require utilities to move away from coal by cutting carbon emissions at power plants by 34% by 2030… But a Marquette University Law School poll in August found, by a 2-to-1 margin, that registered voters supported rules that set limits on greenhouse gases from power plants, even if it meant electricity prices would rise. category-president-2016
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State’s handling of workers caught in workplace sex doesn’t match Scott Walker’s accountIn making his case to Republican lawmakers this fall that the state’s civil service system needed to be overhauled, Gov. Scott Walker cited the case of two state workers who he said couldn’t be fired even though they had been caught having sex in their office. But records released Friday show no efforts were made to fire those workers — and that the only discipline sought and issued to them was letters of reprimand. Walker administration officials declined to address Wisconsin State Journal inquiries about why the workers could not have been fired for their conduct…. Two former state human resource officials said Friday that nothing prevented state officials from more harshly disciplining or firing the employees — one of whom, Doug Wood, is a Monona alderman. Walker’s comments about their case are at least the second instance in which he told anecdotes about state workers to plug the civil service changes that aren’t supported by state records… Walker cited the case of the two state workers caught having sex at the office but not being fired for it — without mentioning Wood’s or Piliouras’ names — in a speech to GOP lawmakers in September. In a statement Friday, Walker’s spokeswoman, Laurel Patrick, said the case shows “exactly why we need civil service reform.”… State records of the case, first reported on Thursday by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, confirm that the employees got scant punishment for their actions. As part of his push for civil service changes, Walker also claimed that a short-order cook scored high enough on a hiring exam to be considered for a state financial examiner job.But when pressed, Walker’s administration couldn’t produce documents to support the claim, the State Journal found. category-civil-service
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category-mismanagement
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Wisconsin Supreme Court won’t restart John Doe probe of Scott Walker recall campaignThe state Supreme Court has denied a special prosecutor’s request to reopen an investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s recall campaign, a decision the prosecutor says he plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if he has the money and personnel to do so. However, the state high court also ruled that special prosecutor Francis Schmitz’s appointment was invalid, casting doubt on his ability to represent the prosecution in future court proceedings and raising the possibility that one of the district attorneys originally involved in the case could intervene… Walker told reporters Wednesday that “this was one more instance where (the process) validated what we’ve said all along.” category-ethics
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Falk pushes health care signupsNelson said engaging Wisconsinites at the local level to ensure they get health care before Jan. 31 is important because Wisconsin is one of 19 states that did not expand Medicaid. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker rejected the expansion in 2013, instead implementing a plan to move 77,000 state residents off BadgerCare, the state’s Medicaid program, and into the subsidized private health care plans set up by ACA. Another 83,000 childless adults, who were not on Medicaid because of the program enrollment cap, were then moved into BadgerCare. Walker defended his decision, saying the federal government could not cover the costs of Medicaid in the future because of the national debt. category-affordable-care-act
category-budget
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Calendar shows Scott Walker campaigned at length most days"Gov. Walker was more concerned with campaigning for president than doing his job, and now 10,000 Wisconsin workers have already gotten layoff notices this year," said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
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New poll: Scott Walker approval rating stays near lowGov. Scott Walker’s approval rating remains near its all-time low, with just 38 percent of respondents approving of his job performance in the new Marquette Law School Poll. Walker’s approval has fallen sharply since a year ago, when he was re-elected to a second term. April was the last time his approval rating was higher than 40 percent. Since then, Walker exited the presidential race after his support collapsed, and he and state lawmakers handled thorny issues such as funding cuts for universities and a scuttled attempt to roll back the state’s open records law. The poll also examined, for the first time, state lawmakers’ approval. It found Republicans controlling the Legislature with 31 percent approval and 60 percent disapproval, while minority Democrats had 39 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval… Walker’s approval rating in the last Marquette poll — released in September, days after he exited the Republican presidential race — was 37 percent. That was Walker’s lowest approval since Marquette began polling his job approval in early 2012 and matched the lowest approval he registered in any public poll since he took office in 2011. Approval of GOP state lawmakers broke along ideological, as well as partisan, lines in the poll. Republican voters who described themselves as conservative or very conservative gave GOP lawmakers, who control both houses of the Legislature, overwhelmingly high marks.Self-described moderate Republicans were more divided. They gave GOP lawmakers 42 percent approval versus 44 percent disapproval. category-politics
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Scott Walker, GOP lawmakers say Wisconsin won’t accept Syrian refugeesGov. Scott Walker pledged Monday that the state “will not accept new Syrian refugees” as he and Republican legislators joined a national chorus of mostly GOP leaders Monday calling on President Barack Obama to bar refugees from entering the United States. Immigration experts said governors can’t legally prohibit refugees from settling in their states but they can establish policies that make living in their states more difficult. Walker said in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris that Wisconsin’s first priority “must be to protect our citizens.” “In consultation with our adjutant general, who also serves as my homeland security adviser, it is clear that the influx of Syrian refugees poses a threat,” Walker said. “With this in mind, I am calling upon the president to immediately suspend the program pending a full review of its security and acceptance procedures.” category-conservative-values
category-foreign-affairs
category-immigration
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Marco Rubio steps into Scott Walker’s presidential space in Wisconsin"It doesn't matter what generation Marco Rubio belongs to since his policies would be a disaster for critical Gen X and Millennial issues like student loan debt, higher wages and the rights of women to access health care," argued Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. "That said, as a member of Generation X, I think a lot of us progressive post-Baby Boomers would like to see more of our generation in leadership in Washington, D.C. and in state houses across the country."
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Scott Walker supporters get a fundraising pitch — from Ben CarsonWalker's campaign sent a fundraising solicitation for Carson's campaign via email, according to two separate email accounts maintained by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
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Scott Walker unlikely to endorse in GOP presidential primary but doesn’t rule out VPGov. Scott Walker suggested Tuesday he won’t endorse one of the Republican presidential candidates that congregated here for the fourth GOP debate because he plans to work closely with the party’s national fundraising arm. Walker also didn’t disqualify himself from the possibility of becoming the vice presidential pick of the eventual nominee, but he said such talk is “presumptuous.” “My focus is going to be on helping the party get things ready so whoever the nominee is will be fully prepared,”… “They’re going to need infrastructure and grass roots, and I’m going to be actively involved in that regard.”… Walker said he would be taking a more active role with the RNC Presidential Trust — which will raise money for the nominee — because Ryan is now busier in his role as speaker. Walker didn’t say what his specific role would be, but he said it would preclude him from getting involved in another campaign… Walker said he initially appealed to voters because he was an outsider and a governor, but that eventually “along came a few people who were even bigger outsiders.” “We didn’t see a path to get to the nomination and thought the voters are better off if voters have a more narrow field to look at,” Walker said in summarizing the reason for his exit. Walker chalked up the current front runner status of neurosurgeon Ben Carson and real estate mogul Donald Trump to leaders in Washington not getting things done. “People are tired of what they perceive as the same old thing out of Washington, and they want leaders who fundamentally change it,” Walker said. But he also cautioned against reading too much into the polls… Walker also criticized the tone of the second presidential debate in September, which was his last as a candidate, saying “at one point in that debate it felt like being on ‘The Jerry Springer Show.’”… “The big loser in that wasn’t the candidates, it was the voters.” He also said one of the reasons why he had the least speaking time was because many of the questions were focused on having candidates address criticisms they had made about each other, and Walker had focused his criticism on Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Walker’s comments Tuesday were his most extensive since he dropped out of the race in mid-September. He had declined numerous opportunities to discuss the race and his exit with Wisconsin reporters. When he dropped out, Walker encouraged other candidates to follow his lead so that the party could coalesce behind a “positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner,” who at the time was Trump. None of the candidates have done so. category-president-2016
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Top GOP lawmakers might rebrand troubled jobs agencyGOP Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans in the Legislature created WEDC in 2011, soon after they were swept into power. The new agency replaced the state Department of Commerce and was aimed at making economic development efforts more nimble and swift. It has been beset with problems. Troubled businesses have gotten taxpayer-funded incentives, and top officials at WEDC have steadily left the agency… Walker and GOP lawmakers cut tens of millions of dollars from WEDC in the state budget they approved in July. Nygren said lawmakers would look at restoring some of those cuts, possibly in the spring. “It’s become a political football and it shouldn’t be,” Nygren said of WEDC. category-government-management
category-jobs
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Failure at the faucet: Safe, clean drinking water eludes many WisconsiniteIn 2011, the EPA identified 75 failings in the DNR’s enforcement of the state’s wastewater pollution permit program. Last month, after the residents’ petition was filed, the state agency announced it is working on two rule packages that will address 21 of the issues… “Our state has historically been, and continues to be, a leader in many water-related areas,” DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said in a news release. But the residents’ petition said the agency’s actions to resolve deficiencies represent a “lack of meaningful response.” The petition also charged that the agency’s authority and staff have been whittled away, citing the loss of 600 positions in the past 20 years. The petitioners claim Wisconsin now lacks the staff to adequately inspect and manage permits for wastewater sources, including large farms, municipalities and industries. EPA estimates show two-thirds of such facilities in Wisconsin are operating with expired waste discharge permits — the third worst rate in the nation. Recent reorganization at the agency by Gov. Scott Walker “raises even more doubt” about its ability to carry out its duties under the Clean Water Act, according to the petition. One of those changes is eliminating a separate water division and consolidating both water and air pollution under a Business Support and External Services Division. “The governor and state Legislature have starved the DNR’s power and robbed the agency’s experienced staff of professional autonomy to make informed decisions,” Wright said in a statement, adding, “Without effective government, we are compounding what our children and grandchildren will face in a world increasingly short of drinking water.” category-dnr
category-environment
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Walker asks for help paying off $1 million in Presidential campaign debtLiberal group One Wisconsin Now director Scot Ross said Friday that instead of “shaking down donors” to pay off campaign debt, Walker should be focusing on Wisconsin’s economic problems.
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GOP lawmakers reverse course, balk at campaign donor reportingGOP state senators reversed course early Saturday and voted to let people make political donations without disclosing their employers as part of a broad overhaul of campaign finance laws.Earlier this week, Republicans senators said they were considering parting with their colleagues in the Assembly and keeping the requirement that donors list their employers. But they said Friday that a number of other GOP senators had balked at that idea and convinced their Republican caucus to end the requirement after all… The two bills are inspired in part by an investigation of GOP Gov. Scott Walker and conservative groups backing him. That probe was terminated by the state Supreme Court in July, which found candidate and issue groups have the right to work together — a provision being codified by the legislation. category-ethics
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Scott Walker asks supporters for help in paying off campaign debtThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now slammed Walker for doing fundraising rather than focusing on economic problems in the state, such as the announcement this week that the Oscar Mayer plant in Madison would be shuttering, resulting in the loss of 1,000 jobs.
"Wisconsin families are being thrown into chaos and losing their jobs because Scott Walker was more focused on chasing his own presidential ambitions than doing his job as governor," One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said. "And now, instead of taking even one iota of responsibility for his failure, he's shaking down donors to pay off the debt he rang up on the campaign trail paying bloated salaries to political operatives and even his own family."
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Scott Walker looking for $1,000 donations to pay back presidential campaign debt"Wisconsin families are being thrown into chaos and losing their jobs because Scott Walker was more focused on chasing his own presidential ambitions than doing his job as governor," said One Wisconsin Now executive director Scot Ross in a statement. "And now, instead of taking even one iota of responsibility for his failure, he’s shaking down donors to pay off the debt he rang up on the campaign trail paying bloated salaries to political operatives and even his own family."
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Scott Walker says state board failed for 16 elections to audit voter list to remove felonsTo rally support for a GOP bill to break apart Wisconsin’s agency that oversees elections and ethics matters, Gov. Scott Walker is casting the Government Accountability Board as incompetent. At one point, he stormed Twitter using the #ReformGAB hashtag. In one Oct. 13, 2015 tweet, he claimed the agency wanted to consider Mickey Mouse and Adolf Hitler as valid signatures on recall petitions — a claim we rated False. In another tweet from the series that day, Walker wrote: “GAB ignored their duties & did not regularly audit the voter rolls to remove all felons – for a span of 16 elections. #ReformGAB”… He said the ignored duty was meant to remove felons. But the post-election felon audit is a final check to see if any felons voted, not primarily to remove them from voter rolls. That effort comes earlier in the process, and is done mainly by local clerks… category-voter-rights
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Scott Walker campaign failed to report thousands of donor employersGov. Scott Walker’s campaign failed to submit required employer information for nearly 6,000 contributors last year — by far the most of any committee and 27 times more than his Democratic opponent, according to the Government Accountability Board. But the agency hasn’t penalized the campaign or any other committee that failed to report missing information because officials say they have made good-faith efforts to comply with the law. State law requires campaigns to report the employer of donors who give more than $100 to a campaign committee during a calendar year, although that requirement would be eliminated under a provision in a sweeping campaign finance bill that passed the Assembly, but has stalled in the Senate… In 2014, Walker’s campaign didn’t report employer information for 5,906 out of the 21,801 contributors (27 percent) who gave more than $100, according to the GAB audit conducted in June. The Walker campaign was one of 29 committees that received a GAB warning notice in June because more than 10 percent of donors of more than $100 didn’t have an employer listed… All of the campaigns that received warning notices submitted additional information and are now below the 10 percent threshold, Kundert said. The Walker campaign has submitted about 4,800 corrections, and is expected to fall below the threshold once the information is updated in the state’s campaign finance database, Kundert added… The Walker campaign had the most missing employer information in both years, according to GAB data. In 2013, when he wasn’t running for office, Walker had 155 donors with missing employer information, or 2.25 percent of his donors who gave more than $100 that year. In 2012, Walker had 5,467 donors with missing employer information (25.5 percent), compared with 247 (4.6 percent) for Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, whom he defeated in the recall election… “The (Walker campaign) committee is regularly filing amended reports, and we believe they are making a good-faith effort to comply with the law,” Magney said. Walker campaign spokesman Tom Evenson said the campaign is constantly gathering information from donors and is engaged with the GAB to ensure compliance. “Our campaign will always do whatever is necessary to comply with state law,” Evenson said. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker: Presidential Campaign Staffers ‘Occasionally’ Worked From Governor’s MansionThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now has received some of the records it requested about visitors to the governor's mansion. The logs from earlier this year show that people working on Walker's presidential bid were among those dropping by.
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Lawmakers inch closer to overhauling civil service systemOn the civil service bill, both sides in the GOP dispute are holding firm, meaning that the proposal is unlikely to pass the Senate until early next year. The bill would overhaul a system begun in 1905 that is aimed at ensuring tax dollars go for competent state employees rather than political hacks… Republican Gov. Scott Walker has strongly backed the proposal, which he took up as a major cause just days after he dropped out of the race for president last month. He has said the civil service rules for 30,000 state workers need reworking to become more efficient and help hiring keep up with the crush of retiring baby boomers. The bill has gotten a mixed reception from others who formerly worked within the state’s system of merit hiring and firing. category-civil-service
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Scott Walker signs bill limiting Doe probes as records are releasedGov. Scott Walker signed legislation Friday curtailing the ability of district attorneys to use the John Doe law to launch investigations like the probes they have conducted of his campaign and his aides and associates. The GOP governor signed the measure a day after documents related to the secret probe of his campaign were released that showed investigators initially believed they had overwhelming evidence of violations of campaign finance laws. The documents revealed a key prosecutor for a time had second thoughts after litigation was filed over the investigation, which the state Supreme Court shut down in July… Walker and other Republicans have called the probe a partisan witch hunt, a claim prosecutors have denied. The changes to the John Doe law — as well as pending GOP legislation to overhaul the accountability board and loosen campaign finance regulations — were prompted by the investigation of Walker’s campaign… As is often the case, the probe of Walker’s campaign was conducted in secret, with witnesses and targets ordered not to tell anyone but their attorneys about it. The law Walker signed Friday will prevent prosecutors from using the John Doe law to look into matters such as misconduct in office and bribery of public officials, as well as many other crimes, such as identity theft and lower-level drug dealing… The probe of Walker’s campaign came after an earlier John Doe investigation — also launched by Chisholm — of Walker’s aides and associates going back to his time as Milwaukee County executive. That one resulted in six convictions, including for campaigning on county time. Walker offered no comment Friday on the legislation he signed curbing John Doe probes. But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) issued a written statement, saying the measure “reaffirms free speech, ends politically motivated investigations and allows investigators to use the appropriate tools when necessary to solve serious crimes.” Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) in a statement said they “should be less concerned about covering up Governor Walker’s political scandals and more focused on helping hardworking Wisconsin families.” category-ethics
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Poll finds new high-water mark for voter dissatisfaction with direction of stateVoter dissatisfaction with the direction of the state has reached its highest level since Gov. Scott Walker took office — 57 percent, compared with 36 percent who say it’s headed in the right direction — according to a new poll. Walker’s disapproval rating also hit its highest mark (60 percent) in the latest biannual survey from St. Norbert College and Wisconsin Public Radio. And only one in three voters say they want Walker to run for a third term in 2018, compared with 62 percent who oppose such a move. The poll’s previous high-water mark for Walker’s disapproval rating was 58 percent in fall 2011 as opponents planned for an ultimately unsuccessful recall election stemming from his Act 10 collective bargaining changes for public employees. The approval rating was 38 percent in that poll, one point worse than the latest poll. But the 57 percent “wrong direction” response is the highest the poll has found since as far back as spring 2003. The previous high was 55 percent in spring 2009. Under Walker it reached 54 percent in spring 2011 at the beginning of his term shortly after protesters swarmed the Capitol. The poll offered some possible clues as to the reason for voter dissatisfaction, such as 58 percent saying Walker’s short-lived presidential campaign has had a negative effect on their view of him, and two-thirds saying it had a negative impact on the state of Wisconsin. category-politics
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Lapdogs’ and ‘la-la land’: Wisconsin Assembly debates campaign finance laws, GAB overhaulA spokeswoman for Gov. Scott Walker said he supports overall reform of the GAB, and he “looks forward to working with lawmakers on a replacement for the GAB that is fair, transparent, and accountable to Wisconsinites.” category-voter-rights
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Lawmakers approve bill ending John Doe probes of political crimesThe proposal, which would reshape how cases of bribery of public officials and other political crimes are often investigated, was largely prompted by a probe into the Republican governor’s campaign and conservative groups that supported him. The state Supreme Court this summer shut down the investigation, which Walker and other Republicans have described as a political witch hunt. Prosecutors deny that, saying they had to pursue evidence they obtained. Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said the governor would evaluate the legislation when it reaches his desk but added he supports “common-sense reforms that protect free speech and ensure transparency and accountability” for John Doe investigations… It would lift past secrecy orders that have been issued for targets and witnesses. That would free up Walker and conservative activists to speak freely about the investigation of them, but prosecutors would be constrained from countering their comments unless a judge released the prosecutors from the secrecy order. The probe into Walker’s campaign was conducted by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm and special prosecutor Francis Schmitz. Chisholm is a Democrat and Schmitz has described himself as a Republican. The secrecy order in the probe of Walker’s campaign would also remain in place for members of the Government Accountability Board, which oversees campaign finance laws. The board’s chairman, Gerald Nichol, said he disagrees with the provision that would lift the secrecy order for witnesses and targets and held open the possibility he would ask a judge to lift the secrecy order that applies to him. category-ethics
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Group asks EPA to step up oversight of state DNRIn a teleconference, the group said that budget cutting, retirements and actions by the Legislature have effectively curbed the power of the DNR. The EPA said it is monitoring the efforts of the DNR. “WDNR must continue to report to EPA on progress to address the remaining issues,” said EPA spokesman Pete Cassell. In a statement, DNR spokesman Jim Dick said that the agency “takes its responsibility to protect Wisconsin waters seriously and does enforce the Clean Water Act.” He said the agency could not provide further comment until it can study the allegations. Gov. Scott Walker addressed environmental regulations more broadly when he spoke to a meeting of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce in Madison on Tuesday. He said the DNR has changed under his leadership from an agency whose acronym was said by some to mean “Darned Near Russia” to a department that considers the environment and the economy. “We’re not perfect, don’t get me wrong,” Walker said. “But we made changes that provided a balance.” This summer, the DNR announced a major reorganization of the agency that included the elimination of its water division. The functions of water regulation would remain, but administrators are in the process of farming the duties to the other parts of the department. category-dnr
category-environment
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Scott Walker calls ‘life of the mother’ abortion debate a ‘false choice.’ Is it?Walker maintains that he has consistently opposed abortion in all cases, even though he signed a 20-week abortion ban in July that includes an exception for the life of a mother. He had already changed his mind once on that exception. In the 1990s as a state legislator, he told anti-abortion group Pro-Life Wisconsin that he supported it, but since 2000 he has told the group he opposed it.During his short-lived presidential campaign and again in a recent interview with reporters, Walker laid out a defense of his position. “You can protect both the life of the mother and the life of the child,” Walker said. “Now I’ve supported and signed legislation that made emergency exceptions for the life of the mother, but … that’s a false choice. There are plenty of medical options that allow you to provide for both.” Bioethicists and doctors who study the issue and train OB/GYNs in what to do in such situations say it’s true medical advancements in recent decades have reduced the number of cases in which a choice is necessary. But they also argue doctors and families still occasionally face that choice. “The governor is mistaken if he’s claiming that kind of case never occurs,” said Lawrence Hinman, a bioethicist and professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of San Diego. “Politically, my guess is, it’s wishful thinking. If the choice between the life of the mother and the life of the fetus never occurs, then we don’t have to get too upset about this language one way or the other.” …Walker answered yes to that question in 2000, 2006, 2010 and 2012. That was a change from his response on the questionnaire when he ran for Assembly in 1994, 1996 and 1998 when he said he supported an exception for the life of a mother, Sande said. Walker told the reporters the only thing that has changed over the past 20 years, is “it’s become clear to me and to many others that you can do both.” During the 2014 election, Walker didn’t fill out the survey, forfeiting a shot at the group’s endorsement. He also drew fire from liberal groups — and later from conservatives during his run for president — for a political ad in which he touted being “pro-life” but also signing a bill “that leaves the final decision to a woman and her doctor.” category-conservative-values
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Spurning Wisconsin offer, Ashley Furniture Industries takes jobs and safety issues to N.C.“Pay-to-play certainly comes to my mind and I know I’m not alone,” said Scot Ross, executive director of the progressive group One Wisconsin Now. According to an investigation conducted by One Wisconsin Now, 60 percent of the companies that received grants from WEDC were Walker contributors.
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Scott Walker faces tough task in repaying presidential campaign debtsIn addition, Walker cannot simply go to a handful of donors to write the six- and seven-figure checks that helped fuel his super PAC Unintimidated. His debt is in his official presidential campaign committee, which is limited to maximum donations of $2,700 per contributor under federal law. That means Walker could need thousands of contributors who are willing to help pay for a campaign that is already closed. Those would be the same kinds of donors the governor would want to tap for a potential third run for governor in 2018, which Walker has not ruled out. category-president-2016
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Walker Won’t Juggle Governorship And White House Bid AgainScot Ross, head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, says Walker is late in admitting that the demands of the presidential campaign trail caused difficulties in the Badger State.
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Scott Walker wouldn’t serve as governor and run for president againScot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said Walker was late in acknowledging what "Wisconsin knows all too well" — that the demands of the campaign had created difficulties for the state.
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Scott Walker dismisses political concerns, appoints Rebecca Bradley to Supreme CourtGov. Scott Walker announced the appointment of state Appeals Court Judge Rebecca Bradley to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday, bolstering the court’s conservative majority. It’s the third judicial appointment Walker has given Bradley in as many years… Democrats have criticized Walker’s decision to appoint an announced candidate so close to the election, but Walker and Bradley dismissed suggestions that she is being given an advantage. “I think it’s incumbent upon any governor, Democrat or Republican, to put the best person on the bench, and my view is I shouldn’t disqualify someone just because they’re an announced candidate,” Walker told reporters Friday. “I think she’s the best person to be on the Supreme Court today, and I believe next April she’ll be the best person to serve on the Supreme Court. So I’m not making a political endorsement at this time, but I wouldn’t put somebody on the bench that I didn’t think belonged there. So I think it’s pretty clear what my opinion is,” Walker said… Bradley downplayed the significance of Walker’s tacit endorsement after appointing her to three positions. The governor’s approval rating is 37 percent among Wisconsin voters, the lowest it’s been since the Marquette University Law School poll began measuring it. Asked whether she thinks Walker’s support would help her or hurt her, Bradley said she doesn’t think voters will be influenced by it one way or the other. “I think when the voters are evaluating judicial candidates, they look less at who’s appointed them and they look at their record on the bench, how they conduct their campaigns and what their qualifications and experiences are,” Bradley said. category-ethics
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Gov. Scott Walker Previews More Partisanship on State High Court With Plot to Appoint Political Crony to Open Judicial SeatGov. Scott Walker appears set to add to his record of cronyism, corruption and incompetence with the appointment of his political crony, Rebecca Bradley, to yet another judicial post, time a seat on the state’s high court. Bradley has been appointed by Walker to both of the seats she has held in her brief career as a judge and is an announced candidate for the Spring 2016 Wisconsin Supreme Court seat to which Walker appears poised to appoint her. category-justice-system
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Scott Walker, Legislature altering Wisconsin’s way of protecting natural resources“Governor Walker believes it’s possible to protect our clean air, clean land, and clean water while enacting policies that improve our business climate and spur economic growth,” Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said in a statement. But critics say Wisconsin’s natural resources are increasingly at risk as government moves away from a conservation tradition dating back to the 1920s, when academics and other citizens were placed in charge of restoring forests and wildlife that had been plundered by commercial interests while politicians looked the other way. Walker’s DNR secretary is Cathy Stepp, a former Republican state senator and critic of the agency. Pat Stevens, former environmental director for WMC, was placed in charge of air and waste regulation. Water quality protection was added to his division in the reorganization. Stepp declined interview requests, but in August she said that while protecting researchers from political pressure is key, senior scientist positions were being shed because the DNR Bureau of Science Services had run afoul of elected officials. “We want to make sure that research that’s going on is answering the questions our regulators on the ground have or our biologists on the ground have or our user groups and interested citizens have,” Stepp said in an interview with WisconsinEye. “That hasn’t been the case in the past. “We’ve seen a pretty sound response from the Legislature during this last budget process on some things that they saw that happened historically in that particular area of the department that they were unhappy about, and they wanted to send a message to us, (which) is, you know, ‘Get your researchers in better line with what their constituents are telling them, the legislators,’ and we’re going to do that.” Stepp said an example was a science bureau compilation of scientific literature on environmental effects of mines while a controversial iron mine was being developed in 2014. category-clean-air
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Scott Walker’s presidential race exit might propel conservative agendaThe collapse of Gov. Scott Walker’s presidential campaign could actually propel conservative legislation in Wisconsin over the next several months. From ending all public money to Planned Parenthood to allowing state retailers to sell goods at cost or at a loss, lawmakers are considering proposals that conservatives have sought to pass in Wisconsin for years. Bills before the Legislature this fall could put new limits on biomedical research and remake the state’s ethics and elections agency. The controversial bills could match scientists against activists opposed to abortion and big Wisconsin retailers like Kwik Trip of La Crosse against far bigger players such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. For Republicans in Wisconsin, Walker’s unsuccessful national race and low poll numbers at home don’t necessarily spell a setback for their priorities. The past two weeks have refocused the governor’s attention on the state and his conservative legacy here after months in which GOP lawmakers took the lead in the Statehouse. category-president-2016
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UNSPUN: September 23, 2015One Wisconsin Now's Scot Ross and Republican politico Bill McCoshen discuss the hows and whys of Gov. Scott Walker's failed bid for president.
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Walker commits to finishing term, passing on cabinet post"Isn't Walker claiming he plans to serve his full term now eerily similar to his earlier claim?" asked Mike Browne of the liberal group One Wisconsin.
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What now? Scott Walker returns to Wisconsin after failing on the national stage“Scott Walker was quickly exposed as a career politician who will say and do anything to try and win an election and this year, the GOP primary voters aren't interested in drinking that shandy,” said One Wisconsin Now executive director Scot Ross. “When faced with a real choice, Republicans voters choose, literally, anyone but Scott Walker. It's not the first time Walker's left a primary early that he couldn't win. He'll be back. Campaign politics is all he knows.”
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Report: Scott Walker to announce he’ll drop out of presidential race Monday in Madison"Scott Walker was quickly exposed as a career politician who will say and do anything to try and win an election and this year, the GOP primary voters aren't interested in drinking that shandy," said One Wisconsin Now executive director Scot Ross. "When faced with a real choice, Republicans voters choose, literally, anyone but Scott Walker. It's not the first time Walker's left a primary early that he couldn't win. He'll be back. Campaign politics is all he knows."
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Walker Drops Presidential Bid , Should ApologizeA terrific start to Scott Walker’s post-presidential candidate schedule would be an apology to the people of Wisconsin for the harm he’s done to our state to advance his own political ambitions.
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Gov. Walker to Drop Presidential BidMedia reports indicate Gov. Scott Walker will announce today he is ending his run for the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary after the most recent national polls have found the one-time front runner at 0% support among voters. category-president-2016
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Gov. Walker to Double Down With Attacks on Working People in Las Vegas SpeechSinking in the national polls, the bumbling campaign of onetime frontrunner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, is preparing to double down with renewed attacks on working people. Career politician Walker’s desperate bid to remain competitive on the backs of the middle class and working people will be unveiled in a Monday speech in Las Vegas Nevada, hometown of anti-union, Walker mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. category-president-2016
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What Happened the Last Time Gov. Scott Walker ‘Wreaked Havoc’?In the latest rebranding of Gov. Scott Walker’s flailing campaign for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination the career politician is promising he will be “wreaking havoc” in Washington, D.C. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that Wisconsin has already experienced Walker’s brand of havoc, and has been left with unprecedented political division, a stagnant economy with falling wages and decresed investments in priorities like public education. category-politics
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UNSPUN: September 09, 2015One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross made his regular appearance on UNSPUN for a discussion about Governor Walker's poll numbers and Hillary Clinton coming to Wisconsin.
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Scott Walker, in elected office since age 25, says he’s not a career politicianGov. Scott Walker denies he’s a career politician — even though he has been in elected office since he was 25 years old and first ran for office when he was 22.
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Scott Walker says he’s a ‘public servant,’ denies being a career politicianWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who has been in elected office for about 22 years, denies being a career politician -- instead saying he's a "public servant."
"A career politician, in my mind, is somebody who's been in Congress for 25 years," Walker, 47, told CNBC in an interview released Tuesday.
Walker first ran for office in 1990 when he was just 22 years old, but lost a state Assembly race to now U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee).
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Five ‘Legitimate Ideas’ Gov. Scott Walker Ought to Consider On His Next Trip Home to WisconsinIn a weekend talk show appearance, the increasingly desperate and embarrassing campaign of Scott Walker for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination hit a new low as he opined building a fence along the 5,525 mile long United States - Canada border is a “legitimate idea.” One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross today suggested five other ideas Walker ought to consider legitimate as part of his day job where he ostensibly still serves as governor of the state of Wisconsin. category-president-2016
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G.O.P. Candidates Take Aim at China as U.S. Markets TumbleMike Browne, deputy executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal group that has been critical of the governor, noted that Mr. Walker has not canceled the mission. “He’s paying so little attention to Wisconsin he probably doesn’t know about it, so it would be fun to hear his response.”
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Ten Things That Do Not Intimidate ‘Unintimidated’ Wisconsin Gov. Scott WalkerWith the poll numbers for his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in free fall, former front-runner Gov. Scott Walker is desperately searching for a way to continue his 22 year career as a politician. It appears the Walker gang has decided to fall back on casting a Governor who divided Wisconsin as never before, stripped 175,000 employees of workplace rights and left the state last in the Midwest on jobs as a victim, as unintimidated by those who would question his effectiveness and his record. category-politics
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Questions remain about Scott Walker’s ‘Unintimidated’ book deal"Scott Walker hid the details of his book deal for two years and now we know why," said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. "Every time his campaign arms buy or pitch his book, it puts money right into his personal bank account."
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Walker scores big with Koch brothers, other wealthy donors in informal pollLiberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, which opposes school vouchers, described the makeup of the task force as being “packed” with voucher supporters, executive director Scot Ross said in a statement. The group pointed to $20,000 in campaign contributions that went to the GOP members of the committee from pro-voucher groups.
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Scott Walker saves his punches for Hillary Clinton in first GOP debateMair noted that Walker was on the low end, in terms of time allocated to speak. "He did quite a bit with very little," she said. But Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, argued the opposite. "Scott Walker's always been willing to say anything to get elected, but tonight, he was willing to say nothing to get elected," Ross said.
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Will Scott Walker set himself apart in the GOP debate? He might not have toThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now also took issue with Walker's "fresh face" pitch, arguing that he has, in fact, held elected office much longer than Clinton did.
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‘He’s on his way out’: Panelists discuss effect of Scott Walker’s presidential bid on Wisconsin“It goes all the way back to his very first budget,” said Jenni Dye, research director at One Wisconsin Now, a liberal advocacy group. “Because one of his favorite things to talk about now is that he defunded Planned Parenthood.”
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Walker campaign raised $5.9 million; Our American Revival $6.2; Unintimidated PAC $20 millionGov. Scott Walker and a pair of groups supporting his presidential run have reported raising about $32 million so far this year. Nearly $5.9 million of that total was raised by a state committee, Friends of Scott Walker, which has financed his gubernatorial races in Wisconsin. Walker reported his campaign's money, raised during the first six months of 2015, to state election officials on Monday.
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Top adviser says Walker running as a ‘uniter’In that same survey, 62 percent of respondents said they did not want Walker to run for president. “If you look at the polls, the longer Walker runs for president, the more Wisconsin seems united against it,” said Scot Ross, director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
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Walker’s Odd Line in Sand with TrumpGov. Scott Walker’s recent tame rebuke of Donald Trump’s reprehensible comments about Republican Sen. John McCain’s military service comes after Walker took nearly $500,000 from Bob Perry, the architect of the notorious “Swift Boat” campaign smearing the military service of Purple Heart winner John Kerry. One Wisconsin Now today called on Walker to return the Perry money to the late Republican’s family. category-campaign-fundraising
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As Scott Walker’s presidential campaign hits the road, Las Vegas is the first stopShortly before the 2014 election, Adelson gave $650,000 to the Republican Party of Wisconsin. The Adelsons also gave $280,000 directly to Walker’s campaign between the 2012 recall election and the 2014 campaign. Progressive groups such as One Wisconsin Now want to highlight those ties. The group released a statement Monday with a Nevada progressive group, Battle Born Progress, dubbing Walker “Adelson’s Lapdog.” “Sheldon Adelson has more than rolled the dice with Scott Walker, he’s gone all in,” said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now.
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Is Governor Scott Walker Betting on Support From Right-Wing Casino Magnate With Latest Las Vegas Jaunt?Leaving behind the state of which he is ostensibly still governor, Scott Walker is off in pursuit of his next political ambition, the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. But his first stop after officially announcing his candidacy is not a traditional state such as Iowa or New Hampshire but Las Vegas, Nevada. Scot Ross, Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now and Annette Magnus, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress, questioned if Walker’s travel is motivated by a desire for the financial backing of right-wing casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. category-political-allies
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Least Surprising Announcement of the Day: Career Politician Governor Scott Walker Running for OfficeToday career politician Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker makes formal his run for President. Over twenty-two years in public office, Walker has amassed a staggering record of cronyism, corruption and incompetence. One Wisconsin Now has released a compendium of research, The Scott Walker Files, documenting his long political career and including in-depth reports on the right-wing Bradley Foundation run by his campaign chair and the millionaires and billionaires who’ve funded his political ambitions and additional features like “Ten Things You May Not Know About Scott Walker” and “Walker’s World” documenting the many reality-defying statements of Scott Walker. category-politics
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Scott Walker’s war with unions a likely boon for fundraising in GOP race“He will do or say anything to win an election. 2014 is in his rearview mirror. He’s looking at the presidency, and he’s making a different calculation now,” Mike Browne, deputy director of the progressive group One Wisconsin Now, told Al Jazeera in February. “And that’s to appeal to right-wing millionaires and billionaires versus serving the people of Wisconsin.”
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Scott Walker Heads Into 2016 Race With Wins on Gun Sales, Union Dues“I don’t know what that says about him, other than he can’t be trusted,” said Mike Browne, deputy executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a group that typically opposes Walker’s policies. “He has proven that he will do or say anything to win his next election.”
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Bradley Foundation plays key role in setting stage for Scott Walker presidential run"The Bradley Foundation millions have bought Scott Walker an insurance policy from criticism by the intellectual right," said Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal advocacy group.
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Before Walker run, a conservative foundation set the stageAn $800 million foundation with Milwaukee roots bankrolled Walker's future conservative allies. "The Bradley Foundation millions have bought Scott Walker an insurance policy from criticism by the intellectual right," said Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal advocacy group.
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Rep. Chris Taylor says Gov. Scott Walker’s budget filled with mistakesDemocrats (and a few Republicans) have complained about a variety of matters in the budget, and said the package was poorly prepared. Such complaints were raised in a news release issued the day before work on the budget began in the Joint Finance Committee. The Democrats on the committee complained that lawmakers were given a "last minute error document" that ran 110 pages. "Drafting errors may happen, but I highly doubt that 110 pages and millions of dollars’ worth of mistakes and unintended consequences are anything but the product of an extremely distracted Governor not putting his home state first," state Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) said in a news release issued by the Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee...Compared with recent budgets, the errata report from the Department of Administration for the 2015-’17, dated April 15, 2015, budget made more corrections -- about 110 by our count -- than those in the past several budgets... That’s at least $20 million in cleaned up mistakes.
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Scott Walker’s Iowa moment continues with fundraisersIf you ask Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, Walker is not that candidate. “He has always operated in a system by which he looks for the next highest office,” Ross told reporters at the Iowa Capitol on Friday. “From his election night speech in 2014, where he mentioned Washington as many times as he mentioned Wisconsin, and then weeks later he was down here beginning his campaign for president … It’s unfortunate, because Scott Walker puts his political future ahead of the people of Wisconsin every time, and I guess we’ll have to see how the people of Iowa respond to what has been an administration of nothing more than cronyism, corruption and incompetence.”
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Democrats offer counter messages to GOP candidates in Iowa this weekend“I’ve been reading some of the coverage of Governor Walker coming down, coming over to Iowa to talk to folks about his record here in the state of Wisconsin and I think there is a real disconnect between what Governor Walker’s purporting his record is and what the reality is,” said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now. Ross accused Walker of being “all about the next election” and quickly shifting to a presidential campaign soon after he won reelection to a second term as Wisconsin’s governor this past November.
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The Foundations of Scott Walker’s Agenda: Bradley and KochWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker touts himself as purveyor of big, bold ideas for the public good in his pursuit of the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination. But according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, Walker has instead advanced his own political career by pledging allegiance on pet issues for major right-wing funders the Bradley Foundation, run by his gubernatorial campaign co-chair Michael Grebe, and the Koch family foundations of notorious right-wing billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker pushes candidate boundaries, from 2012 recall to 2016 presidential electionJenni Dye, attorney and research director for the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, suggested... having the recall effort launched by a Republican to trigger unlimited fundraising doesn't jibe with Walker's narrative as a victim of 'Big Labor' and 'big government special interests,' she said. "It's also another example of how the Walker GOP machine has been willing to twist and bend the real purposes of our laws in whatever way benefits him politically," Dye said.
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Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Owes Sears Up to $50,000: Report"Both Walker's household and the deficit-laden state of Wisconsin under his purview are spending far more than they bring in," said Scot Ross of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, according to The Daily Beast. "Seems Scott Walker might want to change his slogan to 'Do as I say, not as I do.' "
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Twenty-Five Years of School Privatization, Twenty-Five Years of FailureOut-of-state backers of the failed 25-year school privatization racket will be descending upon Madison today for what will likely be among many events designed to “commemorate” the quarter-century failed school privatization experiment in Wisconsin. The event is being hosted by the Federalist Society with a featured speaker from the Goldwater Institute, both of which have received huge financial support from the pro-privatization Bradley Foundation, which is headed by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign co-chair, Michael Grebe. category-budget
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Koch Brothers Support Koch Loyalist Scott Walker in Race for 2016 GOP Presidential NominationIn what may be one of the least surprising endorsements thus far in the race for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination, billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch have said they favor Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that Walker has been a long-time Koch brothers loyalist, dating back to a 2008 loyalty pledge to support the notorious brothers animus to efforts to halt climate change that could impact their business empire’s bottom line. category-climate-change
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Wisconsin Walker’s shopping tale doesn’t mention taxpayer millions“If you look at the Walker record, it has been cuts to infrastructure like public education to fund a trickle-down economic agenda that hasn’t worked,” said Mike Browne, deputy executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal-leaning group.
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Inside Scott Walker’s Secret Brain TrustScot Ross, who heads One Wisconsin Now, calls MacIver “a propaganda factory for the failed Walker policies that have put Wisconsin near the bottom of the Midwest in job creation.”
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Diving Into The Dark Money Of Scott Walker’s Bradley Foundation Donors“The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is not simply a conservative, public interest law firm. It is a virtual extension of the political apparatus surrounding Gov. Scott Walker, engaging in ‘issue litigation’ to advance and protect his interests.”
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Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now featured on Capitol City SundayOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross was featured on WKOW's Capitol City Sunday to talk wiith Greg Neumann about Gov. Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel.
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Walker says it’s not “unreasonable” to prohibit state employee from working on climate changeWhile Walker did not directly vote on the matter, his office issued a statement indicating the policy was not “unreasonable.” “A small Wisconsin agency that manages thousands of acres of state land has banned its 10 employees from working on climate change issues while on the job. The measure was passed by a 2-to-1 vote on Tuesday during a board meeting of the Republican-controlled agency, the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which manages more than $1 billion in trust assets, including 77,000 acres of land, mostly in heavily forested northern Wisconsin…Laurel Patrick, a spokeswoman for the Republican governor, said in an email that “Generally, Governor Walker does not think it is unreasonable to enact policies requiring board staff to focus on board-related activities.”
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Fighting the Affordable Care Act is a priority for WalkerOn his first day as governor of Wisconsin, Walker authorized a state lawsuit challenging Obama's signature health care law and, in part because of the success of states' legal challenges to the federal Affordable Care Act, later opted not to use federal money under that law to expand state health programs. category-affordable-care-act
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Walker Proposed Stripping Natural Resources Board of Its AuthorityThe move met broad opposition, including from all living former DNR Secretaries. “In an unprecedented letter of unity, all six former living Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources secretaries have endorsed that the Natural Resources Board should retain its current authority over the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.The former secretaries’ careers span 36 years of leadership from 1975 through 2011; they include secretaries who served under both Republican and Democratic governors, and served as both board-appointed and governor-appointed…The letter stated: ‘The state budget that is presently before the Joint Finance Committee proposes to change state law by removing the decision-making authority of the Natural Resources Board and making it solely advisory to the Department of Natural Resources Secretary. We all agree that the Natural Resources Board should be retained as the decision-making body for the Department of Natural Resources. As presently constituted the board provides immeasurable value for Wisconsin citizens and the natural resources of the state.’” (Note: The Joint Finance Committee removed Walker’s proposed change from the budget.)
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Walker has said he will “push back” on any pressure for governors to fix Obamacare should the Supreme Court rule against subsidies for states that have not set up their own exchangeIn an interview last week with radio host Charlie Sykes, this exchange happened:
SYKES: You may have a major decision coming up in a few months. If the Supreme Court rules in this King v. Burwell case that nobody in Wisconsin can continue to receive federal Obamacare subsidies, there is going to be tremendous pressure on Republican governors — including you — to create a state exchange. What are you gonna do? Do you have contingency plans in place? WALKER: We’re gonna push back. This is a problem that was created by this president and the Congress that was in the majority at that time. There’s gonna be incredible pressure — we heard it about a month and a half ago when I was at the White House with all the other governors from across the country. The president doesn’t have a fallback plan. But this is not something the state created. This is something the federal government — this president and the Congress created. They’ve gotta come up with a solution.Blaming post-King chaos on Obama and Democrats will obviously be the first thing GOP governors like Walker try to do. But Democrats don’t control Congress anymore. And according to law professor Nicholas Bagley, who has taken a close look at the administration’s options for a forthcoming legal paper, there is little Obama can do on his own. “The Obama administration has no good options for picking up the pieces after an adverse ruling in King,” Bagley tells me. “It can probably make it slightly easier for states to establish their own exchanges and it might even be able to treat some federally facilitated exchanges as state-based exchanges. But, even under the most optimistic scenario, millions of people will still lose their health coverage and the insurance markets in many states will collapse. The notion that the administration has the unilateral authority to restore tax credits nationwide is just wrong.” What this means is that, if Walker really is going to demand that the “federal government” fix the problem, that would mean demanding that Congressional Republicans participate in any such fix. The post-King mess could be particularly acute in Wisconsin: Because of a decision Walker made to shift people from Medicaid to subsidized private insurance, significantly more people may be on subsidies than otherwise might have been, meaning Walker could be on the political hook for the mess. Some 185,000 Wisconsinites qualify for subsidies.” category-health-care
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Scott Walker has spent most of life planted firmly in middle classScot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said for the past two decades Walker has gotten a public salary, some $1.75 million in all, not counting the generous pension and health benefits. He said Walker policies such as cutting tax credits for low-income families and essentially eliminating state income taxes for manufacturers have benefited the wealthy, not ordinary workers.
"It hasn't made him rich," Ross said of Walker's public salary. "So it should have given him more appreciation for the challenges middle-class families and the poor have."
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Audio Reveals Walker’s ‘April Fool’ on Campaign Finance LawsAudio from an Iowa event in March reveals Gov. Scott Walker joking with the crowd about his effort to evade campaign finance laws, while he rakes in potentially unlimited personal and corporate contributions to his sham fundraising operation while traveling the country on the presidential campaign trail without officially declaring his candidacy for president. category-president-2016
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GOP Trying to Cover Their Tracks, Limit Disclosure on Sources of Big Campaign DonationsEarlier this week it was revealed Wisconsin’s richest man gave a secret $1.5 million donation to a group supporting Gov. Scott Walker before $1.8 million in tax breaks were approved for his business. Mere days later state legislative Republicans are circulating a proposal to hide even more information on the sources of their campaign cash. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker allowed state to contest & appeal marriage ruling, resulting in state ultimately owing $1.1 million to the ACLU in legal feesThe State of Wisconsin's unsuccessful court battle to prevent gay marriage will cost taxpayers more than $1 million, under an agreement released Friday. State Attorney General Brad Schimel, a Republican, and attorneys for eight gay and lesbian couples reached the agreement after the couples successfully sued to overturn the state's 2006 constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The couples were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, which sought $1.25 million to cover its costs because the couples prevailed in their lawsuit. Ultimately, the ACLU will receive nearly $1.1 million, under the stipulation released Friday...Gov. Scott Walker, one of the defendants, and then-Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, both Republicans, opposed the same-sex plaintiffs at every level of the federal court system, he said. "The state never seemed to appreciate how much taxpayer money is expended on this type of litigation in which it was pretty clear from the outset that Wisconsin was going to lose," Tobias said.
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Scott Walker hits the campaign trail armed with what works (for him)What really irritates two of Walker’s regular and most vocal critics — the state Democratic party and the liberal group One Wisconsin Now — is that it didn’t take Walker long after winning a second term as governor to pivot toward winning a first term as president.
Prior to November’s Election Day, Walker was “utterly and completely dishonest about his intentions,” said One Wisconsin Now executive director Scot Ross.
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Walker Continues Campaign Against Obamacare, Despite Facts“Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, in the lead-up to an expected presidential bid, is continuing a push to align himself with the most conservative elements of the Republican Party, writing in an email to supporters on Monday that the United States should move forward with “bold conservative reforms to improve health care,” in place of the Affordable Care Act. The ACA, despite concerted efforts by congressional Republicans and GOP-controlled state legislatures to undermine the law, has added 16.4 million people to health insurance rolls since October 2013. Walker’s email, written on the five-year anniversary of the ACA, also known as Obamacare, lambasts the health-care reform law and President Obama (emphasis his):Obamacare gets a failing grade and for once…just once…I wish President Obama would admit that he was wrong. We told him so but he refused to listen.President Obama is turning the most advanced and successful healthcare system in the world upside down.Five years into this policy debacle, the American people are saying, “So Far, So Bad.” The facts tell a different story. Not only have millions of citizens gained access to health insurance, but hospital costs have shot down by 20 percent across all states, and by 26 percent in states that have expanded Medicaid—a key element of President Obama’s health-care law. category-affordable-care-act
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Not-So-Sweet Sixteen Highlights the Lowlights of Gov. Scott Walker’s Deceit, Cronyism, Corruption and IncompetenceIf after the first round of college men’s basketball tournament games you’re thinking your brackets are looking bad, cheer up. One Wisconsin Now has unveiled their own “sweet sixteen”, highlighting the not-so-sweet deceit, cronyism and corruption and incompetence of Gov. Scott Walker’s tenure that puts even the ugliest tournament bracket to shame. category-cronyism
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Will Senate GOP Rubber-Stamp Appointment of Gov. Walker Political Crony?The treasurer of the political group formed by Gov. Scott Walker to employ his presidential campaign staff in waiting is before the Wisconsin State Senate today for a confirmation vote on his appointment to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority Board. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross raised serious concerns about having someone associated with Gov. Walker’s political operation currently in the processing of shaking down donors across the nation overseeing. category-campaign-fundraising
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One Wisconsin Now Issues Walker Warning for New HampshireOne Wisconsin Now is warning New Hampshire voters to beware this weekend when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker visits to audition for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. Behind Walker’s rhetoric of economic recovery and courageous, principled action is a trail of deceit, cronyism, corruption and incompetence that includes a sagging state economy, mismanaged budgets, criminal investigations and payoffs to special interests – topped off with politically expedient flip-flops pandering to the most extreme Tea Party wing of the GOP. category-president-2016
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One Wisconsin Now’s Walker Warning To AmericaThe progressive group One Wisconsin Now has collected more data on Scott Walker than any other organization and it has a warning to the people of New Hampshire and America about Wisconsin union-busting Governor Scott Walker. Behind Walker’s rhetoric is “a trail of deceit, cronyism, corruption and incompetence.”
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While Gov. Walker is Away, Legislators Will PlayAs Gov. Scott Walker criss-crosses the country auditioning for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination instead of doing the job he was elected to do, fellow Republican legislators are running amok. The latest incident involves GOP Rep. Michael Schraa offering a tour of “off limits” parts of the Capitol, including the Governor’s office, in possible violation of state law. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker hit from left, right for evolution on key issuesIn four mere months since his last election, Gov. Walker has reversed his public position to pander to the most extreme Tea Party elements in the nation on immigration, abortion, workplace rights and ethanol in service of his personal political ambitions
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Right-wing CPAC reels in presidential hopefuls“Gov. Walker has shown time and again that he will do and say anything to get elected,” said Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now. “Apparently that includes labeling teachers, nurses, firefighters or anyone from Wisconsin who disagrees with his agenda as a terrorist. His comments are an insult to the hard-working Wisconsinites who love their state and their country and are exercising their rights as Americans to disagree with their government.”
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Column: Will Scott Walker flip-flop on ethanol at Iowa Ag Summit?Just because he has a long-standing position on renewable fuel standards won’t stop him from saying whatever he thinks he needs to say now try to win an election.
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Flip Flop Alert: Will Walker’s Views on Ethanol ‘Evolve’ for Trip to Iowa Ag Summit?Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has consistently opposed ethanol fuel requirements as a state legislator, Milwaukee County Executive and gubernatorial candidate. But in his audition for the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination Walker has made well publicized flip flops and panders on issues like immigration, labor rights and abortion. As Gov. Walker travels to Iowa on Saturday to speak at the Iowa Ag Summit the question is, will his views on ethanol ‘evolve’? category-president-2016
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GOP-Controlled Committee Puts Special Interests Funded by Gov. Scott Walker’s Campaign Co-Chair at Front of the Line While Shutting Out Wisconsin FamiliesSeven groups that received funding from the Bradley Foundation, run by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign co-chair, were at the head of the line to have their say at yesterday’s public hearing on a wrong for Wisconsin right to work law. Meanwhile a large numbers of Wisconsin citizens who would be hurt by the law and waited all day to have their say were denied their right to speak when the committee chair abruptly ended the hearing. category-labor
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on Senate Passage of ‘Wrong for Wisconsin’ Right-to-Work BillThe following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross upon passage of Senate Bill 44: category-labor
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Unions, liberal groups suggest ALEC connection to Wis. right-to-work billWhile union leaders focused their criticisms on ALEC, the liberal group One Wisconsin Now tied the right-to-work push to the conservative Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation. An OWN review of federal tax records found in 2012 and 2013, the Bradley Foundation gave $8 million to support about three dozen groups that supported right-to-work policies, including ALEC.
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Following the money behind ‘right-to-work’With hearings and protests taking place on “right-to-work” legislation, the watchdog group One Wisconsin Now released research on the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, headed by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign co-chair.
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One Wisconsin Now Research Reveals Gov. Walker Campaign Co-Chair as Major Financier of Propaganda Campaign Paving Way for Wrong For Wisconsin Right to Work LawLate last week, while traveling out of state, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker dropped his pre-November 2014 election charade of opposition to a right to work law that could cut the average Wisconsin family’s wages by over $5,000 per year. One Wisconsin Now’s research of the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, headed by Gov. Walker’s campaign co-chair, reveals the stage has been set for Walker’s latest assault on Wisconsin’s middle class for his personal political benefit with a well-financed propaganda campaign utilizing a nationwide web of front groups. category-labor
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Gov. Walker’s Profile in Cowardice on the ‘Wrong for Wisconsin’ Right to Work Law Provides Preview for NationWith the announcement that a “Wrong for Wisconsin” right to work bill is about to be rammed through the state legislature, the nation is starting to learn what Wisconsin already knows: Gov. Scott Walker will say and do anything to get elected. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that before the November 2014 election Walker said he was not interested in a right to work law that lowers workers' wages by an average of up to $6,000. But, post-election, presidential candidate Walker quickly announced he would sign just such a measure if it reaches his desk. category-ethics
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Private School Voucher Industry Keeps Giving Big Campaign Cash, Keeps Getting Special Treatment from Gov. Walker and GOP LegislatureAccording to the latest round of campaign finance filings, individuals associated with the private school voucher industry kept busy filling the campaign coffers of Gov. Walker and others, even after Election Day. According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross their donations are already paying off handsomely in the 2015 legislative session. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker has repeatedly refused to accept federal Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin, hurting low-income workers and women“The state would stay the course and turn down federal money to expand Wisconsin's health programs for the needy, under Gov. Scott Walker's 2015 budget proposal....In 2013, the Republican governor rejected taking federal incentives to expand the state's Medicaid programs, saying the deal risked entangling the state in exponentially growing future costs. Democrats say that Walker's approach means that state taxpayers today are paying more to cover fewer people in the BadgerCare Plus health plan. At the heart of the issue lies the question of how Wisconsin should handle the federal Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, which sought to persuade states to add health coverage by promising to pay all of their short-term and most of their long-term costs to do so. Walker has declined that offer, part of his strategy to limit the state's involvement in the Affordable Care Act, and his 2015-'17 budget proposal would continue that approach.
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Refusal to accept Medicaid expansion comes with a real cost to those pushed off Badgercare by Walker’s plan“As of last fall, BadgerCare had added about 97,500 adults without children who were below this cutoff of 100% of the federal poverty level, with state taxpayers covering a little more than 40% of the cost and federal money paying the rest. Meanwhile, the state has dropped about 57,000 adults from BadgerCare with incomes between 100% and 133% of the poverty level. The governor said in 2013 that the great majority of those adults losing their BadgerCare would receive subsidized coverage by buying it on the private market or through an online federal marketplace created under the health care law. So far, only about one in three has done that.” category-conservative-values
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Behold the Group Dogging Scott Walker’s Every Move"I suspect there is nobody who has more information on Scott Walker than we do," said Mike Browne, the group's deputy executive director, sitting a few feet from a bullhorn used in 2011 during a period when up to 100,000 protested at the state capitol. The group's leaders and research are routinely quoted by Wisconsin media.
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Scott Walker, the Wisconsin Idea and the race for 2016"GOP primary voters don't reject the notion that public education is a public good that creates jobs and opportunity," said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. "The legislative records shows he lied, and his opponents will do what they can behind the scenes to let the media in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and the Beltway know what we in Wisconsin already know: That Scott Walker is politics incarnate and he'll say and do anything to get elected."
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Scott Walker’s Budget Deficit Keeps Getting Worse as He Campaigns in Iowa and California.The highly respected and nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) released new projections showing that Wisconsin is ending its current budget with a $283 million deficit, more than twice what Walker’s aides said it would be just a few months ago. And Wisconsin is heading into a $2.2 billion deficit in its next budget cycle if Walker grants all of his state agency requests. Even if he doesn’t, Wisconsin will still have a $648 million hole in the next budget just to continue operating as it does now. Walker’s $283 million deficit is so big that it should trigger a budget repair bill, argued Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Schilling (D-La Crosse), but the Walker administration doesn’t seem to be interested in proposing one. State law requires a balanced budget at the end of every cycle and a budget repair bill changes current spending to uphold the law. Walker should know that—almost immediately after taking office in 2011 he proposed one and it was his 2011 budget repair bill that included the union-busting provisions that sparked massive Capitol protests and made Walker the darling of billionaire tea party guys. Not surprisingly, Walker is trying to hush up the budget shortfalls created on his watch. Walker may be a fresh face in Iowa and California as he makes a case for himself as the Republican presidential nominee. However, his ideas are the same old failed policies of giving massive tax breaks to the rich, weakening the middle class and ending up with larger and larger budget deficits. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker makes his case to Iowa conservatives, says he’ll be back ‘many more times’One Wisconsin Now noted that Walker had timed the announcement of his plan to drug test applicants for public aid and his decision to reject a proposed Kenosha casino both in the week before his Iowa appearance.
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“Scott Walker is politics incarnate”Scot Ross released this statement about the Governor's trip to Iowa: "Scott Walker is politics incarnate. He's been running for office his entire adult life, and has spent about 75% of it in elected office."
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Liberal activists hurl insults at Iowa-bound RepublicansScot Ross of One Wisconsin Now zapped Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, pegging him as a career politician who's spent "75 percent of his adult life in office."
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Leaving His Job in Wisconsin Behind Gov. Walker Hits the Presidential Campaign TrailWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is on the campaign trail for a new job this weekend. Before jetting off to California to meet with the right-wing billionaire Koch brothers he’s making a stop in Iowa to address Tea Party Republican Rep. Steve King’s Freedom Summit. category-president-2016
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Gov. Walker Jetting Off to California, Again.Leaving behind Wisconsin and work on a state budget facing a multi-billion dollar deficit, Gov. Scott Walker is off to California for the second time in as many weeks, this time seeking the support of the ultra-wealthy right-wing power broker Koch brothers in his quest for the GOP presidential nomination. category-president-2016
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Democrats slam Scott Walker’s presidential dreams after State of the StateThe governor had planned to travel Wisconsin on Wednesday in a State of the State tour, but an email obtained by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now showed that the trip was canceled.
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During 2014 Campaign, Walker Promised to Serve Full Term as GovernorHis continued interest in exploring a 2016 presidential bid prompted a question at the Oct. 10, 2014 gubernatorial debate: Would he promise to serve a full term if re-elected? He said he was "committed" to the position and planned to be in the job for the full four years. Some media saw that as a pledge, while others saw it as something just short of that. We think many listeners likely heard it as a promise, and we’ll treat it as such. category-president-2016
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John Doe emails: ‘Dark side’ was code for Scott Walker campaignScott Walker’s Milwaukee County staff had a code name for his gubernatorial campaign with which they secretly coordinated strategy and messaging nearly every day: “the dark side.” [...] Most of the correspondence involves routine county business, but many of the messages were sent using private email accounts. County staff also used private emails to conduct campaign business and communicate with Walker and his campaign staff, sometimes during regular working hours. In one email from September 2009 with the subject line “county vs. dark side,” Walker’s county spokeswoman, Fran McLaughlin, warned Walker chief of staff Tom Nardelli and campaign manager Keith Gilkes about not crossing the two email systems. “I think a REALLY STRONG reminder needs to go out to everyone on the list that NO emails from the dark side can be forwarded to our county email addresses or to other county employees,” McLaughlin wrote, describing how one employee had forwarded an email to a county employee that included email addresses for Gilkes and Walker campaign adviser R.J. Johnson. “My receiving isn’t illegal — and while she sent it on her own time — there should never be a connection.” “You are correct and I will make a point with Scott that he be very sensitive to what he is forwarding and copying as well,” Gilkes responded. “I share the exact same concern and what (sic) to make sure we keep absolute separation.” “Scott is fully aware,” Nardelli replied. “It’s others who must adhered (sic) to the rule. Scott and all of us have to be constantly aware and reminded of this concern.” category-ethics
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Fundraising component of Walker inauguration draws liberal criticismThe liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now was critical of Walker's decision to give proceeds to the state party rather than donate them to charity. It dubbed the event a "pay to pray" fundraiser, a nod to the $25 prayer breakfast. "Scott Walker has one foot out the door for a 2016 run for the GOP nomination for president. It’s all politics all the time for him," said One Wisconsin Now executive director Scot Ross. "One shudders to think what Gov. Walker will do with a $70 billion state budget when he’s willing to require a political donation to ice skate or pray with him." "The Republican Party of Wisconsin isn't being inaugurated and the idea Wisconsinites have to donate to a political party to participate in activities like this is another disgraceful example of a governor whose only concern is partisan political politics," Ross continued. Ross said it was "reprehensible" that Walker recently had a "photo op" with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County when the group won't receive any inaugural celebration proceeds. category-campaign-fundraising
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The Best Defense Money Can Buy: Parties Involved in Criminal Investigation of Campaign Collusion Spent Millions to Help Elect Court Majority That Could Hear CasesThe Wisconsin Supreme Court, with Justice Ann Walsh Bradley abstaining, has voted to hear several appeals related to the criminal investigation of collusion between the campaign of Gov. Scott Walker and outside groups. According to news reports, one of the appellants whose case the court has voted to hear is R.J. Johnson, a paid political consultant for Gov. Walker who also directed the Club for Growth (CFG) Wisconsin, a group that spent millions to help elect Walker and several of the justices voting to hear the case. category-campaign-fundraising
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The political pitfalls of cultural crossover: Scott Walker editionIn an undated letter unearthed by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now during the August release of documents from the first of two John Doe investigations related to the governor, Walker responded to a letter from Milwaukee attorney and chairman of the Wisconsin Center District Franklyn Gimbel... The letter is signed, "Thank you again and Molotov."
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Walker Administration Breaks New Fundraising Ground With “Pay to Pray” Inaugural EventTo commemorate the gubernatorial inauguration Wisconsinites will have the chance to ice skate, party and pray with Gov. Walker – if they’re willing to donate to the Republican Party of Wisconsin (RPW). According to the official website for the inauguration, events are open to the public but tickets ranging from $25 to $1,000 must be purchased from the state GOP. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker continues to court Sheldon Adelson’s support in Las VegasBut the courtship dance began months ago and Gov. Scott Walker is continuing his endeavors to woo casino mogul Sheldon Adelson — most recently with a dinner in Las Vegas. The mega-donor — who poured more than $92 million on behalf of Republicans into the run-up of the 2012 presidential election — is scheduled to host a dinner with Walker and top party donors, the Washington Post reported. Adelson's political adviser confirmed to the Associated Press that the two would meet and Walker's campaign spokeswoman told the AP the governor is in Las Vegas for "public and private events." category-campaign-fundraising
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‘Right-to-Work’ Backer Cites Bradley Foundation-Funded Junk Science to Justify Attack on Middle Class Wages and Workplace SafetyA Republican state legislator who says he will introduce a controversial, so-called “right-to-work” bill is basing his case in part on statistics produced by a right-wing group that receives significant support from the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the source for statistics being cited by the presumptive bill author, has raked in nearly $500,000 over the last decade from the Bradley Foundation. category-education
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Conservative group will push to make Wisconsin a right-to-work state"It's the same playbook from four years ago that tore Wisconsin apart: Gov. Walker says anything to get re-elected and now he and his Republican front groups are ready to launch a frontal assault on Wisconsin's middle class working women and men," said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
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Right-to-work group launches after governor, legislators say issue not a priority“It’s the same playbook from four years ago that tore Wisconsin apart,” Ross said in a statement. “Gov. Walker says anything to get elected and now he and his Republican front groups are ready to launch a frontal assault on Wisconsin’s middle class working women and men.”
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2015 Wisconsin State Budget Preview: $70 Billion-Plus Scott Walker 2016 Campaign AdWhat does the all but announced campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination of Gov. Scott Walker mean for the upcoming state budget? Based on the comments and actions of the yet-to-be-inaugurated for a new term Wisconsin Governor, the two-year $70 billion plus taxing and spending plan will serve as a glorified 2016 campaign ad. category-president-2016
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Under Gov. Walker Those Who Give, Get: Hill Farms EditionIn the weeks before the November 4 election, the Walker administration attempted to quietly solicit bids to redevelop the Hills Farms state office complex in Madison. category-campaign-fundraising
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State Government The Wisconsin GOP Way: Those Who Give, Get and Those That Don’t, Don’tLess than twenty-four hours after the polls closed in the November 4 general election, Assembly GOP Speaker Robin Vos and Gov. Scott Walker called for a dramatically expanded private school voucher program in Wisconsin, financed with public tax dollars. According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, a news report revealing the pro-voucher group spent nearly $1 million in the fall campaigns and $4.5 million in Wisconsin since 2010 shows why it’s no coincidence that an expansion of the unaccountable taxpayer financed voucher program is on the short list of GOP legislative priorities. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker 2016: Well, That Didn’t Take LongDespite telling Wisconsin voters prior to the November 4 election that if elected his plan was to, “serve as governor for the next four years,” Gov. Scott Walker made a national television appearance on Sunday, a mere five days after election day, in which he very clearly touted himself as 2016 presidential timber. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that Walker’s weekend presidential posturing follows his election night speech in which he made mention of “Washington” as frequently as “Wisconsin.” category-president-2016
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Mentions of ‘Washington’ Equal ‘Wisconsin’ in Gov. Walker’s Election Night SpeechIn his election night speech after narrowly being re-elected Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker mentioned “Washington” as much as “Wisconsin”. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted Walker's eleven-minute speech in which he mentioned Wisconsin ten times, Washington nine times and America twelve times was a stunning display that Wisconsin's Governor has already moved on to his next electoral objective. category-president-2016
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Campaign Finance Records Reveal Out-of-State Special Interests Funneling Support for Gov. Walker Through In-State Big Business LobbyAccording to campaign finance filings, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) political action committee appears to have shifted tactics and has been funneling their television advertising support for Gov. Scott Walker through the state big business lobby, the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC). The most recent reports from the RGA show their Right Direction Wisconsin PAC sent $840,000 to WMC in just over one week in mid-October. Previously the RGA was sponsoring express advocacy TV ads urging support for Gov. Walker in their own name. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Scott Walker’s Campaign Co-Chair’s Fingerprints on Latest Political Hit Job to Try to Maintain Power for Gov. WalkerThe fingerprints of the Wisconsin Money Badger Michael Grebe, Gov. Walker’s campaign co-chair and head of the $500 million right-wing Bradley Foundation, are all over the latest sleazy political smear launched against Walker’s opponent just six days before the election. A review of IRS records and Bradley Foundation reports reveals they have provided significant financial support for the media outlet that first reported on the smear, along with funneling millions to other groups working to advance the political interests of Gov. Walker. category-campaign-fundraising
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Wisconsin Minimum Wage, Maximum Student Debt Tour Counters Walker Bus StopsU.S. Army Veteran and University of Wisconsin-Waukesha student Saul Newton will counter Gov. Scott Walker's bus tour today with his own “Wisconsin Minimum Wage, Maximum Student Debt Tour.” In contrast to Walker's lavish campaign bus and hefty $650,000 contribution from out-of-state billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, Newton will meet the Walker bus in a 2011 Jeep Liberty he borrowed from his girlfriend. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker scores big PAC donations after limits lifted“Half of the $80 million Scott Walker's raised comes from outside of Wisconsin, and we all remember when he when flew to Las Vegas, hat in hand, to beg Sheldon Adelson for his support,” said Scot Ross.
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The War for Wisconsin Heats UpBill Clinton joins the fray in the tight race for governor in Wisconsin, as incumbent Scott Walker and contender Mary Burke face off. NBC’s Chris Todd and Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now Scot Ross explain why the stakes are high.
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In 2010, Scott Walker’s campaign sought to keep IBM ‘happy’Liberal group One Wisconsin Now accused Walker of “hypocrisy” because he was copied on those emails while at the same time promising on the campaign trail to “restore Wisconsin’s reputation for clean and honest government through transparency in the state contracting process.”
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Walker Ad Can’t Hide Failing Record on Higher Ed, Student Loan DebtIn a deceptive new ad, the flailing campaign of Gov. Scott Walker is trying to whitewash his disastrous record on student loan debt and higher education. Speaking directly to camera, Walker ignores the fact students are paying $200 million in higher tuition as result of hikes he signed into law. Also unmentioned by Walker is that he’s stood in the way of a first in the nation state plan plan that would allow many of Wisconsin’s more than 800,000 student loan borrowers to refinance their loans, just like you can a mortgage. category-campaign-fundraising
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The Latest Scott Walker Bald-Faced, Hair-Raising DissembleGov. Scott Walker, who has spent every single day of his time as governor under investigation and who has refused to disclose who financed more than $500,000 in legal fees as part of the criminal investigation involving some of his closest allies, is now even telling stories about the cause of his hair loss. category-political-style
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Gov. Walker’s Work Problem: Showing Up For It.A news report, based on an analysis by One Wisconsin Now of Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign reimbursements for his use of state vehicles, reveals Wisconsin’s chief executive has spent at least one full year on the campaign trail. As Governor, Walker has the use of a state vehicle, driven by a State Patrol Trooper at all times. Based on a review of open records, Walker’s campaign reimbursed the state for at least 365 instances of travel because Walker used the car for political activity. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker puts miles on state vehicles for job — and campaigning“The people of Wisconsin are paying Walker's salary to work for them, but for over a year of his time in office, he has been on the campaign trail working only for his own political ambitions,” One Wisconsin research director Jenni Dye said. “He is repeatedly putting his own political interests before doing what is right for Wisconsin or even being on the job as governor.”
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College Republicans Not the Only Allies of Gov. Walker Saying “Yes to the Dress”College Republicans have produced a series of bizarre ads ostensibly intended to help embattled GOP governors, reportedly including Scott Walker in Wisconsin, appeal to women voters. The ads, based on the TV program “Say Yes to the Dress,” equate casting a vote for governor with picking out a dress. According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, College Republicans aren’t the only allies of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with sexist opinions about women and their dress. category-political-allies
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Lt. Gov. Kleefisch Hosts Schimel Fundraiser After DA Refused to Investigate Husband’s ‘Pay-to-Play’ AllegationsMonths after refusing to investigate Republican Rep. Joel Kleefisch, husband of Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, for allegations Rep. Kleefisch wrote a specific piece of legislation to benefit a compare donor to himself, his wife and Gov. Scott Walker, Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel will benefit from a fundraiser hosted today by the Lieutenant Governor at the Tory Lake Club in Oconomowoc. category-ethics
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5.5 Million Plus Reasons Why Scott Walker’s Ethics Reform Plan Was a LieIn an “Ethics Reform Plan” Scott Walker proposed while running for Governor, he promised he would not accept contributions from the date of his inauguration until the signing of the state budget. A review of Gov. Scott Walker's campaign finance records by One Wisconsin Now shows that for each budget he introduced between January 1 and the date the budget was signed into law he raised nearly $5.6 million from 54,000 contributions. category-campaign-fundraising
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#TBT Eight Million Reasons Four WI Supreme Court Justices Must Recuse in Walker-John Doe CaseA reminder from April 14 of how four of seven Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices owe their current elected position to the millions of dollars in spending in their races by the Wisconsin Club for Growth and Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce. Gov. Scott Walker has previously asked the appeal of the Peterson ruling go directly to the state Supreme Court. category-campaign-fundraising
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NRA to Gov. Walker: ‘Thanks a Million’The National Rifle Association is trying to revive the flailing campaign of Gov. Scott Walker by placing a $1 million television buy for the next month in several markets around Wisconsin. The $1 million buy covers markets in La Crosse, Green Bay and Wausau. category-campaign-fundraising
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Emails Show Walker Involved in 2010 Voter Intimidation Billboard Campaign ContentThen-Milwaukee County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker directed his assistant administrator to “please help him out,” after being asked by Stephen Einhorn for information that was ultimately used in dozens of voter intimidation billboards that were placed around Milwaukee in the weeks leading up to Walker’s election as governor. category-campaign-fundraising
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Lawsuit challenging teacher contracts politically motivated, says One WI NowA lawsuit accusing the Madison School Board of engaging in illegal collective bargaining to the detriment of children and taxpayers was filed by a Milwaukee-based conservative legal group that is a “front” for Gov. Scott Walker, says the director of a Madison progressive advocacy group.
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Executive behind voter fraud billboards sought Scott Walker adviceA venture fund manager consulted with then-Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker about state and federal voting laws in 2010, just weeks before the businessman began posting controversial ads on billboards in Milwaukee that warned "Voter Fraud is a Felony." "Scott, I need to know the rules for illegal voting in Wisconsin," Stephen Einhorn wrote in an email on July 22, 2010. "Please check into the rules, including federal statutes. I need to know what the law is, if you violate it." Einhorn continued, "I need this for some work that I am doing, and would appreciate your prompt response." Walker forwarded the email to Cheryl Berdan, an assistant administrator in his office with the instructions, "Please help him out."... Einhorn and his wife, Nancy, have given Walker $50,350 over the past decade, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Michael Grebe, head of the Bradley Foundation and Walker's campaign chairman, has acknowledged that the foundation helped underwrite the cost of the billboards in Walker's 2010 race through a $10,000 grant to the Einhorn Foundation. Einhorn said his foundation received the money from the Bradley Foundation after the billboards had already been posted. Previously, Einhorn said he footed the bill for the 2012 race.
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Court to hear arguments on secret Scott Walker investigation“Throughout his 20 year political career Gov. Walker has refused responsibility for his actions or to be held accountable for his bad decisions,” Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director, told msnbc. “Tuesdays court hearing will determine if the pursuit of truth and enforcement of Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws applies to Gov. Walker.”
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A Guide to Gov. Walker’s Education Policy: Follow the MoneyWhile studies of the voucher program have failed to demonstrate higher achievement for students, pandering to the voucher industry has been lucrative for career politician Scott Walker’s campaign account. According to One Wisconsin Now executive Director Scot Ross that may account for Gov. Walker’s call yesterday to further expand the unaccountable private school voucher program. category-campaign-fundraising
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Bradley Foundation’s WILL: Counsel for Walker’s DefenseThe right-wing “public interest” law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) and a legal expert who have raked in at least $1.75 million from the Bradley Foundation, run by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign co-chair Michael Grebe, are entering the fray to try to help Gov. Walker out of his most recent legal jam. WILL announced yesterday they are seeking to file an amicus brief to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that a John Doe criminal investigation of alleged collusion between the campaign of Gov. Walker and outside groups should be halted. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker Reacts to Falling Poll Numbers By Accusing Media of ‘Bias,’ ‘Incompetence,’ ‘Being Lazy’A faltering Gov. Scott Walker took to right wing radio Thursday to deliver a blistering attack against state and national media for his latest troubles, complaining to Hugh Hewitt, “it’s hard to tell in between is it bias or is it incompetence, or is it just being lazy…In many of these cases, it may be all of the above.” category-jobs
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Two Weeks After Gov. Walker’s WEDC Approves Ashley $6 Million Tax Break, Ashley Owners Gave Walker $20,000Just two weeks after Gov. Scott Walker’s Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) “quietly” approved a $6 million tax break for Ashley Furniture, the company’s owner, chairman and their two spouses each made $5,000 contributions for a total of $20,000 to Walker’s campaign, according to campaign finance reports reviewed by One Wisconsin Now. category-political-favors
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Gov. Walker Can’t Dispute Facts of One Wisconsin Now WEDC ReportThe increasingly desperate campaign of Gov. Scott Walker hastily convened a press conference yesterday to dispute the undeniable facts that his policies and administration have been an utter failure on job creation. As Walker’s campaign spin machine shifts into high gear, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that the facts remain a majority of state economic development funds doled out by the Wisconsin Economic Development went corporations whose owners and employees contributed $1.2 million to Gov. Walker and the most comprehensive survey on job creation shows Wisconsin trails neighboring states and the national average. category-250000-jobs-promise
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They’re Back: Wealthy Private School Voucher Boosters Fill GOP Politicians’ Campaign CoffersAn analysis of recently filed campaign finance reports by One Wisconsin Now has found supporters of private school vouchers from across the country are dropping big donations on Wisconsin politicians in recent months, including over $113,000 to Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. In total, voucher supporters pumped over $175,000 plus into Republican politician’s campaign coffers in just the first six months of 2014. category-campaign-fundraising
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Corporate Special Interests, Gov. Walker Buy Supreme Court Victory Over Workers, VotersToday’s state Supreme Court decisions supporting Gov. Scott Walker’s attacks on workers and voters were spearheaded by a four-member majority bloc that was elected through $8 million in spending by two of Walker’s biggest special interest supporters – Wisconsin Club for Growth and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. category-campaign-fundraising
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Latest Finance Report Shows Walker Took Another $167,000 from Businesses That Got WEDC FundsA review of Gov. Scott Walker’s most recent campaign finance report reveals he continues to reap a windfall of campaign donations, nearly $167,000 in just the last six months, from individuals associated with state businesses getting tax breaks, loans and grants through his Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). The latest information comes on the heels of a report from One Wisconsin Now that found Gov. Walker’s WEDC doled out 60 percent of its economic development funds to businesses donating $1 million to Walker’s campaign. category-campaign-fundraising
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Outsourcing’s new frontier: Scott Walker’s campaign ads“Gov. Walker is so committed to outsourcing that's he's even outsourcing stock footage jobs overseas,” said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. category-jobs
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Gov. Walker’s Cross Country Cash Grab Rolls OnIn his campaign finance report filed today, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker reports an astounding 56 percent of his campaign’s cash grab comes from individuals and special interest groups from outside of Wisconsin — $4.5 million. Since 2009 Walker has raked in over $33 million, roughly 51 percent, of his campaign cash from individuals and special interest groups in states other than the ones he ostensibly represents. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker’s Campaign Launches Political Attack on a Successful International Corporation Based in Wisconsin that Provides 1,000 JobsIn his latest negative television ad, Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign attacks Trek Bicycles - an international company, headquartered in Wisconsin and employing 1,000 state residents. According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, this is just the latest example of the Governor putting his political self-interest before progress on Wisconsin jobs. category-jobs
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Where There’s a WILL, There’s a Way… to Promote Gov. Walker’s Best InterestsThe Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is not simply a conservative, public interest law firm. It is a virtual extension of the political apparatus surrounding Gov. Scott Walker, engaging in ‘issue litigation’ to advance and protect his interests. category-affordable-care-act
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Walker Television Attack Ignores Corruption, Cronyism, Incompetence of His Privatized Commerce DepartmentGov. Scott Walker’s campaign today announced a new negative television blitz against former Wisconsin Commerce Secretary and business leader Mary Burke. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross ripped career politician Scott Walker for attempting to “swift boat” his opponent while refusing to answer questions raised by a One Wisconsin Now report showing not only is his privatized Commerce Department (WEDC) failing to deliver promised jobs, but that 60 percent of taxpayer-financed aid – a staggering $570 million – went to donors to Walker’s campaign. category-campaign-fundraising
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Will State Big Business Lobby Answer the Question, Is Gov. Walker Still Doing It?Contained in hundreds of pages of recently unsealed John Doe investigation court documents is information about the participation of the state big business lobby, the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), in a scheme termed “criminal” by prosecutors orchestrated by Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign. Since the release of the documents, Walker has refused to say if he’s still doing it in the lead up to his November election. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross today called on WMC to come clean about its involvement in the scheme. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Scott Walker Still Refuses to Answer the Simple Question: Is He Still Doing It?While Gov. Walker refuses to answer if he continues to direct a scheme to avoid Wisconsin campaign laws described as “criminal” by a Republican prosecutor, perhaps others know the answer. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross suggested Walker’s campaign co-chair, the right-wing mega-funder Bradley Foundation’s chief Michael Grebe, might have the answer. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker Accused of Illegal FundraisingCourt documents from the latest John Doe criminal investigation of Gov. Walker reveal he was at the center of what was described as a national “criminal scheme” to evade campaign laws. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said there is one simple question Gov. Walker must answer as his 2014 and beyond campaigns heats up: “Are you still doing it?”
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Seceding from the Union or Providing Relief from Student Loan Debt Crisis: Which is Better for the Wisconsin Economy?At their state party convention this year, Wisconsin Republicans engaged in a well-publicized debate over a party platform resolution authorizing the state to secede from the union. Democrats meanwhile are set to take on serious economic issues, like what to do about the $1.2 trillion student loan debt crisis that ensnares 40 million Americans, including an estimated nearly 1 million Wisconsinites, at their party convention this weekend. category-higher-education
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One Wisconsin Now Slams Gov. Walker on Capitol City SundayScot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, isn't buying Walker's answer. “There's something there,” said Ross. “All this discussion about a settlement comes after there's been discussion about the records being made public from the investigation and I think that's what he fears the most.”
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Who is the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Working For?A report released today by One Wisconsin Now analyzing state funds distributed by the quasi-private Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), created by Gov. Scott Walker, raises serious questions about who is really benefitting. The report found that owners or employees of 30 percent of businesses receiving WEDC assistance contributed to Gov. Walker's campaign or the Republican Governors Association (RGA). Meanwhile these same businesses received almost 60 percent of WEDC economic development funds - $570 million in total. category-campaign-fundraising
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Right-Wing Special Interests Drop Big Bucks on TV to Prop Up Gov. Walker, AgainWith a statewide public opinion poll released last week showing Gov. Walker tied with his Democratic opponent in the lead up to the November elections, Walker’s right-wing allies are again taking to the airwaves to boost his sagging electoral fortunes. Media reports quote a spokesperson for the notorious right-wing Koch brothers subsidized Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF), a tax deductible non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, saying the group will spend at least $866,000 on media, including television and radio ads in the coming weeks. category-jobs
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Is Gov. Scott Walker’s Book Deal Legal?Gov. Scott Walker has, according to his state ethics filing, received more than $1,000 in compensation for “writing” a book. But how much more? According to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, Walker’s refusal to fully disclose the details of his book deal prevents the state ethics officials and the public from determining if Gov. Walker is complying with the state law that prohibits officials from unfairly using their public office for private gain. category-campaign-fundraising
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One Wisconsin Now Calls for Feds to Deploy Election Observers in Wisconsin for November 2014 ElectionIn a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, One Wisconsin Now is requesting the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) send observers to Wisconsin for the November 2014 General Election. Federal DOJ election observers were previously in the state in 2012, and One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross cited recent law changes and the state GOP's record of animus towards select groups of voters in requesting their presence again. category-voter-rights
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Gov. Walker’s Administration Continues Secrecy with WisconsinitesGovernor Scott Walker continues engaging in a pattern of secrecy with the public he was elected to serve. His administration recently refused to fulfill a simple request for email communications between the Governor and his chief of staff. In Milwaukee County, Scott Walker's administration went to great lengths to limit public scrutiny of its conduct of government business. It went so far as to try to evade the state open records law with a secret computer network for communications between Walker and his top staff. category-open-records
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Walker doesn’t disclose total book payment“This report shows Gov. Walker continues to keep secret from the people of Wisconsin both the details of how much he personally enriched himself for his lucrative pre-presidential campaign book deal, as well as who financed his criminal defense fund,” said Scot Ross, director of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. “Given the corruption, cronyism and incompetence surrounding his administration, the people deserve much more information than what Gov. Walker has shielded from public scrutiny.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Has the Republican Governors Association Hit the Panic Button?According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a media firm that has already purchased $2 million in television airtime this year on behalf of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) has reserved another nearly $2 million worth of time in the final weeks before the November election. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said the latest influx of out-of-state campaign cash looks like part of an increasingly desperate attempt to prop up Gov. Scott Walker by the special interest funded RGA. category-campaign-fundraising
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Legal Filings Show Walker Ousted GAB Chair After Board’s Unanimous Vote to Proceed with John Doe InvestigationJust released filings related to the ongoing John Doe investigation into allegations of illegal coordination between Gov. Scott Walker's campaign and a host of conservative organizations show Gov. Walker withdrew his own 2011 appointment of then-Government Accountability Board Chair David Deininger following a unanimous vote by the board to proceed with an investigation of the allegations. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker’s Tax Day Record: Failure on $80 Million ‘Higher Ed, Lower Debt’ Tax Relief PlanWith Gov. Scott Walker using “Tax Day” to announce his re-election campaign, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross railed against Walker for “his stunning lack of leadership” related to the stalled Higher Ed, Lower Debt student loan relief bill, which provides more than $80 million in annual tax relief for the state's student loan borrowers, according to the non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau. category-campaign-fundraising
category-higher-education
category-student-loan-debt
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Eight Million Reasons Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices Should Recuse on Walker Request to Hear Corruption InvestigationOne Wisconsin Now has filed a formal letter with the seven justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, urging four of the court's justices to recuse themselves from a legal request by the campaign of Gov. Scott Walker related to the ongoing John Doe investigation surrounding allegations of illegal coordination between Republican-aligned groups during the recall of Walker. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker signs early-voting bill; partial veto slightly extended voting hours from legislative versionActing out of the public eye on controversial measures, Gov. Scott Walker signed asbestos liability legislation Thursday opposed by a number of veterans groups and used a partial veto to loosen new restrictions on early voting opposed by Democrats. Wielding his pen privately on a stack of 31 bills, Walker approved a number of elections bills Thursday, including the absentee voting measure and another one to give lobbyists more time to give campaign donations to state officials. In the early-voting measure, Walker used his partial veto powers — the most powerful in the nation — to nix language restricting early voting hours in Milwaukee and other cities to 45 hours a week while leaving in place a provision to prohibit early voting on weekends. Democrats and Milwaukee officials have decried those voting limits as the latest effort by the GOP to make it harder for minorities, veterans, the elderly and students to vote, saying it amounted to "fixing elections" rather than problems. category-early-voting
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Emails show Walker campaign manager successfully delayed Milwaukee County settlement with parents of woman who starved to death at Walker overseen County mental health complexInstructions from Scott Walker's campaign manager were explicit: Delay settlement of a long-standing legal case over the starvation-relateddeath of Cindy Anczak at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex. "Could care less what it is on," Walker campaign manager Keith Gilkes wrote in an Oct. 22, 2010, email exchange with a Walker aide at the county, referring to the claim's legal basis. "Keep it buried until Nov. 2nd and then hopefully they'll settle." Walker went on to win his term as governor that Nov. 2. Anczak's parents, Jean and Myron Anczak of Greendale, would wait another full year before the county approved a $125,000 settlement. The emails were part of thousands released last week in an appeal by Kelly Rindfleisch of her 2012 felony conviction for misconduct in office. Rindfleisch was Walker's deputy chief of staff during his last year as county executive. category-doe
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GOP ad buy for Walker tops $1 million, liberal group sayScot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin, said Republicans donors have “pressed the panic button” on Walker's campaign. ”(Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce's) million dollar buy didn’t move the needle,” Ross said, referring to another recent ad supporting Walker. “And so now RGA is doing the dirty work and spending in Wisconsin before they've dumped money practically anywhere else in the country.” category-political-allies
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Email dump makes political hurdles for WalkerWalker has long denied knowledge of illegal activities within his office and was not charged in the investigation, but “[the emails] raise serious questions about his ethics and trustworthiness as a politician and public official,” Mike Brown, deputy director of One Wisconsin Now, a progressive group in the state, told msnbc. “Beyond the criminal convictions, we’re really getting a picture of Governor Walker’s character, and it’s not a pretty one.”
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Newly disclosed emails reveal racist jokes by Scott Walker’s ex-aidesEven while arguing for racial outreach from his party, Gov. Scott Walker has had to deal with recent disclosures of racially charged statements from aides, with the latest two examples coming Wednesday in a massive dump of unsealed court documents….Unlike past cases, the newest examples coming to light Wednesday in the unsealed documents involved Walker staff members who served as his No. 1 and No. 2 aides while he served as Milwaukee County executive. In April 2010, Walker's former deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch received an emailed joke from a friend about someone whose dogs supposedly qualified for welfare because they are "mixed in color, unemployed, lazy, can't speak English and have no frigging clue who their Daddys are." Rindfleisch wrote back: "That is hilarious. And so true!"...In another email, sent in July 2010, Thomas Nardelli, Walker's chief of staff for Walker at Milwaukee County, forwarded Rindfleisch and others a joke about someone who has what he calls a "nightmare" about turning into a black, Jewish, disabled gay man who is unemployed. category-political-style
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United Sportsmen seeks exemption from penalty for faulty tax filingsScot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said United Sportsmen's sole source of funding appeared to be a conservative political group and that its main spending went to a GOP campaign consultant. “It is clear, based on their track record, that had United Sportsmen gotten state funding as envisioned by Governor Walker and Republican legislative leaders, this would have been a publicly funded campaign organ of the GOP,” Ross said. category-cronyism
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Gov. Walker Set to Travel to Nebraska to Campaign For a ‘Friend’Media reports from Omaha, Nebraska say Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be traveling there on January 27th to campaign on behalf of Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Ricketts. Ricketts is a multi-millionaire with a reported distaste for paying his fair share of taxes. He ran a largely self-funded and unsuccessful, campaign for U.S. Senate in 2006 and, along with other members of his family, donated $420,000 to help defeat the 2012 recall of Gov. Walker. category-campaign-fundraising
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UNSPUN: January 15, 2014One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross appeared on UNSPUN to discuss Gov. Scott Walker's upcoming State of the State FAIL, and the scandal orbiting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
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One Wisconsin Now Calls For Investigation of Rep. Kleefisch’s Attempt to Slash Child Support Payments For Major Campaign ContributorThe whole affair of Rep. Joel Kleefisch drafting a bill at the direction of a major campaign contributor to slash his child support payments with a change in state law reeks of impropriety. One Wisconsin Now today requested Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel open an investigation to determine if Kleefisch broke any laws with his actions. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker’s Health Care Plan Kicked 77,000 adults off the Badgercare ProgramLegislation approved by Walker and GOP lawmakers requires some 77,000 adults in BadgerCare with incomes above the poverty line — $23,550 for a family of four — to be dropped from that state Medicaid coverage....Democrats note that some GOP governors have extended Medicaid coverage more broadly in their states by taking extra federal money available for that health program under the law. Expanding coverage in that way would save the state up to $119 million through June 2015, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.Elizabeth Schinderle, a spokeswoman for CMS in Chicago, made the same point Thursday. "This policy is unfortunately not the long-term solution we would like to see. As a result of the governor's decision to not expand Medicaid coverage, many people in Wisconsin will not have access to affordable coverage because of state-imposed limits on enrollment. We urge Wisconsin to fix this avoidable gap in coverage by expanding Medicaid and taking advantage of generous federal funding," she said in an email. category-health-care
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“Public Input” Walker Style: Administration Shutting Out Media and Public From Invite Only Meetings With Big Business to Talk Tax PolicyWhile claiming they will seek public input for an unspecified new scheme on state taxes, the administration of Gov. Walker is barring the media and general public from invite only, closed door meetings between top state officials and big business representatives. category-political-style
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One Wisconsin Now to Gov. Walker: “Governor, Tear Down Your Wall of Secrecy”Gov. Walker is publicizing multiple “forums” across the state where, at his direction, top administration officials talk tax policy changes with big business representatives. At the first stop in Beloit that featured Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, the Secretary of the Department of Revenue and business representatives, Kleefisch order the meeting closed to the public and media. Kleefisch has also refused to release a recording of the proceedings made by a taxpayer funded member of her staff. category-jobs
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One Wisconsin Now Says: “Don’t Be a Scrooge!”In the wake of Gov. Walker's recent, controversial campaign e-mail encouraging contributions to him instead of buying holiday presents for children, One Wisconsin Now is offering a special deal for tickets to its progressive holiday party and 8th anniversary celebration in Madison, December 16. Attendees who bring a new, unopened toy to donate will receive $10 off the regular $25 admission ticket to the event, which will feature special guest, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker aide fired after tweets demeaning HispanicsFor the second time in less than four months, Gov. Scott Walker has fired an aide for making demeaning comments about Hispanics on social media. Walker — who has been calling on fellow Republicans to do more to reach out to minority voters — ousted Taylor Palmisano as his campaign’s deputy finance director on Tuesday. The first-term governor made the move after No Quarter contacted his campaign regarding the inflammatory tweets. In one, Palmisano, 23, complained about an individual who was doing custodial work in a library in which she was working. "I will choke that illegal mex cleaning in the library. Stop banging (expletive) chairs around and turn off your Walkman," she posted on March 9, 2011. Two months earlier, she went to Twitter to write about her bus trip from Pasadena, Calif., to Las Vegas after watching the Wisconsin Badgersplay in the Rose Bowl: "This bus is my worst (expletive) nightmare Nobody speaks English & these ppl dont know how 2 control their kids #only3morehours #illegalaliens.” category-personnel-issues
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Will Scott Walker Run in 2016?Scot Ross from One Wisconsin Now joins the MHP panel to discuss Governor Scott Walker and his potential 2016 plans.
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One Wisconsin Now Responds to Public Release of Gov. Walker’s BookThe following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross regarding the public release of Gov. Scott Walker's book today: category-politics
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Wisconsin Ensnared in $83 Million National Propaganda and Privatization Web Spun by Radical Right-Wing Funders“S is For Shill,” a new report from One Wisconsin Now, in association with the ProgressNow network and the Center for Media and Democracy, exposes a web of right-wing funders advancing a radical privatization agenda through the use of Wisconsin-based front groups. In addition to support from the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, headed by Gov. Walker's campaign co-chair Michael Grebe, innocuously named groups like the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI) and the MacIver Institute are part of the larger State Policy Network (SPN), a right-wing, dark money funded pro-privatization propaganda effort. category-education
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Assembly GOP Attempts to Resuscitate Voter ID LawThe latest attempt by legislative Republicans to resuscitate a voter ID law that would potentially disenfranchise an estimated 300,000 legal Wisconsin voters was considered by the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections today. The previous voter ID law enacted by Gov. Walker and the GOP is currently enjoined from enforcement by a state court and is the subject of ongoing federal and state litigation. category-campaign-fundraising
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Latest Enrollment Statistics Expose Unaccountable Private School Voucher Expansion ScamThe state Department of Public Instruction today released official enrollment counts for students in the expanded private school voucher program. Nearly 80% of students participating in the program this year did not attend a Wisconsin public school last year, and over 73% of students now having their tuition and expenses paid by a taxpayer funded voucher were already attending a private school last year. The following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross regarding the data: category-education
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Governor Walker to Big Business Lobby: ‘Thanks a Million’Gov. Walker is in Wisconsin for the day and was scheduled to address a meeting of the state big business lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), amid reports they are extending their pro-Walker television ad buy into mid-October. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross wondered whether Gov. Walker would thank the special interests for their latest spending spree to boost his sagging political fortunes. category-campaign-fundraising
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United Sportsmen Official Offered Free Two-Day Fishing Excursion to Author of Sweetheart DealThe author of a sweetheart deal worth potentially millions of dollars for a politically-connected organization was offered a free, two-day Lake Michigan fishing excursion by the lobbyist and Executive Director for the group, according to a story in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. One Wisconsin Now has filed a formal complaint with the state Government Accountability Board asking for an investigation of possible violations of state ethics laws based on the report, according Executive Director Scot Ross. category-environment
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Corporate Pals at WMC Drop Another $440,000 to Prop Up Gov. Walker’s Plummeting Poll NumbersThe big business special interest lobby at Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has now bought over $800,000 in deceptive television advertisements to boost the sagging poll numbers of Gov. Scott Walker. After dropping $380,000 two weeks ago, WMC has upped its spending another $440,000 as part of a statewide television campaign for the next two weeks, according to figures obtained by One Wisconsin Now. category-political-allies
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While Gov. Scott Walker Jets to New York to Hob Nob With Billionaires to Pursue Presidential Ambitions, Low Income Wisconsinites Getting Notices They’re Losing Their HealthcareToday Gov. Scott Walker “jets” to New York to attend a fundraiser, hosted by Woody Johnson, billionaire owner of the New York Jets football team, for the benefit of the Republican National Committee. Meanwhile back in Wisconsin, news outlets are reporting that the Walker administration is mailing letters to approximately 92,000 Wisconsin citizens notifying them that, because of provisions in his 2013-15 state budget, they will be losing their state BadgerCare health insurance. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Claims Ignorance On Sweetheart Deal for Group That Endorsed HimAs part of his 2013-15 state budget Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a provision directing a $500,000 taxpayer funded grant to United Sportsmen of Wisconsin, a group that endorsed him in his 2012 recall election. category-political-allies
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One Wisconsin Now to Join ‘Public Education Is a Civil Right’ March, RallyOne Wisconsin Now will join public education supporters from across the state at Saturday's 'Public Education Is a Civil Right' march and rally beginning at Milwaukee High School at 10:30 a.m. One Wisconsin Now research has shown that the systematic assault on our public schools owes much of its support to tens of millions of dollars given to pro-privatization propaganda by Milwaukee's Bradley Foundation, headed by Gov. Scott Walker's campaign co-chair Michael Grebe. category-education
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Top GOP Legislator on Gov. Walker’s Sleazy United Sportsmen Deal: ‘The Process Has Worked’Almost daily new revelations have raised serious questions about the propriety and legality of Gov. Walker and Republican legislators inclusion of a sweetheart deal in the state budget that would have given $500,000 of taxpayer money to a group that endorsed Walker in his recall election. In the face of mounting questions and rising public outrage, Gov. Walker stopped payment on the first installment of the grant to United Sportsmen, after he signed it into law and it was approved by his administration. category-campaign-fundraising
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New Developments In United Sportsmen Scandal Greet Gov. Walker Upon Return to Wisconsin From Latest Political JunketAccording to a campaign spokesperson, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be arriving back in the state today from a trip to the key GOP 2016 presidential primary state of South Carolina. While in the state for a short week before he jets off to Michigan for the weekend for another political appearance, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross called on Walker to answer questions about the sweetheart deal to send state tax dollars to a partisan political front group that endorsed him in his recall election. category-environment
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Air Walker, Frequent FlyerGov. Walker has ditched the brown bag and four-door Saturn featured in his 2010 campaign ads for state taxpayer funded airplane travel, according to a report this week in the Shepherd Express. The paper's review of Gov. Walker's travel records found that between January and July 2013 Walker used state planes to fly between his hometown of Wauwatosa and neighboring Milwaukee to Madison 44 times. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scandal Surrounding Gov. Walker’s Attempt to Reward Political Allies DeepensThe scandal surrounding Gov. Walker's attempt to reward an organization that endorsed him in his 2012 recall election with $500,000 in state tax dollars in the 2013-15 budget continues to grow. Breaking news reports today reveal that the group in question may in fact be a for-profit corporation that received at least $235,000 in income in 2011, courtesy of the right-wing Citizens for a Strong America. Yet according to information from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, there is no record of the United Sportsmen of Wisconsin filing a tax return or paying any income taxes for 2011 or 2012. category-environment
category-mining
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Gov. Walker on Line One: Wisconsin Gov. Phones Home From Political Junket in Washington State to Cancel Sleazy DealA $500,000 taxpayer funded state grant to United Sportsmen of Wisconsin has generated increasing controversy over the last several weeks as serious questions were raised about how the grant process was rigged to make sure it went to a politically connected GOP front group and the trustworthiness of the organization. category-environment
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Gov. Walker Jets to Seattle, Washington For Speech… Meanwhile in Wisconsin Over 6,100 Citizens Demand He Follow Campaign Fundraising Disclosure RulesAccording to reports, Gov. Walker has reversed course and will allow media to attend a speech he's delivering to a right-wing think tank in Seattle, Washington today. While he's not hiding from the press on the West Coast, back home in Wisconsin, over 6,100 citizens have signed a petition to the Government Accountability Board calling on them to sanction Gov. Walker for failing to disclose, as required by law, information about his campaign donors. category-campaign-fundraising
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Could State Grant to GOP ‘Outdoor’ Group Be Used to Help Boost Republican Political Campaigns?Could a state grant slipped into the budget by the former Assembly Majority Leader, signed into law by Gov. Walker and rushed through the approval process by the Walker administration be used to help support partisan political activity? A loophole inserted into the budget provision authorizing the grant and the track record of the group in line to reap $500,000 in taxpayer dollars over the next two years certainly raises the possibility, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. category-voter-rights
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Questions for Gov. Walker and Assembly Majority Leader Mount as Committee Approves Grant for Politically Connected Special Interest GroupDespite mounting questions and growing evidence that top Republican leaders went to great lengths to ensure a taxpayer funded grant went to a politically connected special interest group, the grant was approved on Thursday. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross lambasted the approval of the grant in light of the burgeoning scandal surrounding the provision creating the program in the 2013 state budget. category-voter-rights
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Will Gov. Walker Share Anti-Voter Tips on Alabama Visit?In announcing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker would travel to Alabama as he continues his “stealth campaign” for the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2016, that state's Republican party touted his “Alabama values.” One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross wondered if Walker will also share tips from Wisconsin on his efforts to manipulate the rules on voting to benefit himself politically. category-voter-rights
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Private School Voucher Scam: 75% of Applicants for Statewide Expansion of Taxpayer Funded Private School Vouchers Not Currently Attending Public SchoolsThe state Department of Public Instruction today released information on the number of new schools and students applying for the statewide expansion of the private school voucher program enacted by Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans in the 2013-15 state budget. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said the statistics about where the students applying for the program previously attended school expose the voucher program as a scam on state taxpayers, orchestrated by well-funded education privatization forces. category-education
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Walker campaign draws disclosure complaintLiberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now is hoping its latest complaint against Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign gets more traction than the last one. category-campaign-fundraising
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DOT official likens illegal immigrants to Satan, then quickly firedIn a stunning online rant, a top Gov. Scott Walker official likened illegal immigrants to Satan during a Facebook debate over a bumper sticker declaring open season on foreigners living in the United States without documentation. "You may see Jesus when you look at them," Steven Krieser, assistant deputy secretary at the state Department of Transportation, wrote Tuesday regarding illegal immigrants. "I see Satan." Krieser wrote that a "stream of wretched criminals" is crossing the border without obstruction. These individuals, he said, "completely ruined" entire states and industries, breeding "the animus that many American citizens feel toward them." Walker's response was swift and dramatic. Less than two hours after his office was informed of the rant, Walker fired Krieser. He had been paid $96,628 a year as the No. 3 official at DOT. category-political-style
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One Wisconsin Now Files Complaint as Gov. Walker Fails to Disclose Legally Required Information for 240 Donations on Latest Campaign Finance ReportGov. Scott Walker's latest campaign finance filing fails to disclose employment information, as required by state law, for 240 large contributions, according to an analysis by One Wisconsin Now. Going back to 2009, when Walker began his run for Governor in earnest, his reports have failed to disclose legally required employer information for 7,512 big money donors giving over $100 totaling $2,330,197.98 in contributions. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker personally oversaw response to O’Donnell Park tragedy, he and his team put political concerns firstGov. Scott Walker worked simultaneously with his campaign staff and county aides in coordinating responses to media inquiries, open records requests and news stories about the 2010 O'Donnell Park tragedy, according to newly released emails. The records show that Walker was integrally involved in the efforts to challenge any negative publicity after a concrete panel fell from the Milwaukee County-owned O'Donnell parking structure, killing a 15-year-old boy on June 24, 2010, on his way to Summerfest. The incident occurred in the middle of the 2010 gubernatorial campaign. ”It is disgusting that anyone would use a tragedy for such blatant political purposes," Walker wrote in a draft statement that he sent on July 20, 2010, to a small circle of campaign and county staff, including campaign manager Keith Gilkes, campaign adviser R.J. Johnson and Chief of Staff Tom Nardelli.The individuals in this small circle regularly emailed each other about the Walker administration's response to the incident. "Scott is down at the scene receiving briefing and should be attached at the hip with Sheriff (David) Clarke," Gilkes wrote to Walker's top county staffers. Gilkes continued: "We also need to know every detail on this structure and every piece of paper associated with this structure since it was built — information is the key to Scott dealing with this issue. His response will be the focal point of everything." [...] Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Christopher Foley released the emails as part of a lawsuit by the boy's family. Retired Appeals Judge Neal Nettesheim, who oversaw the John Doe investigation of Walker's staff, had earlier authorized prosecutors to cull records compiled for the secret probe that had some links to the O'Donnell accident. category-ethics
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Top Walker aides sought to slow down release of public recordsIn one exchange, Walker's top Milwaukee County fiscal aide, Cindy Archer, emailed Walker and Walker campaign aides on July 8 that "we may be responding too quickly" to requests for O'Donnell-related records made by his Republican primary rival, Mark Neumann, and by the state Democratic Party. Archer said she heard from Gilkes, Walker's campaign manager, that Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett was taking three months just to acknowledge receipt of public records requests. "My sense from Keith is that we should be operating one step above ignoring them," Archer says in an email to county staffer Kelly Rindfleisch. category-doe
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Walker sought to justify involvement of campaign aides in county response to O’Donnell Park incident by blaming political opponentsGov. Scott Walker said Tuesday that his top campaign staffers began advising and directing his Milwaukee County aides on their response to the 2010 O'Donnell Park tragedy because Walker's political foes were trying to hijack the issue. "Literally, within moments — I think even that day in your paper's story — there were comments from people involved in other campaigns," Walker said during a Tuesday press briefing. "So it involved the campaign not by virtue of us but by others who brought it up. Some of his aides' emails suggest Walker's team was doing more than responding to other candidates. Instead, they were focused primarily on fending off any negative publicity during the 2010 governor's race. For instance, Keith Gilkes — Walker's campaign manager — told a Walker county staffer in a June 24, 2010, email "to make sure there is not a paper anywhere that details a problem at all." [...] In the hours immediately after the accident, one concern was Walker's whereabouts and how that would be perceived. "Scott cannot be at a fundraiser or something like that," warned Timothy Russell, Walker's former deputy chief of staff, who was then his housing director. "He'll be eaten alive." Walker's cellphone battery had died; within an hour, Gilkes assured Russell and others that Walker had arrived at the accident scene. "He needs to lead and be on top of the entire situation," Gilkes reported. "ALL of us need to back him up and ensure he is on top of the entire situation — Scott needs to be front and center for the media." As more media outlets reported questions raised about county maintenance of the O'Donnell facility, more advice flowed between the campaign and county staff. Nardelli advised Walker's campaign aides not to reply to criticism that came from county Supervisor John Weishan Jr., a frequent Walker critic. In fact, Weishan and Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic are dismissed as "dolts" by Nardelli, in reaction to a news release the two issued saying Walker's administration hadn't kept county supervisors apprised of the O'Donnell probe. category-infrastructure
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Will Gov. Walker Take His Own Advice?In a recent story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gov. Walker weighed in on the Ryan Braun scandal, ripping him for failing to “fess up”. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross called on Walker to heed his own advice by revealing the donors to his criminal legal defense fund and making public the documents he provided prosecutors in connection with the John Doe criminal investigation of his administration. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker’s Campaign Finance Report: More to the StoryIn a statement on Gov. Walker's recent campaign finance filing, his campaign manager touted his “grassroots” support. Would you be surprised if there's more to the story? category-campaign-fundraising
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Bradley Foundation Dollars Continued to Fuel Right Wing Noise Machine in 2012According to documents reviewed by One Wisconsin Now, staples of the state right wing noise machine, and some new entrants, were once again beneficiaries of the largesse of Wisconsin's Money Badger, Michael Grebe, in 2012. Besides controlling the $620 million plus in reported assets of the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, Grebe serves as co-chair of Gov. Walker's campaign. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker’s WEDC Pays Off Big… For His Campaign AccountA review of campaign finance records by One Wisconsin Now has found that Gov. Walker's campaign and the Republican Governors Association (RGA) have raked in over $614,000 in donations from individuals associated with businesses receiving tax credits through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Walker serves as chair of the board entrusted with overseeing the operations of the quasi-private WEDC. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker among signers of Koch-backed ‘No Climate Tax Pledge.’“Signers of the pledge, now numbering 411, promise to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue” — in other words, no legislation on climate change without an equivalent amount of tax cuts. They include one U.S. senator from Wisconsin, three House members, four members of the state Senate, and four members of the Assembly — as well as Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. category-climate-change
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Gov. Walker’s Political Future“I think the reason Gov. Walker would run for president is because his political ambition knows no bounds,” Ross said. Ross accuses Walker of trying to pad his national resume by taking on public unions, enacting a tax cut, refusing to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, and expanding school vouchers.
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Walker claimed his “boldest” reform of 2013 budget was forcing food stamp recipients to attend work trainingWalker went on to say, however, that the “biggest, boldest reform” in the budget was new work requirements for people on food stamps. Able-bodied adults must spend at least 20 hours a week working or getting trained for a job, or they will be limited to three months of benefits over three years. Walker described this as a kindness. “We say it’s time to get the training, and the access to training so that when a job becomes available, you are ready to get in the game,” he said. category-political-style
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Walker budget gave himself power to sell state propertyGov. Scott Walker will have new power to sell state heating plants, highways and other properties, but privatization deals in other states have ranged widely in popularity and success.Revenue from the sales must be put toward relieving the $8 billion state debt, according to the budget Walker planned to sign Sunday...Critics of privatization argue that selling state assets while helpful to fill short-term budget gaps often costs taxpayers more in the long term. The deals have immediate benefits for in-office politicians but rarely are good for the future, critics say. category-budget
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#WalkerAt20: Friends’ Felonious FailuresIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. Today we examine the close aides and associates, with whom Gov. Walker has surrounded himself, failures to follow the law. category-cronyism
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#WalkerAt20: Failure Foreshadowed, The Walker Administration in Milwaukee CountyIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. The failures of today are, sadly, not new. In Walker's time as Milwaukee County Executive, local economic development efforts were bungled and services for the most vulnerable were mismanaged and neglected. category-government-management
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#WalkerAt20: Failure to Respect DiversityIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. The title “Governor of the State of Wisconsin” suggests that the holder of the office would consider the diversity of the entire state's population. As judged by his actions in office, Scott Walker has clearly failed in this regard. category-lgbtq
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#WalkerAt20: The Only Things Certain in Life? Taxes and Walker FailureIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. On the final day of scheduled debate on the 2013 budget, we look at the intersection of the certainty of taxes and Gov. Walker's failure. category-government-management
category-politics-incarnate
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#WalkerAt20: Walker’s Education Agenda a Formula for FailureIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. Under Gov. Walker no area has more directly felt the impact of his formula for failure than public education, and the 2013 budget, set to be debated by the Senate and Assembly this week, continues the trend. category-education
category-higher-education
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#WalkerAt20: Promises Made, Promises BrokenIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. As the legislature prepares to begin debate on Gov. Walker's 2013-15 biennial budget, a review of some of the promises made by candidate Walker, and broken by Gov. Walker, is timely. category-broken-promise
category-budget
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#WalkerAt20: Failing to Protect Women’s HealthIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. In today's installment, as the Republican controlled legislature is poised to adopt even more radical, right-wing legislation attacking women's health care, the lowlights of Gov. Walker's abysmal record on the issue are up. category-president-2016
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#WalkerAt20: ‘Divide and Conquer’In his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. On tap for today, in a rare candid moment, Gov. Walker is caught on video revealing his strategy of “divide and conquer” to billionaire Wisconsin widow and $510,000 contributor Diane Hendricks. category-jobs
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#WalkerAt20: Bradley Foundation Errand BoyIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. Today, we look at the right-wing machine behind the man, the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, headed by Gov. Walker's campaign co-chair, Michael Grebe. category-education
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#WalkerAt20: Home Improvement, Governor’s Mansion EditionIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. Scott Walker has collected a handsome sum in taxpayer-funded salary over his twenty years of failure, and now, as Governor he gets to live in a mansion. Upon moving in, he decided to remodel, with taxpayers and the special interests footing the bill. category-politics-incarnate
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#WalkerAt20: Failing DemocracyIn his twenty years in office, Scott Walker has amassed a truly astounding record of failure. To commemorate the looming anniversary of his first election to office, One Wisconsin Now is highlighting a different and depressing failure of Gov. Walker every day, for twenty days. In today's installment, Gov. Walker's anti-voter record is “highlighted”. category-voter-rights
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One Wisconsin Now to Highlight ‘20 Years of Walker Failure’Beginning June 10, One Wisconsin Now will commemorate over 20 days, the failings, scandals and imbroglios of Gov. Scott Walker's 20-years in elected office. Gov. Walker, who was first elected to the State Assembly on June 29, 1993, has spent virtually no time in the private sector and has enjoyed nearly half his life on the taxpayers' dime, including receiving well over $1 million in salary alone, as well as health care benefits for he and his family. category-jobs
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Walker touts Iowa roots, offers vision for GOP successScot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, criticized Walker for being more focused on a 2016 presidential bid than on being Wisconsin’s governor. category-president-2016
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Scott Walker in Iowa: Quid Pro Quo Among Political Pals or 2016 Trial Balloon?Scot Ross, the executive director of the Wisconsin group, said Walker has exaggerated and is “spinning yarns” about the successes of his conservative agenda as he “pursues his ambition for higher office,” according to a news release. Ross said Walker’s jobs creation record is one of the worst in the country, that Wisconsin “is rated dead last in short term job creation prospects,” and that he enacted the biggest cuts to public education in state history and is now pushing a health care scheme that costs more to cover fewer people. “The numbers don’t lie,” Ross said. “The real Walker resume is a record of failure.”
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Eyes are on Governor Walker for Iowa speech and 2016“We are at the bottom of job creation and yet he's not doing his job. Instead, he's crisscrossing the country going to Connecticut, New York, and Iowa,” Scott Ross of One Wisconsin Now said.
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Walker’s Iowa speech sparks political buzz about 2016It was also on the minds of his critics, some who went to Iowa from Wisconsin to blast Walker at a news conference prior to the governor’s speech. “We all know what Scott Walker thinks about rights. The rights of 175,000 workers taken away,” said Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now
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Is Wisconsin ‘Money Badger’ Michael Grebe Paying Fox News Head Big Bucks for Fawning Media Coverage of His Favorite Wisconsin Politicians?Roger Ailes, Fox News Chair and CEO, is in line for a big payday courtesy of Wisconsin's “Money Badger” Michael Grebe, head of the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation and co-chair of Gov. Scott Walker's campaign. According to news reports, Ailes will receive a $250,000 no strings attached “Bradley Award” in a ceremony next month. category-voter-rights
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Walker Campaign Co-Chair’s Foundation Funds Group Suing MATC Over Taxpayer-Finance Savings PlanThe just-filed lawsuit by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) over a contract signed by the Milwaukee Area Technical College comes thanks to Gov. Scott Walker's campaign co-chair Michael Grebe, the CEO of the Bradley Foundation, which has contributed $500,000 to WILL. The lawsuit seeks to undo a contract that will save taxpayers $14 million in its first year and nearly $150 million in the future. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Scott Walker Maintains Veil of Secrecy for Those Who Foot the Bill for His Criminal Defense LawyersIn his recently filed Statement of Economic Interests, Gov. Scott Walker reports that he still owes his Chicago criminal defense lawyers in excess of $50,000 and that he got a pair of cufflinks from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Left undisclosed are the identities of the contributors to Walker's criminal legal defense fund that raised over $447,000. category-campaign-fundraising
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Conservative law firm sues MATC over labor contract“Taxpayers can personally thank Gov. Walker’s campaign co-chair for this lawsuit, that if successful, will cost them $150 million,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now’s executive director, referring to the cost savings MATC said it achieved through bargaining with the union. category-higher-education
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Massive Bradley Foundation Education Privatization Campaign ExposedNew research from One Wisconsin Now reveals a web of right-wing groups are part of a $31 million plus propaganda campaign pushing a massive privatization of public education in Wisconsin. Underwriting the effort is the Milwaukee based Bradley Foundation, headed by Gov. Scott Walker's campaign co-chair, Michael Grebe. category-education
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Gov. Walker’s Misplaced Budget Priorities: Education Privatization Devastating to Public SchoolsAn analysis of Gov. Walker's 2013-15 budget plan reveals a massive increase in the percentage of state taxpayer dollars going to the unaccountable private school voucher program. Meanwhile, state support for K-12 public schools is essentially held flat, even after record budget cuts in the last budget. category-budget
category-education
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Gov. Walker’s Campaign Set to Drop Anchor at Exclusive Florida Yacht ClubGov. Scott Walker leaves snowy Wisconsin behind this week as he jets off to sunny Florida for “lifestyles of the rich and famous” campaign fundraiser at the exclusive Naples Yacht Club. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross wondered if Chris Cline, whose open pit mining bill is one of Walker’s top legislative priorities, will cruise by in his 164-foot luxury yacht ”Mine Games’ to drop off a contribution. category-campaign-fundraising
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The Billion Dollar Question: How Big is Budget Windfall for Gov. Walker’s Biggest Campaign Contributor?An initial analysis of Gov. Walker’s proposed income tax break in his 2013-15 budget shows, to no surprise, that the majority of the breaks go to the state’s wealthiest taxpayers. But, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Scot Ross, the billion-dollar question is: what’s the windfall for Gov. Scott Walker’s largest campaign contributor, and richest woman in Wisconsin, Beloit billionaire Diane Hendricks, who paid no state income taxes in 2010. category-budget
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Barrett: Walker is abandoning Republican notion of local controlMayor Tom Barrett says Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to end residency rules statewide for all units of local government means he is abandoning an ideal Republicans have long subscribed to: local control. "By abandoning the Republican mantra of local control, he is paying back supporters with a political favor," Barrett said at a late-night news conference Wednesday night at City Hall. The political favor Barrett is referring to involves the Milwaukee Police Association and the Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Local 215. Both unions have pressed for an end to residency rules for years and supported Walker in the recall election last year and in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
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Walker Rejected Federal Expansion of Medicaid, Costing Taxpayers More for LessIf the federal government keeps its current commitments, Gov. Scott Walker's plan for avoiding a full expansion of the BadgerCare program under the federal health care law would cost Wisconsin taxpayers roughly $250 million more through 2020, under preliminary estimates by the Legislature's nonpartisan budget office. In addition to lower state costs, the full expansion of the Medicaid health program would also cover tens of thousands more people than the Republican governor's proposal. category-budget
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Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance Blames Gov. Walker’s Epic Jobs Failure on Wisconsin Citizens’ Age and DemeanorThe latest report from conservative front group the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance is more of an apology for Gov. Walker’s epic failure to spur new job creation in Wisconsin than an analysis of the reasons behind Wisconsin’s current rank as 42nd in the nation for job growth, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. The report alleges that it is the fault of Wisconsin’s population for being too old and lacking an entrepreneurial demeanor. category-jobs
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Wisconsin Citizens Shut Out While Out-Of-State Mining Company Helps Draft Bill to Develop Massive Open Pit MineLegislation being fast-tracked by Gov. Walker and the Republican controlled state legislature to roll back environmental standards for a massive open pit mine in Northern Wisconsin was, according to drafting records obtained by One Wisconsin Now, extensively modified at the behest of the out-of-state company seeking to open the mine. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Welcomes New Legislative SessionAnother statement came from the activist group One Wisconsin Now executive director Scot Ross, who said after two years of partisan political strife and stagnant economy, Walker’s pledge this week didn’t mean much. “Two years ago we got the same song and dance from Gov. Walker and the Republican legislative majorities, but they put raw politics and power grabs before all else at very step of the way,” Ross said. “Their actions offer precious little reason to believe them this time.” category-jobs
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Walker, GOP Legislature’s Latest Promises of Moderation at Odds With Record of Extreme Partisanship, Failure on Jobs PromiseAfter two years of unprecedented partisan political strife under their governance, a stagnant economy and record cuts to public education, Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans enter the new legislative session claiming in media reports that they will pursue a moderate political agenda. category-250000-jobs-promise
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on the Two Year Anniversary of Scott Walker as GovernorOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on the two-year anniversary of Scott Walker as Governor: category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Signed a Bill Allowing Partisan Election Observers Closer to Voters, Jeopardizing Their Private information and making polling places more contentiousSigned a bill that allows election observers to be as close as three feet to voters and poll workers when they are registering to vote or giving their name and address when checking in at the polling place. The bill passed both houses and was approved by the Governor on April 2, 2014. category-voter-rights
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Walker Signed a Bill Making It Harder for Individuals in Residential Care Facilities to VoteSigned a bill which reduced the number of locations to which clerks are required to send special voting deputies to allow individuals to cast absentee ballots. The bill was passed by both houses and approved by the Governor on March 27, 2014. category-voter-rights
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Walker Signed a Bill Increasing Partisanship of Poll WorkersSigned a bill that requires that whenever two or more poll workers are required to perform a function at polling place and both parties have submitted nominees, then the chief inspector must assign an equal number of poll workers from the nominees of each party. Prior law did not require that political party be considered when assigning poll workers. category-voter-rights
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Walker Signed Bill Restricting Early Voting Hours and Limiting Local Clerks’ Control of Early Voting HoursSigned bill that limited clerk’s office hours and days available for early voting, eliminating weekend voting and severely restricting voting hours available outside the normal work day. The Assembly version of the bill (2013 AB 54) failed to pass, but a substantially similar bill (SB 324) was adopted. The Governor exercised a partial veto, striking language limiting voting hours to 45 hours per week but leaving intact restrictions on hours of day (8 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and elimination of weekend hours. category-early-voting
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Einhorns Expand Their State Political Scandal PortfolioOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross called on state and federal authorities to immediately open an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Capital Midwest being granted management of $1 million of taxpayer funds through the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). Capital Midwest is run by Stephen Einhorn who, along with his wife Nancy, donated $25,000 to Gov. Walker's campaign a mere month before being awarded management rights over the public funds by the WHEDA board, a majority of whose members are appointed by Walker. category-voter-rights
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Wisconsin ‘Money Badger’s’ Paw Prints Uncovered In Attack on Worker Rights in MichiganWisconsin's 'Money Badger', Michael Grebe, appears to have his paws in the attack on worker rights in Michigan according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. Grebe, who runs the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, has doled out nearly $2 million to three organizations taking leading roles in promoting the attack on worker rights launched by Michigan Republicans in a lame duck session of their state legislature. category-education
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Will Wisconsin ‘Money Badger’ Back Gov. Walker’s Quest for Presidential Super PAC Cash?Recent media reports on prospective 2016 Republican presidential candidates' money chase included Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on a list of suitors seeking an audience with GOP mega-donor and Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. But according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, Walker may already have found his Super-PAC sugar daddy, the Wisconsin 'Money Badger', Michael Grebe of the Bradley Foundation. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Aide Pleads Guilty Today. Set Up Secret County E-Mail System Used by Previously Sentenced Brett Davis Campaign Fundraiser.One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross renewed a call made earlier this week for Gov. Walker to demand the resignation of top administration aide Brett Davis for his participation in a scheme to benefit his failed Lieutenant Governor campaign, at taxpayer expense, that has resulted in jail time for one former Walker aide and was featured among the criminal complaint brought against a second aide who pled guilty to an embezzlement charge today. category-campaign-fundraising
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State Medicaid Director Brett Davis Must Go for Role in Illegal Campaigning on Public DimeOn the heels of Kelly Rindfleisch’s guilty plea to a felony misconduct in office charge, and a jail sentence for campaign fundraising work she did while a top aide to Scott Walker as Milwaukee County Executive to benefit the 2010 Lieutenant Governor campaign of then Rep. Brett Davis, Gov. Walker must ask for Davis’ resignation from his $108,000 per year state job as State Medicaid Director, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director, Scot Ross. category-campaign-fundraising
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How Far Does Walker Open Records Slowdown Go?A report that Gov. Walker’s gubernatorial campaign manager directed his Milwaukee County staff to “drag out” fulfilling requests under the state open records law for information related to a tragic incident involving the death of a young boy outside a county owned facility may not be an isolated incident, according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross. Numerous open record requests made by One Wisconsin Now experienced the same fate, with delays of up to six months and the charging exorbitant fees for simple information. category-health-care
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The Wisconsin ‘Money Badger’s’ Bad NightThe day after statewide success for progressives in Wisconsin, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director noted the untold story is the failure of Wisconsin's 'Money Badger,' Bradley Foundation CEO Michael Grebe, and his proteges Governor Scott Walker, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus and U.S. Representative and failed Vice-Presidential candidate Paul Ryan to deliver the state for Republicans. category-voter-rights
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Foundation Behind ‘Voter Fraud’ Billboards ExposedThanks to reporting done by The Grio's Joy Reid and the advocacy organization One Wisconsin Now, Melissa Harris-Perry is able to name names for 'This Week In Voter Suppression” in exposing the foundation behind billboards that splashed false information on voter fraud.
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Commentary: Voter Intimidation and our Obligation to Fight BackWith the election less than a week away, Black Americans are being hit with near daily attempts to scare, intimidate or simply prevent us from voting. The latest assault was delivered by the Einhorn Family Foundation, the previously anonymous funders who erected more than 100 fear-mongering billboards in low-income, Black and Latino neighborhoods in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Milwaukee. Through investigative work by The Grio, a Black news organization owned by NBC Universal, and One Wisconsin Now, a political organizing nonprofit, it was discovered that the Einhorn Family Foundation – headed by an investment banker that has donated nearly $50,000 to support Wisconsin’s ultra-conservative governor, Scott Walker – was behind the ads.
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Romney Campaign Touted Support of Foundation Head Behind Voter Suppression EffortThe Romney for President campaign has touted the endorsement of Michael Grebe, saying in a press release that the head of the Milwaukee based Bradley Foundation, recently revealed as a funder of voter suppression billboards, is a “great supporter of conservative causes”. category-voter-rights
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Bradley Foundation helped pay for 2010 voter fraud signThe liberal organization One Wisconsin Now was the first to disclose the role the Einhorn foundation had in footing the bill for the billboards. Scot Ross, head of the Madison-based group, called it “reprehensible” that private foundation money was spent on billboards that Ross said were intended to suppress the vote during the 2010 election in which Scott Walker was elected governor. Grebe is the campaign chairman of Walker’s campaign. “It raises serious questions about how the Bradley Foundation spends its money,” Ross said. category-voter-rights
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Venture capitalist Einhorn behind ‘voter fraud’ billboardsBillboards warning communities of color in Ohio and Wisconsin that voter fraud can lead to jail time were put up by a group led by a Milwaukee-based venture capitalist and donor to Mitt Romney and the Tea Party movement, an investigation by NBC’s theGrio has found. The billboards—which carried the unnecessary (and some might say, intimidating) warning that “VOTER FRAUD IS A FELONY!”—have been removed by the company that erected them in the first place, Clear Channel...the company gave the client a choice: either reveal yourself, or the ads need to come down. The client chose to have the ads come down, and to remain anonymous. But that anonymity lasted about a week. A joint investigation by our colleagues at theGrio and the issue-advocacy group One Wisconsin Now pulled back the curtain a bit: One Wisconsin Now and theGrio discovered that a little-known non-profit, the Einhorn Family Foundation, based in Milwaukee, was behind the 2010 and 2012 Milwaukee area billboard campaigns. The Einhorn Foundation, led by the family patriarch, Steven Einhorn, is just one of a constellation of conservative organizations that go beyond Charles and David Koch, the billionaire brothers behind much of the tea party funding, who have become familiar to those watching the rise of “dark money” in American elections since the Citizens United decision in the U.S. Supreme Court. category-cronyism
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Einhorns Confirm One Wisconsin Now/theGrio Investigation: Admit Purchase of Voter Suppression BillboardsOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements regarding news late Monday that the Einhorn Family Foundation confirmed the results of a joint investigation by theGrio news service and One Wisconsin Now and admitted it was the previously-anonymous funder of voter suppression billboards purchased in 2010 and 2012 targeting communities of color. category-voter-rights
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Venture capitalist Einhorn paid for voter fraud billboardsStephen Einhorn - a Wisconsin venture capital fund manager and major GOP donor - acknowledged Monday that he and his wife Nancy paid for dozens of anonymous billboards in and around Milwaukee and two Ohio cities warning residents of the penalties for committing voter fraud. Democrats and civil rights groups complained that the signs - which were taken down last week - were concentrated in minority neighborhoods and intended to suppress the election turnout, though some were posted as far out as Waukesha and Washington counties...The Einhorns have made campaign donations to many Republican politicians, including Gov. Scott Walker, to whom they have given $49,750 since 2005, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. category-cronyism
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Revealed: Joint Investigation by One Wisconsin Now & theGrio Uncovers Anonymous Funder of Voter Suppression BillboardsA joint investigation by theGrio news service and One Wisconsin Now has uncovered that Milwaukee's Einhorn Family Foundation is the “private family foundation” that anonymously funded voter suppression billboards in Wisconsin in September 2010 and again this year. A review of IRS documents also showed Milwaukee's Bradley Foundation, headed by Scott Walker's campaign co-chair Michael Grebe, and one of the largest sources for right wing funding in America, gave the Einhorn Family Foundation a $10,000 grant, at the time the 2010 suppression billboards appeared, “to support a public education project.” category-voter-rights
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Dark Money Fueled by Little-Known OrganizationsScot Ross of "One Wisconsin Now" joins Melissa Harris-Perry and her guests to dig into the details on the Bradley Foundation, what is called the "big granddaddy of political money that no one knows about."
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What Happened? Wisconsin’s Scott Walker Reduced to Warm Up Act on GOP Convention Governors’ NightRight wing celebrity Gov. Scott Walker’s star power appears to be on the wane in recent weeks, as evidenced by his warm-up act role on Governors’ night at the Republican National Convention. category-ethics
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New Report Details Walker Exploitation of Recall Fundraising LoopholeA comprehensive report from One Wisconsin Now and United Wisconsin shows how Gov. Scott Walker raised over $7 million by exploiting the unlimited campaign finance recall loophole and provides a detailed perspective on the out-of-state and in-state donors who bankrolled Walker’s win in June. category-campaign-fundraising
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Final Tally In For Gov. Walker’s Cash GrabAn analysis of campaign finance reports by One Wisconsin Now found Gov. Walker’s record spending in the June 5th recall election was overwhelmingly fueled by large contributions from the wealthy and out-of-state donors. category-campaign-fundraising
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Not-So-Frugal Recall Winner Scott Walker Resumes Jetting to Points AfarThe press and third-party groups like One Wisconsin Now no doubt will at some point again look at travel expenditures for the governor’s office, as they have in the past. The last time anyone did look — it was the Wausau Daily Herald, pre-recall — we learned that Walker had spent about as much as his predecessor, Jim Doyle, on official travel paid for by state taxpayers.
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Issue of the Week: When Money TalksWalker’s unlimited donations were supposed to be used for the defense of the recall, and could only be collected until the GAB certified the recall election. But, again, Walker was able to exploit loopholes in the law. According to One Wisconsin Now, he collected the “unlimited” sums even after the GAB called the election because he allegedly incurred so many expenses related to the recall. category-campaign-fundraising
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Beer and Brats: Is Gov. Walker Just Feeding Wisconsin Another Line?Citing the age-old adage that actions speak louder than words, One Wisconsin Now is calling on Gov. Scott Walker to take concrete actions to heal the rift in Wisconsin brought on by his “divide and conquer” agenda. category-ethics
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Walker aligns himself with climate change denying Heartland Institute“Walker will be the keynote speaker at a benefit dinner for the Illinois-based Heartland Institute, a group that has recently come under fire for a billboard campaign linking those concerned about global warming to "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, serial killer Charles Manson, and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. …Heartland proudly displayed the campaign on the front page of its website and issued a lengthy press release explaining: "The people who still believe in man-made global warming are mostly on the radical fringe of society. This is why the most prominent advocates of global warming aren't scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen." category-climate-change
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Gov. Walker’s Recall Golden Rule: He Who Has the Gold, RulesAn analysis of Gov. Walker’s campaign finances by One Wisconsin Now has revealed he raised $7.3 million from wealthy, mega-donors exceeding the normal $10,000 aggregate contribution limit. The amount raked in by Gov. Walker from just 167 wealthy individuals, is nearly twice as much as the total of all contributions to his recall election opponent. category-campaign-fundraising
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Mike Browne: Mega-Millions Fueled Gov. Walker’s WinGov. Scott Walker’s billionaire backers, along with outside spending from corporate-funded special interest groups such as Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and the Republican Governors Association and Shadowy groups such as the “Coalition for American Values” outspent Democratic challenger Tom Barrett and groups supporting him 8-to-1, according to Mother Jones. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Political Appointee Stonewalling Release of Public Records?Gov. Walker’s political appointee in charge of the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) appears to be stonewalling the release of public records related to claims he made about the release of unverified state job numbers. category-ethics
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The Heartland Institute’s Special Guest: Scott WalkerGov. Scott Walker (R-WI) is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for the Heartland Institute’s benefit dinner in August, 2012. Heartland has lost more than $1 million in expected corporate funding in the wake of public outrage over its climate denial, reducing president Joe Bast to beg for more financial support. Walker is a perfect fit for the anti-science extremists at Heartland — like them, he’s Koch-funded global warming conspiracy theorist. Walker has attacked investment in high-speed rail, wind power, and even recycling.
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Scott Walker Tries to Buy an Election – and A StateGovernor Scott Walker is not trying to win the Wisconsin recall election that will be held June 5. He is trying to buy it. If the embattled governor does prevail, he will provide essential evidence not of his own appeal but of the power of money to define our politics.
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How to Buy a Recall ElectionGovernor Scott Walker is not trying to win the Wisconsin recall election that will be held June 5. He is trying to buy it. As One Wisconsin Now’s Mike Browne says: “Given Wisconsin’s worst in the nation record on jobs and the cuts to schools and health care to pay for corporate tax breaks under Gov. Walker, it’s really no surprise his ‘divide and conquer’ politics and trickle-down economics are more popular with people who don’t have to live with the results. category-budget
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John Nichols: Scott Walker tries to Buy an Election – and a StateExploiting a loophole in Wisconsin election law — which removes contribution limits for officials seeking to prevent a recall election — the governor has raised unlimited amounts of cash from wealthy donors. Even after the recall election was scheduled, 23 wealthy donors gave the governor an addition $1.7 million to offset expenses run up before the recall was scheduled and contribution limits went back into effect. category-campaign-fundraising
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Memo to Reporters: “Bombshell” Email Exchange With Top Adviser John Hiller Suggests Scott Walker is at the Heart of Criminal Corruption ProbeProgressive advocacy group One Wisconsin Now continued to analyze Walker’s campaign finance records throughout the 2010 campaign for governor. They found that his campaign improperly reported well over $500,000 in contributions from inside and outside Wisconsin. The organization also filed a formal complaint with the Government Accountability Board regarding Walker’s serial breaking of campaign finance laws in the area of proper disclosure. (One Wisconsin Now, “Walker Goes Over $500,000 in Improperly-Reported Contributions”, 10/25/10; OWN Complaint to GAB, filed 9/7/10) category-campaign-fundraising
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What is Gov. Walker Hiding?Eighty-two days and $160,000 later, Gov. Walker and his campaign are continuing to refuse to name the donors to the legal defense fund he is using to pay for defense lawyers in a “John Doe” criminal investigation of corruption and illegal campaigning. category-campaign-fundraising
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Gov. Walker Continues Massive Cash GrabA One Wisconsin Now analysis of Gov. Walker’s most recent campaign finance report reveals he is continuing to rake in high dollar contributions and raise the majority of his funds from out-of-state. Gov. Walker also continues to exploit a loophole allowing him to raise unlimited dollar amount contributions for expenses incurred before the recall election was called on March 30th. category-campaign-fundraising
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Did ALEC give Walker 3.4 Million for the Recall Election?In March 2012, One Wisconsin Now released a report showing Governor Scott Walker had spent more time out of the state of Wisconsin than in the state working for the citizens. One Wisconsin Now pointed out Walker used approximately 600 hours of personal time from August 2011 to January 2012. So what was Scott Walker doing?
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5 Questions Gov. Walker Should Answer At Tonight’s DebateQuestions continue to mount about Gov. Walker’s candor on serious issues, including his involvement in the secret John Doe investigation of corruption and illegal campaigning by close aides and associates and video showing him telling campaign contributors a very different story than the public. One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne called on Gov. Walker to address the questions about the integrity of his administration in tonight’s debate. category-ethics
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Scott Walker’s Billionaires ClubAn unprecedented cross-country cash grab, driven by donations from wealthy, right-wing ideologues and special interests, turbocharged with a campaign finance loophole allowed Gov. Scott Walker to raise donations in unlimited amounts to fund expenses related to “recall defense.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Memo: Follow the MoneyIt has been reported that Gov. Scott Walker has spent much of the last year on a cross- country cash grab - filling his campaign coffers with millions from right-wing ideologues like “Swift Boat” Bob Perry, Newt Gingrich “Sugar Daddy” Sheldon Adelson, Women's health “expert” Foster Friess, and, of course, Wisconsin's own “Divide and Conquer” billionaire, Diane Hendricks. category-budget
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Walker received a $1,000 donation from David Green, CEO & Founder of Hobby Lobby in 2012Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System records show Green made a donation of $1,000 to Friends of Scott Walker on May 16, 2012. Hobby Lobby is well-known for their challenge of the Affordable Care Act, specifically regarding provisions requiring coverage for contraceptives.
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“Divide and Conquer” Ad Capture Hilarious Walker WhopperThis ad and posting from One Wisconsin Now featuring the hypocrisy in Walker’s “divide and conquer” anti-union disclosure to a billionaire, megabucks campaign donor catches Walker in a classic ‘I mean the opposite’ moment.
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Billionaires Back Gov. Walker’s One Percent AgendaNine members of the exclusive Forbes U.S. Billionaires List gave nearly $1.4 million to Gov. Walker over the last four months, according to One Wisconsin Now’s analysis of his most recent campaign finance filing. category-campaign-fundraising
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Scott Walker’s Billionaire Boys Club: Big Money Backs Anti-Labor AgendaThis time, according to the advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, thirty-nine “mega donors” giving in excess of $10,000 a piece accounted for $2,430,000 of Walker’s haul.
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Gov. Walker’s Cross Country Cash Grab Takes Off As Wisconsin Economy Crashes and BurnsUnder Gov. Walker, Wisconsin’s economy has tanked, ranking dead last in the nation for job creation and suffering the ignominy of being the only state in the nation with statistically significant job losses over the last year. Meanwhile, Gov. Walker’s cross country cash grab has been a stunning success, netting two-thirds of the $13 million raised from out-of-state contributors, according to One Wisconsin Now’s analysis of his latest campaign finance report filed today. category-250000-jobs-promise
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Walker Raises $13 Million in RecallThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now said its initial analysis of Walker’s most recent campaign finance report reveals that $8.37 million, or roughly 66 percent, of the $12.74 million reported raised Walker came from out of state and that 75 percent of individual contributors were from out of state. category-campaign-fundraising
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Corporate Funded RGA Returns to Wisconsin to Try to Bail Out Gov. WalkerLate last week, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) announced via press release that they were returning to Wisconsin with a TV ad criticizing possible recall election opponents of Gov. Walker. According to a One Wisconsin Now analysis of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records, the special interests and corporations that have donated millions to the RGA are also the potential beneficiaries of numerous initiatives proposed or enacted under Gov. Walker. category-political-allies
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Big Spending, Corporate Funded Republican Governors Association Returns to Try to Bail Out Gov. WalkerThe Virginia based, corporate-funded Republican Governors Association (RGA) announced in a press release today that it has returned to Wisconsin with negative television commercials attacking possible opponents of Gov. Walker in a recall election. category-jobs
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Greta Van Susteran Falls for Walker’s Waterloo BallyhooIn an interview with Fox News legal eagle Greta Van Susteren, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker says his upcoming recall election will be a “Waterloo” moment for national unions that will “invest everything possible to try and take me out to send a message.” … A recent open records request by the activist group One Wisconsin Now shows that from August 2011 to January 2012, Walker’s schedule reflects just over 44 hours of meetings with legislators and policy staff, while 614-plus hours were blocked off as “personal” time, better known as “fundraising.” category-politics
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Scott Walker, AWOL from his job and thinking of more cashThe Progressive, Statistical minded watchdogs at progressive One Wisconsin Now have done the state’s voers another great service by examining how Gov. Scott Walker spends his time.
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Gov. Walker Touts Leadership, But Official Schedule Tells a Different StoryA One Wisconsin Now analysis of Gov. Walker’s schedules from August 2011 through January 2012 reveals that little time was scheduled by the state’s chief executive for communicating with legislators or working on a legislative agenda but that huge amounts of time were blocked off as “personal”. category-campaign-fundraising
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Recall Rolls On: Extension Granted, Dates Set, Walker Downplays Job and Forms Legal Defense FundGov. Walker claims that he has hired new criminal defense lawyers for the purpose of cooperating with the Milwaukee County District Attorney. However, for a year, the campaign itself was paying an attorney to ‘cooperate’ with the DA by providing needed emails, etc. category-ethics
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Scott Walker, Gov. MoocherA One Wisconsin Now analysis of Gov. Walker’s schedules from August 2011 through January 2012 reveals that little time was scheduled by the state’s chief executive for communicating with legislators or working on a legislative agenda but that huge amounts of time were blocked off as “personal”. category-politics
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37 Days Since Gov. Walker Announced He “Lawyered-Up” in Criminal Investigation of Administration, Still No Word On Who Is Paying His Legal Defense BillsIn early February, Gov. Scott Walker announced he had “lawyered-up” in the ongoing criminal investigation of his administration, retaining two high profile criminal defense attorneys. His continuing refusal to disclose how he is paying for his lawyers, whose billing rates could approach $1,000 per-hour, raises troubling ethical concerns, according to One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Sets Up Legal Defense FundGov. Scott Walker said Friday he has set up a legal defense fund to pay for two attorneys representing him in a Milwaukee County investigation, under a state law that allows such a move for officeholders if they’re charged or under investigation for election or campaign violations. category-ethics
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Walker campaign sets up legal fund as John Doe investigation continuesGovernor Scott Walker has created a legal defense fund to pay for his expenses connected with the ongoing John Doe probe into his former Milwaukee County aides.
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Gov. Walker: New TV Ad, Same Falsehoods and Failed PoliciesOne Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne made the following statement regarding Gov. Scott Walker’s latest special interest funded campaign ad: category-education
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Wisconsinites Tell Government Accountability Board: Count It and Call ItWhile Gov. Walker and Republicans continue to seek delays in setting a recall election date - and keep raising unlimited campaign donations from wealthy mega-donors - One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne today urged the Government Accountability Board (GAB) to listen to the thousands of Wisconsin citizens who’ve signed an online petition asking them to “count it and call it”. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker received over $100,000 from anti-contraceptive mega-donor Foster Friess“The day after a recall campaign was launched against Gov. Scott Walker in November, Foster Friess gave the governor $100,000. Friess is the wealthy supporter of socially conservative causes -- and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum -- who infamously stated on MSNBC earlier this month that an aspirin could double as birth control for a woman. "You know, back in my days, they'd use Bayer aspirin for contraceptives," he said. "The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn't that costly." In October 2010, Friess gave Walker $4,600. The same month his wife, Lynnette, gave him $6,100.”
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Gov. Walker Wants Outside Groups With History of Voter Suppression to Challenge Recall Petition SignaturesGov. Scott Walker’s campaign raised over $8 million from a cross-country cash grab, over 60% of it from out-of-state donors and much of it from mega-contributors giving up to $250,000 at a time. But his campaign is asking that, instead of offering their own challenges, allegations of improper signatures on recall petitions from an alliance of Texas and Wisconsin fringe political groups accused of voter suppression activities be considered by the Government Accountability Board (GAB). category-voter-rights
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GOP Stalls Voucher Loophole Fix, Proposed Accountability Standards as Their Campaign Coffers Fill With CashCampaign finance records show private school voucher advocates have showered Gov. Scott Walker and the GOP with over $507,000 in campaign contributions in 2011 and 2012. Meanwhile proposed accountability standards that would include voucher schools are on hold and a bill to close a loophole that could allow statewide expansion of the private voucher program is stalled in the GOP controlled Assembly. category-campaign-fundraising
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Executives Open Pockets to Help Walker Fight RecallThe Walker campaign finished the quarter with a combined total of more than $2.6 million cash on hand in the recall and general campaign funds. The campaign has raised more than $12 million since Jan. 1, 2011. According to the campaign, 16,406 of those contributions were $50 or less, representing 76.5 percent of the overall number of contributions. A quick review of the Walker donations reported to the Government Accountability Board shows strong support from prominent Wisconsin business executives. category-campaign-fundraising
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Governor Scott Walker Needs to Come CleanOne Wisconsin Now statement regarding burgeoning Scott Walker political corruption scandal and the reluctance of the Governor to answer questions about “what he knew and when he knew it”: category-ethics
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Over 61 Percent of Walker’s Individual Money in Latest Reports From Out-of-State DonorsThe unprecedented out-of-state cash grab by Gov. Scott Walker continued at an alarming rate with Walker’s latest reports showing he has amassed 61 percent of the $4.1 million in individual contributions raised since December 11 from outside of Wisconsin. Walker’s four top donors, each giving $250,000, were also from out of state, including another $250,000 from Texas tycoon and “Swift Boat” sleazy ad financier Bob Perry. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker tells public budget is balanced, tells fed government WI has budget deficitGov. Scott Walker's administration has touted for months its efforts to balance the state budget, but now it also has acknowledged a significant way in which the budget isn't balanced. To keep the possibility alive of making further cuts to state health programs, the Walker administration quietly certified to the federal government on Dec. 29 that the state had a deficit. Federal law allows the state to drop tens of thousands of adults to save money on health care costs if the state can show it has a deficit. Walker has said he wants to cut health care spending in other ways, but hasn't ruled out dropping those 53,000 adults if the other methods aren't approved by the federal government. To keep that option alive, state Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch wrote in a December letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that the state would have an undisclosed deficit from Jan. 1 of this year through June 30, 2013. "It's nothing more than what we've been saying all along," Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said. category-budget
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Is ‘It’s Working’ Gov. Walker’s ‘Mission Accomplished’?The following is an opinion column from Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director: category-250000-jobs-promise
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3 Wisconsin veterans board members have resigned in protestA third veteran has resigned from a state board in response to Gov. Scott Walker's moves to gain greater control of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including his decision to appoint John Scocos as agency secretary...In his letter to the first-term Republican governor, Freedman criticized legislation that stripped the board of its ability to appoint the veterans affairs secretary, giving that responsibility to the governor. Walker has defended the changes, saying they will bring more accountability to the department and board. The board has been the subject of much controversy in recent years. category-cronyism
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‘Gov. Walker Has Failed Wisconsin’One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements about the unprecedented grassroots uprising against the failed policies of Gov. Scott Walker. category-politics
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DHS Secretary hires Heritage Foundation fellow with no background or degree in public health to run Division of Public HealthBut insiders point out that McKeown, who as the state's health officer is the administrator of the Division of Public Health, appears to have no background or degrees in public health, a specialty within the vast arena of health care... Wisconsin's health officer is charged with everything from making sure the state has an emergency plan for threats like H1N1 to managing environmental hazards like lead paint to coordinating immunization campaigns. Previous occupants of McKeown's job have boasted a lengthy list of experiences and advanced degrees in the specialty. Dr. Seth Foldy, former Gov. Jim Doyle's last appointment to the post, was a pediatrician and the former Milwaukee health commissioner. He also held a master's degree in public health from the Wisconsin Medical College, according to the department's press release about his appointment in 2010. What McKeown does have in addition to her nursing background is something she shares with her new boss, Secretary Smith -- experience as a fellow with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. category-cronyism
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Walkergate Exclusive: Add a New Campaign Violation to the ListOne Wisconsin Now has been following his campaign finance reports for years and recently reported that he has violated campaign finance laws more than 1100 times which, if enforced, could tally up to more than $500,000 in fines for his campaign. category-campaign-fundraising
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Spokesperson refuses to speak to reporters who ask about his immunity dealGov. Scott Walker's spokesman, Cullen Werwie, has begun to refuse interviews with media outlets that discuss the fact that Werwie has been granted immunity in a Joe Doe inquiry into wrongdoing by the governor's associates. This is the problem with keeping Werwie in his position now that he has been granted immunity in a probe that has been expanding, from initial questions about campaign finance and pay-to-play politics to a range of wrongdoing that now includes child enticement and the theft of money from charities set up to aid the families of soldiers. category-cronyism
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Walker Accused of Violating Over 1,000 Campaign Finance LawsWisconsin law requires that a candidate disclose contributions which exceed $100 — something that Scott Ross, director of One Wisconsin Now, says he repeatedly declined to do.“Scott Walker has improperly reported well over $500,000 in contributions from inside and outside of Wisconsin,” Ross said. “Scott Walker has absolutely no interest in following the campaign finance rules of the state of Wisconsin and we again call for state regulators to address his serial violation of our laws.”
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Walker Sues to Stick Taxpayers With Campaign Tab Despite Being Able to Raise Unlimited MoneyGov. Scott Walker’s effort to require taxpayers to finance the recall signature review campaign process should be disallowed, given Walker has been crisscrossing the country raising unlimited and unprecedented amounts of campaign cash, according to One Wisconsin Now. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Expects a Recall ElectionWalker also defended raising out-of-state cash to bolster his campaign for the recall. Last month, Walker’s campaign reported raising $5.1 million since July. The liberal advocacy group, One Wisconsin Now, said nearly half the money was raised from out of state. category-campaign-fundraising
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Judges again rule for Democratic group in redistricting caseIn a scathing ruling, a three-judge panel decided for the third time Tuesday that a Democratic group has a right to an array of information on how Republican lawmakers drew new legislative districts. Saying that GOP lawmakers and their attorneys have filed "frivolous" motions trying to keep their information private, the panel also required the attorneys for the Republican defendants to pay the attorneys' fees for the plaintiffs for the motion. category-voter-rights
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Walker’s Latest Ad Repeats False Claims About Taxes, JobsThe latest ad in Gov. Scott Walker’s multi-million dollar campaign continues to distort Walker’s record of failure on job creation and deficit reduction, including the false claim that Walker did not raise taxes. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker attempt to privatize food stamps and take over Medical Assistance from counties blocked; counties form consortiums to meet demand while dealing with 16.8% budget cutHere's the challenge: The state cut funding to operate economic support services by 16.8 percent, while at the same time requiring counties to contribute the same amount to services that they did in 2009. In his budget repair bill, Gov. Scott Walker proposed taking all of those duties away from counties. Medical Assistance, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program -- formerly referred to as food stamps -- BadgerCare and subsidized childcare, consolidating them at the state level, and providing service through a call-center model. A private company, not state workers, would oversee programs. Gov. Scott Walker's administration estimated the proposal would save $48 million each year and eliminate 270 state positions. Previous efforts to run programs such as BadgerCare out of centralized offices didn't work. The Legislative Audit Bureau gave the state performance in operating BadgerCare a dismal review. So counties offered the state an alternative: Counties would continue to provide the services but they would form income maintenance consortiums. The lead county in each consortium would work with the state, and each county within the consortium would continue to provide face-to-face services for their residents. In addition, each county would provide a call center to answer questions and process change orders for all of the consortium's clients. category-health-care
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Republican National Committee got preview of legislative mapsAn aide to a top lawmaker gave sworn testimony last week that new legislative maps approved this year were not meant to increase the Republican majority in the Legislature but were nonetheless provided to the Republican National Committee in advance. The seemingly inconsistent testimony came in a deposition from Adam Foltz, an aide to Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) charged with drawing the new maps for lawmakers. A copy of the deposition was filed with a federal three-judge panel late Tuesday. category-power-grab
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Walker Opponents Not Caught Up in Holiday Spirit of Latest Campaign Ad“The jobs losses, cuts to schools and education, and enrichment of corporations paint a far more Dickensian picture than Walker’s ad,” said Scot Ross, leader of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. “Good thing he and the family are ‘volunteering’ for a food kitchen, because his policies are going to make even longer lines as more in the middle class fall into poverty because his policies aren’t working.”
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Wisconsin Recall Calculus: $5M Distant Dollars v. 500,000 CitizensA One Wisconsin Now analysis reveals that ten percent of Walker’s money came from Texas—including a $250,000 check from the Bob Perry, the Lone Star conservative who warped American politics by attacking Vietnam veteran John Kerry with “Swift Boat” lies. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker’s Unprecedented Out-of-State Contributions AlarmingThe just-released campaign finance report for Gov. Scott Walker is not only awash in millions of dollars of out-of-state money, but also 187 new violations of campaign finance disclosure rules for failing to include employer information for more than $41,000 in contributions. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker far outraising recall organizers“In all our years of analysis, we have never seen a politician try to win a Wisconsin race with so much non-Wisconsin money,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now executive director category-campaign-fundraising
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Half of Walker’s $5 Million Take Comes From Out of WisconsinGov. Scott Walker grabbed half of the $5 million he raised in unlimited funds from outside of Wisconsin, including $250,000 from Texan Bob Perry, the architect of the infamous “Swift Boat” smear ads. category-campaign-fundraising
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on Speaker Fitzgerald’s ‘Laughable’ Recall Petition BillOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements regarding the latest power grab by outgoing Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) and current U.S. Senate candidate related to recall petition signing. Fitzgerald announced the scheme just as the recall effort against Gov. Scott Walker announced over 500,000 recall signatures have been gathered in less than a month. category-jobs
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Walker Recall Drive Gathers 597,000 Signatures in MonthIn the past few weeks; Walker has rolled out a series of TV commercials touting his accomplishments. According to One Wisconsin Now, a liberal watchdog group, the governor has spent about $2.2 million on advertising time. category-politics
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With half the money coming from out of state, Walker far outraising recall organizers“In all our years of analysis, we have never seen a politician try to win a Wisconsin race with so much non-Wisconsin money,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now executive director. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker opponents gear up for recallsOne Wisconsin Now, a left-leaning nonprofit, created a $10,000 reward fund for any information leading to the arrest of people who deface or destroy petitions. category-politics
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Business Owner in Latest Walker Ad Thrived During Doyle AdministrationThe “business owner” featured in the latest Scott Walker television ad saw his business grow 1,300 percent during the administration of Gov. Jim Doyle, according to a self-professed claim in the Business Times from 2008. The business owner is actually a vice chair at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, which donated $400,000 in 2010 to the Republican Governors Association to elect Walker. category-jobs
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Facts Tell Different Story Than Deceptive Walker Education AdThe Monona Grove school district cited in Gov. Scott Walker’s latest deceptive television ad as being a success story, has lost teachers, seen higher class sizes rise throughout the curriculum as result of Walker’s historic $1.6 billion gutting of public education. category-budget
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Walker recall verification efforts ramp upRecall Walker supporters are taking steps to ensure that only valid signatures are submitted for counting. Conservative tea party activists, who say they are nonpartisan, and Republican Party opponents want to make sure that any questionable signatures are challenged. When asked to cite some of these incidents, Ross Brown, founder of We the People of the Republic, points first to a posting on the liberal group One Wisconsin Now’s website that said it was legal to sign a recall petition more than once. Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, has said his group publicized that in response to concerns that opponents were circulating and throwing away recall petitions. Signing twice is legal under Wisconsin law.
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Tea Party Declares Wisconsin First Battleground of 2012 ElectionsRecall supporters say they are not intimidated by the tea party effort. “I think this is just some right wing, outside corporate front group trying to profit off of people around the country about the situation here in Wisconsin,” Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, says. “I think that any corporate-sponsored front group like the Tea Party Express has to be concerned about the people in Wisconsin rising up against the corporate-financed administration of Scott Walker.”
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Walker, Texas Raider: Gov. Traveling to Lone Star State Corporate Event; More Unlimited Campaign CashThe awful news this week about nearly 10,000 jobs being lost in Wisconsin has not stopped Gov. Scott Walker from his efforts to crisscross the country and raise unlimited campaign contributions the latest being an announcement he will keynote an event in Texas, hosted by that state's leading corporate-funded public policy outfit. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker says he’s not responsible for recall effort against himBut Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, noted Walker did not talk about cutting collective bargaining during the campaign and said Walker was precisely the one who caused the recall effort. “Gov. Walker is responsible for tearing Wisconsin apart and the division which has led to this unprecedented recall effort against him,” Ross said. “He alone is responsible. “If Gov. Walker had been honest with the people of Wisconsin about what his intentions were, the recall would not be happening. But then again, Gov. Walker would not have been elected.” category-collective-bargaining
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Walker’s Past Statements on the Need for RecallWith Gov. Scott Walker in the midst of an extended period of fundraising unlimited amounts of campaign cash, One Wisconsin Now is reminded of this video produced by Walker’s 2010 campaign about recalls. A Walker donor filed papers on November 4 for a fake recall of Walker, allowing the governor 11 additional days to raise unlimited campaign cash, using a loophole in the state’s campaign finance laws. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker to air TV ad during Monday Night FootballStephan Thompson, executive director of the state Republican Party, put out a statement touting the 30-second ad. The head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, though, chided Walker’s team for using a political newcomer to praise Walker’s proposals. “It’s no surprise that someone from the most Republican part of Wisconsin, who is specifically opposed to rights for workers and has only a few months of school board experience, would say what Walker is doing is working,” said Scot Ross, executive director of the Madison-based group. [ category-politics
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Walker allowed municipal employers to undermine collective bargaining agreementsWalker signed into a law a bill that allows any municipal employer to enter into a memorandum of understanding to reduce the cost of compensation or fringe benefits, without modifying an existing collective bargaining agreement for purposes of 2011 WI Act 10. The memorandum has to be entered into within 90 days after the effective date of this bill. (2011 AB 319, introduced 10/12/2011; Assembly Roll Call) category-labor
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Walker says he opposes “double dipping” but won’t force top aides to stop taking pensionsGov. Scott Walker voiced support for legislation that would end a long-standing practice that allows public workers to simultaneously collect their pension and a state paycheck. The statement concludes by adding Gov. Walker "supports applying the same policy for administration appointees." category-cronyism
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Walker says he opposes “double dipping” but won’t force top aides to stop taking pensionsIn the past five and a half years, at least 6,829 state and local government employees covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System left then returned to work, simultaneously earning a pension and a salary. Those include two of Gov. Scott Walker's cabinet secretaries: Corrections Secretary Gary Hamblin and Children and Families Secretary Eloise Anderson, both earning six-figure salaries along with their public pensions. Stephen Fitzgerald, superintendent of the Wisconsin State Patrol, whose sons, Scott and Jeff, run the Senate and Assembly, respectively, also is back on the payroll while continuing to collect a state pension. On Friday, Walker said he supports a bill that would end double dipping. But the Republican governor has no plans to ask his appointees to stop taking their pensions, spokesman Cullen Werwie said. category-cronyism
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Committee considers litigation reform billsOpponents of a pair of Republican-backed litigation reform bills argued before a state Assembly committee Friday that the proposals will gut consumer protection laws and effectively stop the filing of lawsuits against companies that break the law. One measure would limit the amount plaintiff's attorneys can charge in some cases to three times the amount of any monetary award. Another would lower the amount of interest that people who successfully sue for injuries can collect on their judgments, while the higher interest rate would remain for judgments awarded to banks and credit card companies that take their customers to court….Another lawsuit reform bill not heard on Friday but backed by Walker and Republicans would give drug-makers and medical device manufacturers immunity from lawsuits if their products had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The immunity would not be granted if they committed fraud. Walker's spokesman Cullen Werwie has defended the bills, saying they deal with the type of claims that affect job creators for the long term and the changes proposed will "help create certainty and confidence in the state's legal climate." category-justice-system
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Bill would apportion electoral votes by congressional districtsThe liberal group One Wisconsin Now accused Republicans of trying to hijack presidential elections, despite the lack of support from GOP legislative leaders. The group’s executive director, Scot Ross, said the proposal would put an “essential end” to the Electoral College system of voting in presidential elections.
“The depths to which Republicans in Wisconsin will sink to rig elections appear to be bottomless,” Ross said. “It is not enough they passed a voter suppression scheme that threatens the voting rights of hundreds of thousands of legal Wisconsin voters, or that they paid $500,000 to rig legislative maps, or that they strong-armed an independent agency to try and stave off Gov. Scott Walker’s inevitable recall.”
All that, he said, and the GOP was now attacking the foundation of how Wisconsin participates in electing the President of the United States.”Memo to the Republicans: If you would stop doling out corporate tax breaks to your contributors and focus instead on creating jobs, you might not have to rig the ballot box in order to win elections,” Ross said.
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One Wisconsin Now Supporters to ‘Take to the Air’ with Message to Gov. Walker at Badgers’ Football GameFans on hand to cheer the University of Wisconsin Badgers’ football game Saturday will see a message about Gov. Scott Walker’s attacks on higher education courtesy of One Wisconsin Now’s supporters from across the state. For the second home game in a row, One Wisconsin Now will fly a plane in the hours prior to the game — this game’s message: “Enjoy Higher Tuition <3 Scott Walker.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Wisconsin Gov. Walker broke campaign promise on paying full cost of pensionWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who forced public workers to pay more for their pensions as part of a push to curb union rights, broke his campaign promise to pay the full cost of his state pension immediately after taking office in January. “It is indefensible Scott Walker promised to live by these rules and then broke his word to Wisconsin,” said Scot Ross, head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. “Scott Walker tore Wisconsin in two to pass these unnecessary changes and then tells us ‘Do as I say, not as I didn’t.’” category-mismanagement
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Crime and Courts: Interesting twist — GOP issued warning of fanatics with weapons.Scot Ross, the director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, couldn’t pass up a comment on the irony. He sent me Courtney’s letter, which is attached to this post, with the following comment: “With Scott Walker and the Republicans, you always follow the money. In May, they used the threat of guns in the Capitol to raise money. And in October they want to allow guns in the Capitol to raise money from the NRA.” category-guns
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Van Hollen shows his skewed prioritiesBy Scot Ross. Van Hollen refused to help local law enforcement in the John Doe investigation that has ensnared top officials from Walker’s Milwaukee County executive regime. Among those involved are people given top jobs in the Walker gubernatorial administration. The two previous Wisconsin attorneys general offered resources and support in similar types of cases involving fellow Democrats, but Van Hollen took a high-profile and controversial pass.
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DHS Secretary announces BadgerCare cuts; Dems introduce bill rolling back BadgerCare takeoverThe bill, announced Monday, would put the Legislature back in charge of deciding costs and eligibility associated with Medicaid and Badgercare, essentially taking the state back to a time before Gov. Scott Walker took office. The proposal comes in response to potential cuts announced last week by Department of Health Services Secretary Dennis Smith, which outlined changes in care for more than 200,000 people and the possibility of cutting another 53,000 off the rolls entirely…Smith announced a series of cost-cutting measures last week, most of them aimed at addressing the $554 million needed to balance the state's medical assistance programs. Under his plan, some 215,000 children and adults would be shifted to lower-cost state plans. If the state fails to receive a federal waiver allowing it to change eligibility requirements, some 53,000 adults could be dropped from coverage altogether. category-health-care
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In first year as governor, Walker admin proposed sharply raising premiums for state health programs & force others to lower cost or private plansTo fill a half-billion dollar budget hole in state health programs, Gov. Scott Walker's administration wants to raise premiums sharply for some families and shift hundreds of thousands of residents to lower-cost state plans or private plans. Officials said they do not intend to leave participants without any path to coverage. State officials said there is now a $554 million estimated deficit - $110 million more than previously projected - through June 2013 in state Medicaid health programs, which provide everything from doctor's visits for poor families to nursing home care for the elderly. To close that gap and control fast-growing costs, state Health Services Secretary Dennis Smith said that the state would avoid dropping state residents with no other options for health insurance. Instead, officials will look at shifting more than 200,000 state Medicaid recipients into a lower-cost plan with fewer benefits. category-budget
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Walker Chief-of-Staff quits just nine months into the jobKeith Gilkes, the third top Walker aide to announce their resignation in recent months, said he'll leave the $112,000-per-year chief of staff job Oct. 8. As Gilkes, 34, discussed the announcement's timing, he noted promised efforts to recall the Republican governor over his push to strip away almost all public employee collective bargain rights. "As we see activity on the Democrats' part, on the public-sector employees' part, talking about running campaigns against the governor, we want to ensure our message is being heard," Gilkes told The Associated Press. "We want to make sure we're prepared for anything they may attempt against the governor whether now, a year from now or three years from now...Walker made no mention of a recall or future elections in a statement he issued praising Gilkes' service, but a few hours after the announcement, the governor posted on Twitter: "Keith Gilkes is coming aboard as the chief advisor to r campaign. We r gearing up 2 get out message that It is Working in WI." category-political-style
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Van Hollen Refused to Investigate Walker’s ‘Cronygate’Republican Attorney General JB Van Hollen, according to a news report today, refused to help the investigation into fellow Republican Scott Walker’s office in the scandal being called “Cronygate.” The refusal and silence of the state’s “top cop” to investigate his fellow Republican raises serious questions about Van Hollen’s conduct and warrants an investigation, according to One Wisconsin Now. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Latest Scheme: Public Can Pay $50 to Hear His Job IdeasGov. Scott Walker, facing a steadily-increasing state unemployment rate despite passing $2.3 billion in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy, has announced his latest scheme: charge the public $50 to attend a state-sponsored “jobs summit.” Walker’s fee will likely restrict public access, particularly the unemployed and those in need of jobs. category-jobs
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Walker’s fundraiser to restore mansion raises some eyebrowsOn Sept. 22, the governor and first lady will hold a private reception and croquet tournament at the governor’s mansion from 5 to 7 p.m. to raise money to help rehab the Maple Bluff facility. Attendees can donate anywhere from $50 to $1,000 to the mansion’s nonprofit foundation. Those who drop a grand get a “private reception, private tour, recognition on the invitation, signage and acknowledgment at the event, and admission and (croquet) tournament entry for two.” “It sounds like a two-part construction project,” said Scot Ross, head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, a frequent Walker critic. “The special interests pay to remodel Gov. Walker’s mansion, and he builds them a private entrance to his office.” category-cronyism
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Legal fees soar for Wisconsin taxpayers over bargaining, redistricting | GOP skips bids, pays up to $395 per hourThe Capitol battles over union bargaining and political redistricting proposals have paid off for one group: politically connected GOP lawyers. So far this year, two firms with strong Republican connections have racked up more than $700,000 in invoices and payments authorized by Gov. Scott Walker and GOP lawmakers to help represent the state in cases such as legal challenges over Walker's legislation ending most collective bargaining for public employees. More payments on the ongoing cases and another likely case are still to come, as Walker considers a request by the Department of Justice to appoint one of the firms to represent the state in a federal lawsuit over redistricting legislation. category-cronyism
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Will Governor Walker be recalled?2012 is shaping up to be an interesting political year in Wisconsin. “I think the numbers show Governor Walker’s policies are wildly unpopular, and people want accountability,” said Scot Ross with One Wisconsin Now.
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Wisconsin recalls: Is Gov. Scott Walker next?On Wednesday, Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, called for the recall of Walker next year.”The damage Gov. Walker has inflicted on Wisconsin from a public policy standpoint is only surpassed by the painful division he has created in cities, towns, villages and families across Wisconsin. It is clear he is the problem and he must be recalled in 2012 so that Wisconsin can heal and we can begin to undo the destruction he has caused,” Ross said. category-political-style
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Wisconsin Progressives Push Forward to Gov. Scott Walker’s 2012 RecallOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross joins Ed Schultz on the Ed Show to discuss the 2012 recall effort against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
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Recall Wins Show Governor VulnerableOther leading Democrats and liberal activists were more ebullient about Tuesday’s results, saying the two Democratic wins showed Walker is weak and ripe for recall. “Gov. Walker remains the most divisive elected official the state of Wisconsin has had and people remain outraged about what he has done to divide our state,” said Scot Ross, director of the liberal muckraking group One Wisconsin Now.
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Walker says he’ll focus on bipartisanship, jobsTo trigger a recall election of Walker, Democrats would need to gather 540,208 signatures, or one-quarter of the nearly 2.2 million votes cast in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Recall petitions cannot be circulated until early November and cannot be offered for filing with state elections officials until Jan. 3 of next year, according to the state Government Accountability Board. Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said he believed “a recall of Scott Walker is still very real.” category-politics
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Democrats Mull Recall of Gov. WalkerScot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said he believed there was still an appetite among Democrats to take on Walker in a recall election. “Gov. Walker has divided the state of Wisconsin like no other state official has and I think a recall of Scott Walker is still very real,” said Ross, whose group weighed in repeatedly on the Senate recall elections. category-politics
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Walker signs legislation to redraw district boundariesAs elections took place Tuesday in six state Senate districts, Gov. Scott Walker privately signed legislation to redraw their boundaries along with the remaining legislative districts. Walker waited until nearly the last possible moment to announce he had signed the legislation, which will give Republicans an advantage in the upcoming 2012 elections for both the Legislature and Congress. "The maps passed by the Legislature meet the objective criteria laid out by the courts, including communities of interest, fair minority representation and compact, contiguous districts," Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said in a brief statement announcing the bill signings. category-voter-rights
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Koch-Backed Group Buys $150k in TV Time for Wisconsin Ad BlitzScot Ross, executive director of the progressive group One Wisconsin Now, called AFP’s new ad blitz “the granddaddy of corporate, big oil special interest money” and a last-ditch effort to salvage the GOP majority in the state senate. “The Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity has now dumped over $500,000 to pollute Wisconsin airwaves about the failed agenda of Scott Walker and the Senate Republicans—and they may just be getting started.”
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GOP gives oversight of Administrative Rules to Walker in unprecedented power grabIntroduced in January by the Joint Committee on Organization and approved by the Legislature in May, the act gives the governor new power over administrative rules and requires an economic analysis of all proposed regulations ... Cullen Werwie, spokesman for Gov. Scott Walker, acknowledged Act 21 will lengthen the rule-making process. But he said the administration supported the legislation because it makes the governor accountable for any rules promulgated. category-political-style
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Conservative group spent at least $1.5 million on recall ads, says liberal groupHere’s something interesting from liberal blogger Greg Sargent at The Washington Post. category-ethics
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Politicized Department of Veterans Affairs & Appointed Crony as SecretaryWalker signed into law a bill that politicizes the Department of Veterans Affairs by giving the governor authority to appoint the Secretary, rather than being selected by the Board of Veterans Affairs, as under prior law. Walker then appointed political crony, John Scocos, who had previously served as Secretary for six years, and was fired by the Veterans Board over financial and communications problems at the department. (2011 AB 96, introduced 4/51/2011; Senate Roll Call; Assembly Roll Call) category-cronyism
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Walker broke campaign pledge and raised state fees to fill budget hole, including $107 million in tuition hikes on UW studentsIn the 2011-13 budget, Walker increased fees by over $136 million:
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Stripped Public Workers of Collective Bargaining RightsWalker signed a bill that stripped all public workers, except police and firefighters, of their collective bargaining rights. The bill no longer allows teachers, nurses, snow plow drivers and other public employees to bargain on their work place conditions, benefits or for pay raises above the cost of inflation. In addition, unions have lost the right to file workplace grievances and most no longer have protections from being fired without just cause. Critics of the bill believe that for all practical purposes, it is a union-busting bill, because it prevents collection of union dues, forces unions to hold annual certification elections to enable the unions to continue year-to-year, and many other measures aimed at hobbling the union. Special Session Assembly Bill 11 passed the Senate on March 9, 2011 by a 18-1 margin with all of the Republicans except Sen. Dale Schultz voting for the bill. The Democrats were out of the state to prevent the bill's passage based on lacking the quorum necessary of 20 members. The Republicans, however, claim that they took out all non-fiscal elements of bill and that they did not require a quorum of 20 for passage. (2011 January Special Session AB 11, introduced 2/15/11; Senate Roll Call; Assembly Roll Call) category-labor
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GOP bill takes away local control over landlords; allows landlords to discriminate against poor peopleMadison city officials and housing advocates are reeling from a punch delivered by new GOP legislation that threatens to erase several decades worth of renter protections enacted here. Senate Bill 107, introduced on May 26 with the backing of landlords and property owners, realty agents and the construction industry, is on a fast track and is expected to reach the Senate floor as early as this week after being approved last week by the Housing and Insurance Committee.* The bill would prohibit local governments from enacting ordinances that limit a residential landlord's ability to obtain and use personal information from tenants and prospective tenants, including income and source of income, occupation, court records, rental history, and credit information, according to an analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau...Supporters don't deny charges that the bill takes special aim at Madison. It was meant to. (*Note: this bill was passed and signed into law by Walker.) category-local-control
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Artwork shuffle at governor’s mansion raises eyebrowsEarlier this year, the governor and first lady Tonette Walker took down Lenz's painting "Wishes in the Wind," a realistic portrait of three children - one black, one Hispanic and one white - playing with bubble wands on a Milwaukee street. Commissioned by the foundation that runs the governor's Maple Bluff residence, the painting was completed and placed prominently above the fireplace mantel in the drawing room in November. The governor and first lady have replaced it with a century-old painting of Old Abe, a Civil War-era bald eagle from Wisconsin. Lenz described himself as "deeply disappointed" by the decision to take down his artwork..."This seems symbolic," said Lenz, referring to Walker's proposed cuts in state funding for Milwaukee schools and city and county services, something he said would have a disproportionate impact on low-income youngsters. "You would think we could all agree on the need to support the hopes and dreams of children.”
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Move to create a “one-stop-shop” criticized by consumer protection advocatesA proposed change in rule-making power criticized as an attack on consumer protection has been abandoned by the governor's office. Defended by Gov. Scott Walker's office because "it makes more sense" and would help create jobs, the change was dropped from the proposed budget in late March with the explanation it was included "inadvertently."...[Consumer protection experts were puzzled to discover a switch in authority over who makes the rules in key consumer protection areas - when tenants can sue landlords, for example. Those long have been shepherded by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection...However, in a March 31 memo to the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee outlining "modifications" and "conceptual changes" to the original proposal, the governor invoked a do-over on the proposal, writing "these programs were inadvertently included in the budget and should be removed from the bill and retained by DATCP."] category-consumer-protection
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Public backlash to the split ultimately killed the proposal to spin off UW-MadisonGov. Scott Walker’s proposal to break off the Madison campus from the rest of the University of Wisconsin System is dead. UW-Madison lobbyist Don Nelson said Friday talks continue with state lawmakers over what new flexibilities the Madison campus can be given to control its budget and make other decisions. But he said Walker’s proposal that the campus endorsed to create a separate public authority is no longer an option. category-higher-education
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Walker Signed Law Requiring Photo ID to VoteWalker signed into law Assembly Bill 7, requiring photo identification to vote at a polling place or obtain an absentee ballot. On February 12, 2011, the Senate passed an amendment to SB 6 that changes Wisconsin's voting laws and requires each eligible elector who attempts to register or to vote at the polls on election day to present "proof of identification." "Proof of identification" means an identification document that contains the name of the individual to whom the document was issued, which name conforms to the individual's voter registration, if the individual is required to register to vote, and that contains a photograph of the individual. "Identification" means a) one of the following documents issued to the individual that is unexpired or if expired has expired after the date of the most recent general election: an operator's license issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT), an identification card issued by DOT, an identification card issued by a U.S. uniformed service, or a U.S. Passport; b) a certificate of U.S. naturalization that was issued not earlier than two years before the date of an election at which it is presented; c) an unexpired driving receipt issued by DOT (see below); d) an unexpired identification card receipt issued by DOT; or e) an identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in this state. The Senate took up the Assembly bill (AB 7) on May 19, 2011. The Assembly passed this version of the bill several days prior on 5/11/11 by 59-36. (2011 AB 7; Senate Roll Call; Assembly Roll Call)
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Walker’s rules take-over praised by state’s largest business lobby groupThe other bill he signed gives the governor veto powers over rules written by state agencies and other elected state officials. Democrats opposing it called it nothing but a power grab…Walker defended the change, which he proposed, saying it will make the rule-making process more accountable to the public. The move also won praise from the state's largest business lobbying group, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, which has long criticized state agency rules it believes are overreaching and hurt the state's business climate. category-political-style
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Walker Stripped State Agencies of Rule-Making AuthorityWalker signed into law a bill that would strip state agencies of the power to create rules to enforce the statutes of Wisconsin law. Under current law, an agency may promulgate rules interpreting the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by the agency, if the agency considers it necessary to effectuate the purpose of the statute, except that a rule is not valid if the rule exceeds the bounds of correct interpretation. This bill provides that all of the following apply to the promulgation of a rule interpreting the provisions of a statute enforced or administered by an agency: 1. A statutory or non-statutory provision containing a statement or declaration of legislative intent, purpose, findings, or policy does not confer rule−making authority on the agency or augment the agency’s rule−making authority beyond the rule−making authority that is expressly conferred on the agency by the legislature. 2. A statutory provision describing the agency’s general powers or duties does not confer rule−making authority on the agency or augment the agency’s rule−making authority beyond the rule−making authority that is expressly conferred on the agency by the legislature. 3. A statutory provision containing a specific standard, requirement, or threshold does not confer on the agency the authority to promulgate, enforce, or administer a rule that contains a standard, requirement, or threshold that is more restrictive than the standard, requirement, or threshold contained in the statutory provision. The bill also prohibits an agency from implementing or enforcing any standard, requirement, or threshold as a term or condition of any license issued by the agency unless such implementation or enforcement is expressly required or permitted by statute or by a rule that has been promulgated in accordance with statutory rule−making procedures. In addition, the bill permits the governor, by executive order, to prescribe standards to ensure that rules are promulgated in compliance with the subchapter of the statutes governing rule making. (2011 January Special Session AB 8, introduced 1/19/11; Senate Roll Call; Assembly Roll Call)
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Walker Quietly Consolidating Power In Wisconsin“It’s turning Wisconsin’s state government from a body that is charged with serving the needs of the people of Wisconsin, into making its first priority serving corporations — both inside and outside of Wisconsin,” added Scot Ross, executive director of the progressive group One Wisconsin Now.
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Walker signed measure that would allow state to kick 70,000 off health care programsOn May 11, 2011, Walker signed into law reckless health care cutbacks that would allow the state to cut up to 70,000 from Wisconsin health care programs, and could result in deep reductions in benefits for children and seniors. (January 2011 Special Session Assembly Bill 11; Assembly Roll Call; Senate Roll Call) category-budget
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Walker Prevented Local Governments From Having Their Own Paid Sick Leave LawsWalker signed into law a bill that prevented local government's from passing paid sick leave or family medical leave laws that are more inclusive and powerful than the statewide law. The governor signed the bill into law on May 5, 2011. (2011 SB 23, introduced 2/23/11; Senate Roll Call; Assembly Roll Call) category-health-care
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Walker appointed politically connected campaign volunteer with no relevant experience to county postWalker has taken heat for nominating Republican campaign worker Renee Miller to the Marinette County register of deeds position, despite Miller's conspicuous lack of experience with either land or vital records. Miller has done campaign work for Marinette County Republican Rep. John Nygren and is married to Nygren's campaign treasurer, Paul Miller. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nygren wrote to Walker aide Cindy Polzin last December noting that another candidate for the job, deputy register of deeds Becky Chasensky, "has some personal issues, and she has never been involved in the party." Upset by the appointment, the paper reported, one register of deeds employee has sought a transfer, and another may resign to protest, potentially depriving Miller of an experienced staff. category-cronyism
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Politically connected college drop-out with drunk driving convictions gets $81k political appointmentMcCabe points to Walker's appointment of Brian Deschane to the state Department of Commerce as "an episode that opened some eyes." Deschane, 27-year-old son of influential Republican lobbyist Jerry Deschane, was tapped to fill an $81,500-a-year position despite two drunk-driving convictions, little relevant experience and a lack of a college degree. A hubbub ensued, and Deschane was demoted from the Commerce position and subsequently resigned. category-cronyism
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Walker lobbies for GOP Senators in FloridaGov. Scott Walker spent this past weekend campaigning in Florida for FrontlineWisconsin.com, a national online fundraising effort to support the Republican state senators up for recall. Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a progressive advocacy group, described Walker’s actions as “abominable.” “It’s one thing to sell out the middle class of Wisconsin in order to reward his corporate donors, but it’s a whole other thing to travel the country to raise even more corporate money,” Ross said.
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Deschane was hired over candidates with a Ph.D. & 25 years experienceThe Department of Commerce recently hired Deschane, 27, as its new administrator of environmental and regulatory services - an $81,500-a-year job that supervises 76 employees and oversees storage tank regulations and environmental cleanups. Deschane never graduated from college and, according to his resume, has no discernible experience in the field. Yet according to documents provided Tuesday to the State Journal, he was chosen over a former DRL secretary to replace a 25-year state employee with a degree in chemical engineering and a resume that included extensive management and regulatory experience. The disparity led critics to conclude that Deschane's hiring was political payback. category-cronyism
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Politically connected college drop-out with drunk driving convictions gets $81k political appointmentAt the recommendation of Walker chief of staff Keith Gilkes, DRL Secretary David Ross appointed Deschane in January as bureau director of board services. A month later, Commerce Secretary Paul Jadin hired him at the recommendation of DRL Deputy Secretary John Scocos. category-cronyism
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Donation questioned by groupBut Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, said in a statement that “once again, Wisconsin taxpayers are footing Gov. Walker’s handouts to special interest campaign contributors.” category-political-payback
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Walker Returns $50,000 in Jack Links’-Related Contributions with $75,000 in Taxpayer DollarsGov. Scott Walker has announced a $75,000 taxpayer-financed grant to a company, who along with its Chief Executive Officer, donated nearly $50,000 in 2010 to the Republican Governors Association, which spent $5 million to elect Walker governor, according to a figures obtained from the Internal Revenue Service by One Wisconsin Now. Walker announced the taxpayer-financed grant to the company, Jack Links, Tuesday in a press release. category-campaign-fundraising
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Critics say budget proposal axing farmland preservation gives developers upper handFarmland in western Wisconsin would be hit particularly hard by changes to a new farmland preservation program in Gov. Scott Walker's proposed state budget, the leader of a state agriculture organization said...The farmland provision in the 2011-13 state budget would eliminate the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement, or PACE, program, which permanently leases development rights for farmland under pressure from development. The budget provision would wipe out $12 million, matched by funding from local governments or nonprofit land conservancies, that would be available for agricultural leases. The measure also would eliminate a conversion fee that penalizes landowners who rezone agricultural land and allow it to be developed. Eliminating the conversion fee would make it easier for developers to buy agricultural land and continue farming, while paying low taxes, until they are ready to rezone and develop that property, Schultz said. category-agriculture
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Despite Walker Efforts, State Supreme Court upheld the domestic partnership registryThe Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the state’s domestic partnership registry Thursday, ensuring same-sex couples will retain certain rights no matter how a federal court rules on the state’s constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. In a unanimous decision written by Justice N. Patrick Crooks, the court emphasized that proponents of the amendment, including Wisconsin Family Action executive director Julaine Appling, the lead plaintiff in the case, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, made public statements in 2006 that the marriage amendment wouldn’t prevent the Legislature from granting certain rights to same-sex couples. category-lgbtq
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Walker left defense of the state law to LGBT advocacy groupAfter his 2010 election Walker fired Pines, leaving defense of the law up to gay rights advocate Fair Wisconsin and other interested parties that had intervened in the case. Pines said Thursday the state paid his firm $75,000 between Oct. 29, 2009, and June 28, 2011, for work on the case. category-lgbtq
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Walker fired lawyers defending state domestic partnership registry lawGov. Scott Walker has fired the lawyers defending the state in a challenge to Wisconsin's domestic partnership law. But the governor's spokesman said his office "is still working to appoint a new counsel to the case." Madison attorney Lester Pines informed Dane County Circuit Judge Daniel Moeser in a March 22 letter that his firm, Cullen Weston Pines & Bach, had been "terminated" by Walker as counsel for the state in the lawsuit filed in 2009 by Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Action, a conservative advocacy group. category-lgbtq
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Walker’s ($)1.3 Million Reasons for Funneling Seniors Out of SeniorCareAn analysis by One Wisconsin Now shows that companies which currently administer Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in Wisconsin have donated in last several years $1.3 million to the campaigns of Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Governors Association, which spent $5 million to elect Walker in 2010. Actions by Gov. Walker which threaten SeniorCare could hand $100 million to companies administering the more costly federal Medicare Part D program in Wisconsin. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker power grab replaces civil servants with political hiresGov. Scott Walker will be able to name political appointees to fill three dozen civil-service jobs that handle open records requests from the public under the budget-repair law he signed last week. Walker's separate 2011-'13 budget proposal would also make a political appointment out of another key civil service job - the top lawyer spot at the agency overseeing state labor law. The law would make existing civil-service positions into 37 new political appointments, including 14 general counsels, 14 communications positions in state agencies and other positions, including legislative liaisons doing lobbying for agencies. That would allow Walker and agency secretaries to hire and fire employees in those positions at will. Under the law, the civil service jobs would be classed as division administrator jobs, a kind of political appointment, and would increase that class of political appointments in the affected agencies by about 50%, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. category-labor
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on WMC’s ‘Buy Wisconsin’ Corporate CampaignOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements regarding Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce’s “Buy Wisconsin” campaign, designed to try and drown out the statewide outrage over businesses that have supported Gov. Scott Walker’s efforts to put corporations in charge of Wisconsin’s government and take as much money from education, health care and public infrastructure to give to corporate special interests and the wealthiest. category-campaign-fundraising
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Protests target M&IBut the principal hasn’t been paid back yet. Unions and liberal groups like One Wisconsin Now are also upset that M & I executives gave more money to Scott Walker during last year’s governor’s race, than the officials did to Democrat Tom Barrett. category-labor
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Over Two Weeks Later, Walker Has Not Released Administration-Koch Lobbyist Communication EmailsOver two weeks after One Wisconsin Now filed an open records request for all email and written communications between Koch Industries’ lead Wisconsin lobbyist and the office of Gov. Scott Walker and the Department of Administration, the Walker administration has yet to fulfill the request. One Wisconsin Now said it is considering legal action and notes the unusual speed at which Gov. Walker’s office released staff email communications this week it claimed were proof of the administration’s willingness to negotiate with Senate Democrats in the budget repair bill dispute. category-collective-bargaining
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Gov. Scott Walker Refusing To Release Details Of Contacts With Koch IndustriesOver two weeks after receiving a request from One Wisconsin Now, Walker’s administration has refused to release details of its contacts with lobbyists from Koch Industries, run by billionaire arch-conservatives Charles and David Koch. The group requested “all email and written communications between Koch Industries’ lead Wisconsin lobbyist and the office of Gov. Scott Walker and the Department of Administration,” but has not yet received the information.
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Records, pleaseBut not all observers are chuckling. The Madison-based liberal group, One Wisconsin Now, has adopted a frowny watchdog visage: Last week it filed a records request with Walker’s office seeking “all written communications and records of scheduled meetings between Koch Industries’ top in-state lobbyist and the office of Gov. Scott Walker, his former transition office and the Wisconsin Department of Administration.”
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One Wisconsin Now on Monday’s Mobilization Activities Outside State CapitolOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross issued the following statements regarding Gov. Scott Walker’s efforts to close the State Capitol off to the people of Wisconsin and the continued mobilization against his efforts to use the government to take away the rights of working men and women and dismantle the quality of Wisconsin’s way of life. category-labor
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on the People’s Victory Over Gov. Walker’s Efforts to Close CapitolOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements regarding the failure of Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to close the State Capitol to hundreds of protesters who had intended to sleep in the Capitol for a 13th night in solidarity against the governor’s disastrous budget repair plan. category-labor
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As Governor, his signature achievement – ending collective bargaining for public employees – was a result of a bill passed in the middle of the nightIt took a sneak attack in the early morning hours on Friday for Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly to pass Gov. Scott Walker's controversial budget bill, the one that would eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public-sector unions. Assembly Democrats savaged their counterparts for ramming the bill through at just past 1 a.m., screaming "shame!" and branding them "cowards." But if anyone asks Walker about the GOP's late-night tactic, he'll find himself in a tough spot: he's blatantly flip-flopped on the issue throughout his career. On the campaign trail in 2010, Walker, then a gubernatorial candidate, disavowed late-night votes by Wisconsin lawmakers. At the time, the Assembly was pulling all-nighters in order to finish its two-year legislative session, a common occurrence that's angered government watchdogs who don't approve of state business conducted when most people are asleep. In April 2010, Walker pledged to outlaw any votes in the legislature after 10 p.m. and before 9 a.m. "I have two teenagers and I tell them that nothing good happens after midnight. That’s even more true in politics," he said in a statement. "The people of Wisconsin deserve to know what their elected leaders are voting on." category-flip-flop
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Walker proposed taking away most legislative oversight of BadgerCare; turning decision-making over to DHS SecretaryAppleton Post Crescent Editorial: Prescription for trouble / Agency would make decisions on medical assistance: Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill has another provision that can have a huge impact on people who have little voice. The provision authorizes the state Department of Health Services to make changes in medical assistance programs, such as the BadgerCare programs, Family Care and SeniorCare... But currently, changes in the program have to go through the full Legislature - starting as a bill and being passed into law. Walker wants to largely bypass the Legislature to allow for the programs to be changed by an agency… That takes power away from us, too. In turn, it gives power to Dennis Smith, the Health Services secretary. Not much more than a year ago, Smith wrote in his job as a fellow at the Heritage Foundation that states would be better off leaving Medicaid because of the health reform law.
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Liberal group files open records request against WalkerOne Wisconsin Now, a liberal activist group, today filed an open records request for all written communications and records of scheduled meetings between Koch Industries’ top in-state lobbyist and Walker’s office, his former transition office and the Wisconsin Department of Administration. category-ethics
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One Wisconsin Now Files Open Records Request for Walker Administration-Koch Lobbyist CommunicationsOne Wisconsin Now filed an open records request today for all written communications and records of scheduled meetings between Koch Industries’ top in-state lobbyist and the office of Gov. Scott Walker, his former transition office and the Wisconsin Department of Administration. category-political-allies
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Group Files Open Records Request for Walker Administration-Koch Lobbyist CommunicationsOne Wisconsin Now filed an open records request today for all written communications and records of scheduled meetings between Koch Industries’ top in-state lobbyist and the office of Gov. Scott Walker, his former transition office and the Wisconsin Department of Administration. [
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Proposed breaking UW-Madison away from System, appoint most of UW BoardRepublican Gov. Scott Walker would appoint a majority of a board that would run the University of Wisconsin-Madison independently of UW System governance under a plan spelled out in a document released Wednesday by UW-Madison officials. Because Walker would make those appointments, splitting UW-Madison from the UW System would give the new governor influence over the state's flagship campus more quickly than would happen if UW-Madison remained a part of the state's 26-campus system. Walker's Democratic predecessor, Gov. Jim Doyle, made all but one of the appointments to the 18-member UW System Board of Regents during his eight years in office. category-higher-education
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Walker proposed no-bid sales of state-owned power plants; removed provision from final bill after public backlash; Koch denies they would gain from power plant saleA lesser-known provision of Wisconsin's budget-repair bill would allow the state to sell off publicly owned power plants in no-bid deals - prompting a flurry of speculation by liberal bloggers who allege that Gov. Scott Walker is attempting a giveaway to energy conglomerate Koch Industries...Koch insists it doesn't stand to gain from the legislation, and is furiously denouncing the rumors as they have spread to media outlets including MSNBC, Forbes and Bloomberg… Koch Industries, led by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, has emerged as a major benefactor of conservative Republican candidates, and the Koch-backed group Americans for Prosperity has helped organize tea party rallies in Wisconsin supporting Walker's proposed budget fix. category-cronyism
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The Selling of Wisconsin: Enter Koch Brothers’ Bag Man Jeffrey SchoepkeMuch has recently been made of the revelation that Koch Industries was Walker’s second biggest supporter, ponying up $43,000 and giving $1 million to the Republican Governor’s Association, which itself spent $65,000 on supporting Walker (and $3.4 million against his opponent). All of this was actually noted way back in September, 2010, by Scot Ross at One Wisconsin Now.
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What does Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker really want?One Wisconsin Now, the progressive watchdog group that has provided the closest monitoring of Walker’s budgetary gamesmanship, explains: “Since his inauguration in early January, Walker has approved $140 million in new special-interest
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Governors wise to secure prisonsScot Ross, head of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, said: “No Wisconsin governor has deployed the military against public employees as far back as the 1930s, showing just how radical the steps are that Gov. Walker is taking to consolidate his power.”
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Walker’s budget roils state politics and governmentScot Ross of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now said no governor has used the military against public employees as far back as the 1930’s. He said current events show “just how radical the steps are that Gov. Walker is taking to consolidate his power.”
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Misconceptions spread over National Guard’s role in Walker budget proposal“No Wisconsin Governor has deployed the military against public employees as far back as the 1930s, showing just how radical the steps are that Gov. Walker is taking to consolidate his power,” said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
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Bill Called “Power Grab” That Gives Governor Too Much PowerLegislation which gives the governor sweeping oversight of the state’s rule making authority has passed the state Senate, meaning another Special Session bill will soon be ready for Governor Scott Walker’s signature. The state Senate passed the bill Thursday. It’s a ‘power grab’ that cuts the legislature out of the process according to Madison Democrat Fred Risser. “All we do is maybe spin our wheels a little bit, but we don’t have any input,” said Risser. “It’s really a dictatorial takeover of the rule making process by our governor.” category-political-style
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Walker Concocts ‘Scoop and Toss’ Borrowing Scheme to Pay for $140 Million in Special Interest SpendingMadison— Republican Gov. Scott Walker plans to pay for $140 million in new special interest spending signed into law in January by extending the state’s long term debt in a “scoop and toss” refinancing scheme that will cost untold tens of millions of dollars in additional debt for Wisconsin. category-budget
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Walker falsely claimed tort reform was employers’ top issueIn trying to tie the lawsuit reforms to job creation, Walker asserted the issue is "one of the most important factors" when businesses are deciding to expand or invest in Wisconsin. That’s a major overreach. He cited a series of national surveys, which show it’s a concern but lack Wisconsin data and don’t weigh how the concern stacks up against other issues. In the surveys of state businesses we found, lawsuit reform is on the radar screen -- but a blip behind taxes, regulation and other issues. We rate Walker's claim False. category-justice-system
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ALEC Commends Gov. WalkerWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) signed into law today Special Session Senate Bill 1, legislation aimed at reforming the state's civil justice system. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) commended newly-elected Gov. Walker and the new Wisconsin legislature for their leadership in responding quickly to their mandate to restore business confidence and for making tort reform one of their top priorities to achieve this goal. "Wisconsin's legislature and Gov. Walker should be lauded for their immediate attention to reforming the state's legal system. They are the first of many states expected to consider such tort reforms as part of job creation packages in 2011," said Amy Kjose, ALEC's Civil Justice Task Force Director. "Reforming state legal systems is often a budget-neutral way, or sometimes even a budget-positive way, to restore confidence for businesses as the economy struggles to recover." The bill comes at a critical time, when Gov. Walker called the legislature into special session for the express purpose of decreasing burdens on business and reigniting the state's sluggish economy. This bill is a strong piece of reform legislation that will have a significant impact on Wisconsin's legal climate and economic viability. category-justice-system
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Walker Gave Senator Job After He Voted Against State Employee ContractsFormer Democratic Sen. Jeff Plale, who voted against his party during a lame duck session on state contracts last month, has joined the administration of Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Plale will earn $90,000 a year as the administrator of the Division of State Facilities, according to the Department of Administration. Critics speculated a Walker administration job was payback for his opposition to union contract legislation in December. "Instead of seeking out the best and brightest, this governor is busy creating a country club for cronies," Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, said.
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How Will Walker Celebrate Wisconsin ‘CEO Pay Freedom Day’?Today is the day the chief executive officers of Wisconsin’s publicly-traded companies have on average earned as much as the median household will earn in Wisconsin this year. One Wisconsin Now is wondering how Gov. Scott Walker will highlight the day as part of his effort to hand over the state’s regulatory and treasury to the power of big business. category-politics
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Walker, officials celebrate at inaugural ball, new governor’s work beginsOne Wisconsin Now held a separate music show in Madison last night to raise money for relief groups and food pantries. Director Scot Ross said about 350 people showed up. Walker’s inaugural ceremony at the Capitol did collect food for Milwaukee’s Hunger Task Force.
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‘Rock the Pantry’ Raises Nearly $4,000 for CharityOne Wisconsin Now’s progressive rally “Rock the Pantry” will result in nearly $4,000 being donated to the Wisconsin efforts of Feeding America. Progressives held the rally in response to Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s big-money campaign and political party fundraising inaugural, as well as to send an unmistakable message that progressives will fight conservative public policy efforts to hurt Wisconsin’s working families and those in need. category-campaign-fundraising
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Hundreds attend Wisconsin inaugural ballLiberal groups like One Wisconsin Now slammed Walker for not giving the ball’s proceeds to charity, like Democrat Jim Doyle did in his two inaugurals.
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Plenty of activities planned for Inauguration DayTonight in Madison, while the new governor is attending the Inaugural Ball, members of the group One Wisconsin Now will hold a charity fund raiser. Scot Ross is executive director. “One of the impetuses for doing this is we were really disappointed when Governor-elect Walker decided to turn his inaugural events into partisan political fundraisers,” Ross says.
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First the dance, then workWalker took some criticism from liberal groups such as One Wisconsin Now for not sending the proceeds of the ball to charity, as Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle had done in his inaugural events. Doyle’s events benefited Boys & Girls Clubs around Wisconsin, providing them $233,000 in 2003 and $323,000 in 2007.
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Walker’s not-so-quiet power grabsScot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, echoes Miller’s thoughts. “This is an unprecedented power grab to undercut the Legislature,” says Ross. “That is a pretty big warning sign for people in the Capitol.” Ross says Walker’s proposal to circumvent the authority of government agencies would turn the governor’s office into “the state’s largest waiting room for lobbyists.”
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Walker Put Reading Task Force Outside of Department of Public InstructionIn the budget, Walker allocated $1.2 million to the creation of a reading task force to reside within the GOP controlled Department of Administration, rather than in the Department of Public Instruction, where the secretary is democratically elected and accountable to the voters, not Governor Walker. Walker has since used that task force as his platform to introduce education reforms. (2011-13 State Agency Budget Summaries, Department of Administration, page 20)
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One Wisconsin Now’s ‘Rock the Pantry’ Set for MondayOne Wisconsin Now’s “Rock the Pantry” progressive rally to help feed Wisconsin is set for the evening of Monday, January 3 at the same time Gov.-elect Scott Walker will be hosting a big money partisan political inauguration fundraiser to benefit his campaign and the Republican Party of Wisconsin. All proceeds from tickets to One Wisconsin Now’s “Rock the Pantry,” to be held at Madison’s historic Majestic Theatre, will go directly to charities assisting people hit hardest by the economic collapse. category-campaign-fundraising
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on Latest Walker Corporate Welfare PlanOne Wisconsin Now released the following statements regarding Gov.-elect Scott Walker’s plan to put corporate special interests in charge of he taxpayer-financed Wisconsin Department of Commerce. category-campaign-fundraising
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One Wisconsin Now Statements on Walker’s Corporate Regulatory GiveawayOne Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements about Gov.-elect Scott Walker’s regulatory reform plan to reward corporate campaign donors by allowing them to rewrite state regulations. category-jobs
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Walker keeping inaugural donationsRepublican Gov.-elect Scott Walker plans to give any excess money raised for his inauguration to his campaign fund and the state Republican Party instead of to charity in a move that drew ridicule Wednesday. Outgoing Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle donated all the extra money raised for his two inaugurations to the nonprofit Boys and Girls Clubs, and the state Democratic Party said Walker's decision was especially selfish considering the economy…No taxpayer money goes to the lavish inaugural ball and corresponding events surrounding a new governor taking office. Instead, the campaigns solicit private donations, and money is often left over even after all the expenses are paid. In 2006, Doyle raised $676,000 and roughly half of that was donated. For Doyle's first inaugural four years prior, $445,000 was raised and $222,000 was given to Boys and Girls Clubs...Walker's inauguration is being organized as a fundraiser, with 25 percent of any money donated going to Walker's campaign fund and 75 percent going to the state party. Donors can't give more than $10,000 to Walker or the party in any calendar year, meaning those who gave heavily to support him during the recently completed campaign would be forbidden from giving for the inauguration. Scot Ross, head of liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, said it was unfortunate that only those willing to donate to Walker or the Republican Party will be able to attend inaugural events.
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GOPromiseBreakers: Will Walker, Kleefisch, RoJo, Duffy, Ribble Take Government-Subsidized Health Care?Wisconsin’s leading anti-healthcare reform advocates, including Scott Walker, Rebecca Kleefisch and Ron Johnson all have the opportunity to refuse government-subsidized health care, and One Wisconsin Now is calling for them to publicly announce whether or not they will be taking advantage of government-subsidized health care in their newly-elected positions. category-affordable-care-act
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Walker Goes Over $500,000 in Improperly-Reported ContributionsMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has violated the state of Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws 1,115 times since 2009 by failing to disclose information about contributors who donated more than $100. Walker’s serial offenses include 456 contributions filed in the last 72 hours totaling nearly $284,000. category-campaign-fundraising
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Will Walker Finally Say How He Will Pay for $3 Billion in Tax Cuts, Loopholes, Shift for Rich, Big Business?Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker remains unwilling to identify the cuts to education, health care, police and fire protection he would make to pay for nearly $3 billion in tax cuts, loopholes and shifts he has proposed, which overwhelmingly benefit the rich and big business. The $3 billion tab is in addition to the $2.7 billion projected state budget deficit. category-budget
category-campaign-fundraising
category-deficit
category-tax-breaks
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One WI Now files GAB complaint over Walker’s repeated violation of campaign reporting lawMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has violated the state of Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws more than 650 times since 2009 by failing to disclose information about contributors who donated more than $100, according to a formal complaint filed Tuesday with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker aide’s tweet brings racism chargeDemocrats are accusing Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker of racism after a campaign aide tweeted a link to a video that some found offensive.Walker spokeswoman Jill Bader quickly took down the offending Twitter post and apologized Monday, but Democrats continued their assault Tuesday, demanding that Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, personally address the issue. MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann seized on the controversy, naming Bader his "worst person in the world" on Monday night's "Countdown." The flap started when Bader retweeted a post from Michael Brickman, another Walker press aide, that in turn relayed someone else's comment that President Barack Obama's response to Walker's stand against high-speed rail was contained in a video. The video was a clip of African-American dancers singing, "C'mon, Get on the Train," from the old "Soul Train" television series. category-political-style
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Once Again, Walker Violating Campaign Finance Laws; This Time Over $120,000 in Improperly Reported ContributionsMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's gubernatorial campaign failed to report the required employer information of donors giving him over $120,000 - the second time in a year he has filed a report with this level of inaccuracy. Under chapter 11.60(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes, each violation can result in a $500 civil forfeiture, which could top well over $165,000 in Walker's case. category-campaign-fundraising
category-wisconsin
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Budget Deficit Grows, Walker Still Refuses to Say How He’ll Pay for Tax Cuts, ShiftsMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker still refuses to say how he will finance a budget-busting $3-billion tax cut and shift scheme that would slash funds from education, health care, and police and fire protection “¢ even after the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau says the state deficit is an even-larger $2.5 billion for the next biennium. category-budget
category-campaign-fundraising
category-deficit
category-tax-breaks
category-taxes
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Walker’s Legislative Finance Team Called for More Spending than GovernorMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s self-appointed tax and spend team in the state legislature, Republicans Robin Vos and Alberta Darling, both called for more General Purpose Revenue funding than requested by Gov. Jim Doyle in state budgets in the past several years. category-campaign-fundraising
category-tax-breaks
category-taxes
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Walker’s Latest Gimmick: Cut 29,000 Jobs; Slash Worker Pay 42 PercentMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker refuses to detail how he will pay for his nearly $2 billion in tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the rich and big business. But he said late last week that wage and benefit cuts for state workers are one way to close the state’s $2 billion-plus projected state deficit. In order to finance both the tax cuts and close the deficit, Walker would need to cut state worker pay and benefits by 42 percent, or slash 29,000 state jobs. category-budget
category-campaign-fundraising
category-deficit
category-health-care
category-jobs
category-mental-health
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Neumann Finds Ally in Gard for Irresponsible Tax Cuts Paid for By Health Care CutsFormer GOP category-campaign-fundraising
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category-badgercare
category-medicare
category-tax-breaks
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category-wisconsin
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In Assembly, Walker Voted to Allow Late-Night Lawmaking, Later Claimed to be Against It“Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker voted to allow late-night lawmaking when he was a member of the Assembly even though he rails against the practice now. Walker joined with the Republican majority in January 1997 to eliminate a rule that required lawmakers to finish their floor sessions at 8 p.m., voting records show. Republican lawmakers had voted to put the rule in place after taking control of the chamber in 1995. ...The sessions are often denounced by lawmakers themselves and government watchdogs for allowing lawmakers to take major action in the middle of the night when few are paying attention except lobbyists. Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, took up the issue this week as the Assembly pulled two all-nighters while lawmakers rushed to wrap up their two-year legislative session. He promised to sign legislation if elected governor that prohibits the Legislature from voting after 10 p.m. or before 9 a.m. ‘I have two teenagers and I tell them that nothing good happens after midnight. That's even more true in politics,’ he said in a statement. ‘The people of Wisconsin deserve to know what their elected leaders are voting on.’...Walker voted to do away with the 8 p.m. cutoff as part of a larger resolution setting the Assembly rules for the 1997 session. He also voted against a Democratic amendment that would have restored the 8 p.m. cutoff time.” category-flip-flop
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During his 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Walker endorsed halt to Legislature’s late-night votesLast week, when the Assembly pulled two all-nighters, lawmakers became an easy target of critics who said that late-night lawmaking is not the way to do the state's business. One of those who criticized the practice was Republican candidate for governor Scott Walker, who said he would sign legislation as governor that would forbid the Legislature from voting after 10 p.m. and before 9 a.m. But as a member of the Assembly in 1997, Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, voted for a change in Assembly rules ending the requirement that lawmakers adjourn by 8 p.m. Two years earlier, when Republicans took control of the Assembly, they voted to put the time limit in place. The 1997 change allowed the Assembly to have all-night meetings category-flip-flop
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Former Mayor Called Walker Claim that He Landed GE Headquarters Overblown ‘Revisionist History’“One recent dust-up involves Walker's talk of his help in landing GE Healthcare's $85 million headquarters in the Milwaukee County Research Park in Wauwatosa in 2004. But the former mayor of Wauwatosa said Walker's part in the project is overblown. ‘That's a good piece of revisionist history,’ said Theresa M. Estness, who was mayor of Wauwatosa from 2000 to 2008. The pitch to GE included more than $30 million in public funds, with nearly $28 million coming from Wauwatosa in the form of a grant and a low-interest loan to the developer to help woo GE and its 2,000 employees. ‘The county executive was never at the table negotiating this,’ she said, adding ‘there was never anyone from the county involved when we were negotiating with GE.’” category-economic-development
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Walker Attacked Doyle for Not Giving Walker Donor Contract for Train“Republican candidate for governor Scott Walker accused Democratic leaders of stifling the Milwaukee job market by buying trains from a Spanish company rather than from a local train maker run by one of his big-dollar donors. Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, said Super Steel Products Corp. could have built the high-speed trains in Milwaukee. ...Walker's allegations have prompted counterclaims that his outrage is actually a ruse to defend Super Steel Chairman Fred Luber, who was listed in 2005 as the co-chair of Walker's campaign finance committee. Luber and his wife have given more than $150,000 to Republican campaigns in the last 20 years, including more than $13,000 to Walker, according to the left-leaning advocacy group One Wisconsin Now.” category-cronyism
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Walker’s Talgo ‘Outrage’ Paved with $150,000 in GOP Contributions from Super Steel OwnerMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s criticism related to the Talgo company comes just two weeks after the company owned by a top Walker campaign donor and finance co-chair of his failed 2006 gubernatorial campaign did not receive a contract from the Spanish train maker. category-campaign-fundraising
category-high-speed-rail
category-jobs
category-tax-breaks
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Walker Signs No-Tax Pledge of Americans for Tax Reform“Republican candidate for governor Scott Walker has signed a pledge to veto any tax increase. Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, signed the pledge by Americans for Tax Reform to ‘oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes.’ That pledge created headaches in 2007 for Republicans when they controlled the state Assembly and ultimately agreed to a budget that raised cigarette taxes.” category-flip-flop
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Walker Claimed to ‘Brown Bag’ It While Spending Thousands on High-End RestaurantsDespite touting a campaign website, BrownBagMovement.com to tout his frugality, “Walker's campaign has spent thousands of dollars on food and beverages, including at high-end restaurants, even as it launches a public relations blitz to promote his claim that he's so frugal he packs his lunch every day, an Associated Press review found. The campaign's bills for Walker's meals, campaign meetings that included meals for Walker, his staff and others, and food and drinks for fundraising events amount to at least $24,500 since mid-2008.” category-campaign-fundraising
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In 2010, Jeb Bush Stumped for Walker“Republican candidate for governor, Scott Walker is getting some help from a well-connected former governor. Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, brother of former president George W. Bush and son of former president George Bush, was in Milwaukee Monday campaigning for Walker. Walker says he is glad to have Jeb Bush campaigning for him because in Florida, Bush brought greater accountability to public schools and lowered taxes. ‘The states that have cut taxes are the states where jobs have increased,’ Walker said. ‘The states that have raised taxes are the state that have seen job loss.’ Walker and Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett are each leading their parties in the polls for Wisconsin governor.” category-political-allies
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County Board Supervisors Accused Walker of Overstepping His Authority in Laying Off 76 Workers, Privatizing Their Jobs“Irate supervisors said Wednesday that Walker overstepped his authority by laying off 76 workers, including the security personnel, and some vowed to try to stop him from privatizing courthouse security. Walker's unilateral actions created an emergency that didn't exist, said Supervisor Michael Mayo Sr. He said the legal argument justifying Walker's actions under emergency statutory authority was ‘poppycock.’ Walker has said he relied on legal advice from the county corporation counsel as well as an outside law firm before issuing layoff notices. Acting County Corporation Counsel Timothy Schoewe said Walker was justified in hiring a security firm on an emergency basis. Schoewe also said Walker was on solid legal ground with the layoffs to help fill a budget shortfall. Dimitrijevic said she planned to introduce legislation aimed at undoing Walker's plan to award a $1.1 million annual contract to Wackenhut to take over the security checkpoints. The County Board in November rejected Walker's plan to privatize security as part of the 2010 budget and that policy should prevail, Dimitrijevic said. Last Friday, Walker fired all 27 security guards and also issued layoff notices to 49 other county workers.” category-budget
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Walker Takes $120,000 from Health Industry, Opposes End to Health Insurance StrangleholdMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has strongly opposed measures to provide more Wisconsin children, pregnant mothers and uninsured adults have affordable health care, at the same time taking more than $120,000 in campaign contributions from the health care industry in just the last six months alone. category-budget
category-campaign-fundraising
category-deficit
category-health-care
category-jobs
category-badgercare
category-tax-breaks
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category-wisconsin
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Walker Campaign Inaccurately Claimed His Finance Report Crashed GAB Computer“The Walker campaign claimed the county executive's report was so hefty it had ‘crashed’ the state's campaign finance computer. However, Government Accountability Board spokesman Reid Magney said the system had not crashed. ‘Everything’s fine,’ Magney said. ‘The system was not brought to a grinding halt.’” category-campaign-fundraising
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County Supervisors Said Walker Failed to Market Financing Aid Available to Boost Economic Development“Milwaukee County supervisors faulted County Executive Scott Walker on Monday, saying he hadn't developed a plan or designated staff to promote financing aid that could boost local economic development. Two major federal lending programs could be tapped by the county to assist private developers by lowering borrowing costs, but the county has been slow to market the aid, supervisors said. ‘That's the problem -- we don't have the staff and we really don't have a plan,’ despite a push by Walker to raise the profile of county economic development efforts, Supervisor Theo Lipscomb said….Supervisor Lynne De Bruin said it was disconcerting that Walker had not acted more aggressively in marketing the programs.” category-economic-development
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State of Shock: Milwaukee County’s Suffering Under Scott Walker’s Failed LeadershipIf Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is interested in providing an honest assessment in his 2010 “state of the county” address, it will be a long apology to the people of Milwaukee County for his failed leadership, skewed priorities and playing politics with county operations. category-campaign-fundraising
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Union Leader Says Walker Has Scapegoated County Employees For Years“Richard Abelson, head of the county's largest union, wasn't buying ‘this new soft, gentle and fluffy Scott Walker.’ Walker's layoff remarks mean little and are likely aimed at voters in next year's governor's race, said Abelson, executive director of District Council 48 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Walker is the leading Republican candidate for governor. Walker's latest comments don't square with his actions, Abelson said. ‘He was the one who cried wolf with the layoffs in November and the furloughs and reduced hours in July. He's the one who has been trying to scapegoat county employees for years,’ Abelson said. Walker repeatedly threatened layoffs this year, starting in March; unsuccessfully attempted to impose shortened workweeks; and ordered four furlough days for 2009, then rescinded half of them.”
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Walker Gave County Custodial Contract to Campaign Donor“Edward Aprahamian, the owner of a West Allis janitorial firm, inherits the job of cleaning the Milwaukee County courthouse complex and other buildings as the county privatizes its custodial staff. ...The county last week awarded MidAmerican Building Services a $1.2 million contract for cleaning the courthouse and nine other Milwaukee County buildings, picking it over about 10 other firms. MidAmerican officially takes over Jan. 18 and will be paid $97,793 a month, according to its contract with the county...He is a longtime supporter of Walker, including his most recent $1,000 donation to the county executive and Republican candidate for governor that was made in late June, around the time Walker's administration laid plans for privatizing custodial services for 2010.”
category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Said Layoffs Were the Only Option, But Later Rescinded Them“Memo to Milwaukee County employees: Never mind. That was the upshot of a Friday session that ended with a new deal to avert the Thanksgiving layoffs of 180 county workers intended to avoid a 2009 budget shortfall. Notices had already been sent to those targeted for layoffs by County Executive Scott Walker. But Walker told county supervisors if they could scrape up $600,000 to $1 million in savings from a budget already purportedly scraped clean, some or all of the layoffs would be rescinded. After a lunch-hour meeting between Walker's top aides, County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and Supervisor Elizabeth Coggs, the layoff suspension was announced...Walker had announced the layoffs Wednesday, saying new figures still showed a $3 million year-end deficit looming. With so little time left before the end of the year, the only option was layoffs, Walker said. Walker backed off the layoffs after supervisors obtained promises of some $523,000 in budget savings from department heads, including a surprising offer of $1 million from Parks Director Sue Black.”
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Supervisors Accused Walker of Concealing Deficit-Causing Change in State Medical Care“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s plan to temporarily lay off up to 180 employees as a last-ditch move to balance this year's budget prompted finger-pointing and shouting Thursday from county supervisors. ...Supervisors accused Walker of mismanagement and his department heads of hiding what appears to be one of the major causes of the county's 2009 deficit -- a change in the formula used by the state to reimburse the county for low-income patients' care. A shortfall in anticipated sales tax revenue also was blamed. ‘The administration failed, and the county executive failed,’ said Supervisor Michael Mayo Sr. ‘We're supposed to be in this together,’ said Supervisor Elizabeth M. Coggs, who complained that supervisors routinely have been shut out of critical information by Walker's department heads. ‘The only time we are in this together is when the crap hits the fan.’”
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category-labor
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Walker ‘Pleased to Announce’ Receiving Federal Funds, Despite Opposition to Federal Stimulus“County Executive Scott Walker is pleased to announce that the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division-Wraparound Milwaukee program, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, was notified that it is one of only seven communities in the U.S. to be a recipient of a $2.4 million, 5-year Healthy Transitions grant -$480,000 per year- from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. ‘Earlier, we announced $3.85 million in grants for three other programs,’ said Walker. ‘This is additional good news and congratulations to the staff for the work done at BHD-Wraparound to get this grant.’” category-milwaukee-county-budget
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Walker Finance Reports Fail to Provide Required Employer Data for Over $172,000 in Donations“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker did not provide the required names of employers for more than 260 donors in his most recent filing in his campaign for governor. Walker’s campaign said it has taken all necessary steps to get the information from those who gave more than $100, as required by law. One Wisconsin Now -- a group with ties to Democrats that often criticizes Walker and other Republicans -- said Tuesday that Walker’s July campaign finance report did not include employer information for 267 donors who collectively gave more than $172,000. The group charged that Walker had violated campaign finance laws. Two of the donors -- Ronald H. Johnson of Oshkosh and Jonathan Kuester of Milwaukee -- gave $10,000, the maximum allowed. Candidates must make good-faith efforts to get employer information from donors who give more than $100, according to the state Government Accountability Board....” category-campaign-fundraising
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Over $172,000 in Scott Walker Contributions Violate Campaign Finance Reporting LawsMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s gubernatorial campaign failed to report the required employer information of top donors who gave him over $172,000 - a violation affecting one of every six dollars he took in his first finance period. Under chapter 11.60(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes, each violation can result in a $500 civil forfeiture, which could top well over $150,000 in Walker’s case. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker proposes ending county government“Walker, the county executive who is running for governor, renewed his call Monday to parcel out county functions to the state, municipalities and to governmental districts yet to be created. Walker has proposed having the state take over administration of public assistance programs, social services for seniors and people with disabilities, and the courts. Cities and villages could take over maintenance of county roads. He also advocated for new, specialized districts to run transit, the parks, and the zoo and local cultural institutions...” category-local-government
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Arbitrator Ruled Walker Exceeded Authority In Cutting Employee Hours and Failed to Show County Was in Fiscal Crisis“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker exceeded his authority in attempting to unilaterally cut union employees' hours as a budget-cutting move, according to an arbitrator's ruling issued Wednesday.” category-labor
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Walker Intended to Use Wage Freezes & Shortened Work Weeks to Address County’s Shortfall of $15 Million in 2009 and $90 Million in 2010“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker on Friday added an employee wage freeze to his growing arsenal of tools aimed at avoiding large budget shortfalls. But as with other ideas he's broached -- most notably a 35-hour work week and accompanying pay cuts -- the county executive ran into immediate resistance and accusations he's playing politics with people's lives. Walker said he's not bluffing about the need for the cutbacks or the likely alternative -- layoffs. All county department heads have been asked to draft layoff plans in case the freeze and his other efforts are rebuffed, Walker said...The county is projected to face shortfalls of nearly $15 million this year and $90 million next year. Walker had no estimate of savings linked to a wage freeze.” category-budget
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Walker Took Credit for Summer Youth Employment Program He Had Vetoed“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker acknowledged Friday it was too late to apply for 350 county summer jobs he highlighted in an outdoor ceremony at Washington Park on the city's west side. ...Walker vetoed $100,000 of the funding for the program in the 2009 budget, but the County Board overrode the veto on a 15-4 vote. County Board Chairman Lee Holloway criticized Walker for publicizing a program he tried to kill.”
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Walker Ordered Weekly Unpaid Furloughs for County Employees“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker on Thursday ordered five-hour weekly unpaid furloughs for most county employees through the rest of 2009 as a way of offsetting a projected $15 million deficit this year…Walker's shorter workweek order affects at least half the county workforce, including managers. The cut also could be extended to 60% or more of the nearly 5,000 county employees. …For affected county workers, losing five hours of reduced pay a week would amount to about a 12.5% cut.” category-budget
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Walker Hosts Annual Harley Ride Throughout Wisconsin“This year's Harley ride for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker will be different. Sure, he's motoring to the far corners of Wisconsin and dipping briefly into Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. And he's also extolling the virtues of tourism in Milwaukee at about three dozen stops, just as he has for the previous five iterations of the road trip. ...What's also new is that by the time the Walker Harley caravan takes off June 20, he'll likely be an announced candidate for governor. ...County Supervisor Christopher Larson said the timing of the trip raises questions about Walker's motives. ‘At the same time he's highlighting Milwaukee, he's also highlighting himself’ to voters around the state, Larson said. He also wondered how Walker justified the trip while county employees are under a Walker-imposed freeze on unnecessary travel. State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke said that once Walker announces for governor, his round-the-state tour could run afoul of state election law. ...‘If he is running for governor, he shouldn't be using the hard-pressed taxpayers' money’ for such a trip.’” category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker used creative veto power of the Vanna veto“Walker stitched together random letters and even spaces from paragraphs of 2009 budget text, as amended by the County Board, to create new meaning ...‘Vanna White’ vetoes -grabbing letters like the game show hostess from a piece of text to form new words- are still fair game for Walker. He limited his creative veto impulses in the 2009 budget to the Vanna veto, which he views as the more legitimate… For example, his veto restoring privatization of 30 skilled worker jobs pruned two full pages of text to extract letters and spaces that created this phrase: ‘restore contract funds.’” category-budget
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Walker Recorded Tax Ad for Club for Growth“The referendum also faced organized opposition from a local conservative political action group, Wisconsin Club for Growth, which ran radio ads critical of the sales tax increase over the past week. Walker recorded the ads for the group. In them, he raised the still-potent specter of the controversial 2001 county pension deal by saying, ‘The same County Board that voted to increase their own pensions now want your permission to raise taxes by $130 million.’ That line drew protests from supervisors, who said only seven of the 19 current board members were on the board in 2001 and only five voted for the pension deal.” category-milwaukee-county
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Walker delayed hiring of green building projects position for over a year“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker came under fire Tuesday for delays in hiring the county’s first engineer to oversee the county’s ‘green’ building projects. Although the position was created in July 2007 and money was set aside for it in this year's budget, the job remains vacant.” category-economic-development
category-environment
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Walker Backed Down from Top County Aide’s 26 Percent Pay Hike“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said Wednesday that he would drop his request for a 26% pay increase for his chief of staff, Tom Nardelli, at least until after work on the 2009 county budget is finished. Walker said he didn't want the unilateral authority to raise Nardelli’s pay by $20,000 a year to $95,000, something a County Board committee recommended Wednesday. At County Board Chairman Lee Holloway's request, the board's finance committee voted 7-0 to give Walker sole authority for the Nardelli raise. ...Walker decided to drop the matter because of public concern it was ill-timed, given the bad economy.” category-budget
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Walker’s County Budgets are ‘Political Shell Game’“In recent budgets, Walker has been playing a political shell game. He makes taxpayers think the county can get by with what it spent the previous year when it can't. To prevent more cuts in needed services, supervisors then are forced to raise the levy, last year by 3.6%. So Walker takes bows as a budget hawk and supervisors take unfair grief for raising taxes, much of the flak coming from Walker's cheerleading section in talk radio.” category-budget
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Budget Walker Vetoed for Allegedly Not Being Balanced Actually Resulted in a $7 Million Surplus“Supervisors point out that it now appears their 2007 budget, which Walker vetoed -- claiming it was not balanced - will result in a $7 million surplus.” category-budget
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Wal-Mart family gave to Walker in County Executive Race“In racking up his huge financial advantage in the Milwaukee County executive race, incumbent Scott Walker drew his three largest donations from members of the founding family of Wal-Mart Corp. The $7,500 in total from Jim, Christy and Lynne Walton were in recognition of his support for school choice, one issue that doesn't fall under the official duties of county government, Walker acknowledged. He'll make it a campaign theme, however, hoping he can use the bully pulpit of county executive to support the city's program of state vouchers that allow students to attend private schools. The choice-linked money is just one example of outside support Walker has drawn.” category-campaign-fundraising
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County Pension Boss Fired After Harassment Inquiry; He Says He Was Ousted for Opposing Walker, Alleging Improprieties“The Milwaukee County retirement manager challenging County Executive Scott Walker for re-election has been fired as a result of a harassment investigation, officials said Wednesday. Jack Hohrein, who led the county's pension program since 2005, was notified late Monday, said county Corporation Counsel William Domina. ...Hohrein said the timing of his termination -- within hours of a Journal Sentinel online report of his bid for county executive -- shows the real reason was his challenge to Walker and his public accusations of improprieties in the county pension operation.” category-political-payback
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While Walker Campaigned for Higher Office, County Struggled“Unfortunately, the current county executive, career politician Scott Walker, can't wait to get out of Milwaukee. He tried to run for governor last year. He's busy attaching himself to presidential campaigns this year, in hopes of getting appointed to some federal job. Walker's lack of attention to a county government that serves more people, manages more parkland, and is home to more of a manufacturing base than a number of states has been striking. While he has been off campaigning for higher office, the county has suffered. Services have deteriorated dramatically.”
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Walker Campaign Returned Donations from Levine & Hurtgen After Indictments“Also getting refunds would be Stuart Levine and P. Nicholas Hurtgen, indicted in Illinois on charges related to a scheme to deny hospitals permits to expand unless they hired a favored construction firm, and Ernest J. Streu and Michael J. Maples, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to rigging Wisconsin road building contracts. The refunds total $8,800. Walker's campaign also said Wednesday it was giving back $4,000 it got from Levine and reviewing its donor list for other possible refunds…. Walker said he would prohibit appointed state employees from contributing to a governor's campaign, ban campaign contributions to candidates for governor while the state's budget is under consideration and urge the Legislature to adopt similar restraints on legislative races.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Protected Political Allies from Liability in Pension Scandal Suit“...Milwaukee officials are considering suing the actuaries behind the pension scandal, which has seen more than $100 million paid out to retiring county officials and employees. But the actuaries weren't the county's only advisers. The county also paid lawyers with the firm of Reinhart, Boerner, Van Dueren for advice and counsel. Yet, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, the lawyers who handled the county's pension work -- and who many observers say could be as guilty as the actuaries of wrongdoing -- ‘will likely escape blame.’ ...In Milwaukee, the speculation is that Reinhart, Boerner, Van Dueren will get a break because the firm is very well connected to Walker...Reinhart's chief executive is Richard Graber. Yes, that Richard Graber, the chairman of the state Republican Party and a key supporter of Walker’s 2002 campaign for Milwaukee County executive.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Law Firm Walker Protected in Pension Suit Gave Him Campaign Contributions“Graber said he expected no favors in the process, despite their political connections. Under Graber, the state Republican Party contributed $50,000 to Walker’s campaign in the final days of his re-election race against David Reimer last April, county records show. ... Graber and Reinhart Attorney Steve Huff have made 10 separate donations to Walker's campaign fund, totaling $4,200, since he took office in May 2002, Walker campaign records show. Graber said the formal fund-raiser did not take place until 2004, held not by the firm but by some of its attorneys. A dozen Reinhart lawyers are listed as Walker donors. Walker said last week that he did not remember Graber, in the 2002 meeting, offering to hold a fund-raiser for his campaign. Whenever anyone in a county-related meeting starts discussing campaign money, Walker said, ‘I tell them that's for another time.’”
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Elections Board Questioned Walker’s Use of Campaign Funds to Lobby County Board“In a related development, a lawyer with the state Elections Board advised the Walker campaign to make a case to county election officials justifying its planned use of campaign funds for lobbying on the issue. The Walker campaign has sought donations from the public to fund a massive phone-call operation aimed at getting residents to lobby their supervisors to sustain Walker’s expected veto. Expenses to influence legislation are not a permissible use of campaign funds, according to state statutes.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Refused to Sign Pledge to Serve Full Term as County Executive“Scott Walker declined to sign a pledge Wednesday to serve out a full term if reelected Milwaukee County executive, calling it a ‘non-issue.’... Walker, who has made no secret of his interest in exploring a race for governor in 2006, called the four-year length of term arbitrary...Said Walker: “I have absolutely no intention at this point of running for any other office but for re-election as Milwaukee County executive, and I plan on focusing all my energies and talents on meeting those tasks.”
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Walker pulls mural from Courthouse rotundaMilwaukee County Executive Scott Walker on Friday directed that a newly hung mural depicting African-American struggles be taken down from the Courthouse’s busy public rotunda and moved to a low-traffic area...The controversy stunned officials at the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University. They recently lent the mural to Milwaukee County, and had exhibited it this winter without a whiff of controversy.
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Walker Hired Aide Who Was Named In Caucus Scandal“A former Capitol aide whose campaign fund-raising efforts as a state employee were cited in pending cases against two lawmakers now serves on the Milwaukee County executive's staff. Greg Reiman worked for former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, R-Waukesha, and Rep. Bonnie Ladwig, R-Racine, who were accused in October of directing Reiman and another state-paid worker to perform campaign duties from their Capitol offices in 1997 and 1998. Ladwig faces only the misdemeanor count, while Jensen faces felony counts as well, all related to allegations of supervising election work done on state time. Reiman, 46, is a former legislative assistant on County Executive Scott Walker's Assembly staff, which he joined in 1999. When Walker resigned from the Assembly in May 2002 after winning the county executive's job, Reiman stayed in Madison to handle constituent calls until Walker's successor took office last month. Walker's chief of staff, Jim Villa, said Friday that Reiman would be expected to follow the same rules Walker established in his Madison office. "There is no campaigning out of this office," Villa said.
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Walker Attacked “Consensus” in First Run for County Executive“I’ve stressed (at recent forums) that at any other time in the history of the county, it may have been effective to have someone who is a consensus-building-type manager with that experience. But I really don’t think to have the kind of change people are demanding, it’s just a matter of trying to build consensus. In fact, I assume there won’t be initial consensus on many of these issues, at least not in the courthouse.”
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In 2002, Walker’s Willingness to Do or Say Anything to Get Elected NotedIronically, the top vote getter to succeed Ament in last week's primary was a Madison insider who has no trouble changing political positions on a whim depending on what office he is running for. State Rep. Scott Walker, who finished first, used to be considered an extreme right-wing politician. Whether he continues to hold any of his previous political positions apparently will depend on whether he finds them useful in his current bid for office.
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Walker’s Attack on County Executive Opponent Called ‘Unfair’The first jabs have been delivered in the race for county executive, but whether they connect or not will depend on the same people who will determine the outcome on April 30 -- the voters….Walker’s first ad did not mention Ryan by name, instead emphasizing his reform plans and saying that voters against change “prefer a candidate more like Tom Ament, and that’s just not me. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called it an unfair attempt to discredit Ryan by linking him to the Ament administration.
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Some Recall Efforts Are Good, Like the One That Put Walker on Path to Election as Milwaukee County ExecutiveWe are obviously very pleased, not only because of the victory but because this is really a reaction to the public starting this whole movement. In many ways I feel the people of Milwaukee County had a victory tonight. category-2002-milwaukee-county-executive-race
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“Bipartisan” and “Walker” Not Words Often Used Together, Even As State Legislator, According to DemocratsWalker sees himself now as a somewhat less doctrinaire version of the 25-year-old who first went to Madison: still firmly in the ranks of conservatives but pragmatic when it makes sense to compromise. He points to a bill on moving the state's presidential primary back to February and a ‘healthy babies’ initiative as examples of where he's worked well with Democrats. ...Moore, now a state senator, scoffs at a question on her collaborating with Walker. The ‘healthy babies’ plan was a minor effort, she says. ‘I'm just stunned that he says he worked with me,’ Moore says. ‘What was he, one of 100 co-sponsors?’
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Walker Always Courted the MediaWalker also brings to the county race the accumulated exposure of his nearly nine years in the state Assembly, a tenure marked by an ardent courting of media coverage. ‘Some members are probably envious that they don't have the ability or don't want to do the things Walker’ does to keep his name in front of the public, says Rep. Steve Foti (R-Oconomowoc). Foti recalls a trip he took with Walker a few years ago to view jails in Texas where Wisconsin was renting inmate space. Between every stop, Walker was on his cell phone calling Wisconsin reporters, Foti says.
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Scott Walker’s Early, Early Years: Organized “Jesus USA” Club, Raised MoneyAt age 7, Scott Walker formed a ‘Jesus USA’ club in tiny Plainfield, Iowa, a farming community a half hour north of Waterloo where his father was the local Baptist pastor … The young Walker mounted a successful door-to-door fund drive for a state flag for the village hall, recalls Walker's father, the Rev. Llewelyn Walker. category-conservative-values
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Walker Did Not Return to School, Worked for the Red CrossThe IBM job led to a better job at the Red Cross in marketing and fundraising. One thing led to another: Marriage, to his wife, Tonette, and eventually two children, Matt, now 7, and Alex, 6. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Drops Out of Marquette to Pursue Political AmbitionsWith a part-time job at IBM selling warranties on mainframe computers as well as the Assembly race competing for his attention, Walker left Marquette in the final semester of his senior year in 1990. He got the "essence of a Marquette education" in his 3 1/2 years there, Walker says. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Eyed Statewide Office in 2001, But Was Not Tapped for Lieutenant GovernorLast year Walker aspired to be named lieutenant governor by Gov. Scott McCallum but was passed over in favor of Margaret Farrow, a former state senator. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Learns Lessons From Early Electoral SetbacksWalker's election to the Assembly in 1993 followed two campaign defeats. As a student at Marquette University, he ran for student president and lost to a write-in candidate, a tough but valuable lesson, he says. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Moved Into District to Run for State Assembly in 1993In 1993, he got another chance at politics when an Assembly seat opened in predominantly Republican Wauwatosa. Walker moved to Tosa and this time he won, beating Chris Ament, son of the former county executive. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Takes a (Rare) Pass on Run for Higher Office in 2000When friends suggested he challenge then-County Executive F. Thomas Ament in 2000, Walker says, he immediately rejected the notion, fearing that Ament was unbeatable. That was before the pension scandal forced Ament from office and changed the county political landscape. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker to Milwaukee County: Just Passing ThroughWalker says he won't stay as county executive beyond 2008, when he'd be 42, and may one day pursue a business career. ‘I imagine I'd have a pretty good pitch to any business out there; having resurrected a billion dollar government, think of what I could do for their business?’ category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Willing to Do or Say Anything to Win, Tried to Dodge Speeding Ticket By Donning Jacket With Charity Logo“Younger brother David recalls a tale that only slightly tarnishes Scott Walker's halo. When a 17-year-old Scott got a speeding ticket, he wore David's jacket -- with the logo for a charitable event, "Jump Rope for Heart," -- to his court appearance, hoping for leniency, says David. But the court commissioner was blind, David says. Scott got off with a warning.” category-politics-incarnate
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Walker’s First Ran for State Office a Quarter Century AgoBut politics continued to call. In 1990, Walker ran for the state Assembly as a Republican against the Democratic incumbent, Gwen Moore, in a heavily Democratic district on Milwaukee's north side. He lost with less than a third of the vote. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Says Promises in 2002 Milwaukee County Executive Race to Combat Voter CynicismWalker said his campaign gave the people the specific reform proposals they demanded. “There is a pretty high meter out there for cynicism. Everybody is talking about reform, but what do they mean. We wanted to say specifically what I will do.” category-2002-milwaukee-county-executive-race
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Questions About Walker’s Use of State Funded Mailing From Assembly Office During County Executive RaceThe recent constituent letter sent by state Rep. Scott Walker (R-Wauwatosa) cost slightly more than a similar 2000 mailing - and wound up in more mailboxes...Walker said he checked with the state Elections Board and state Ethics Board before sending the newsletter, which includes a back-patting list of accomplishments from the just concluded legislative session. He has noted other lawmakers send three or four newsletters each two-year cycle. The 2002 newsletter is considerably more plain than the 2000 one. But rather than praise any frugality, aides to some of Walker’s opponents have privately grumbled it must have been a rush job to boost his candidacy. category-2002-milwaukee-county-executive-race
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In County Exec Campaign, Walker Invited Public to Hold Him Accountable for Keeping Campaign Promises"Now put this on your refrigerator. Mark my progress. And hold me to it."
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Walker Terms His Political Opportunism, “Duty”It’s not about political calculation. It can ultimately be boiled down to one word – duty.” category-2002-milwaukee-county-executive-race
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Questions Raised by Walker County Exec Fundraising Pitches to Lobbyists That Noted He Remained a State LegislatorWhen later questioned about his approach, Walker said that he did not mean to come across as heavy-handed. “I should be more clear about my pitch about county government.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Labor Opposition to Walker Longstanding; Endorsed Opponent in ‘02 County Executive RaceThe Milwaukee County Labor Council voted Wednesday night to endorse Milwaukee Ald. Thomas Nardelli in the Milwaukee County executive's race. The council, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, includes about 150 unions with about 60,000 members living in Milwaukee County. The union met with a series of candidates last week but put off an endorsement until Wednesday, after it met with Nardelli. The Milwaukee County Labor Council, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers both endorsed Walker’s opponent, Alderman Thomas Nardelli for Milwaukee County Executive. The Council had about 150 unions with about 60,000 members in Milwaukee County. category-2002-milwaukee-county-executive-race
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Walker Solicited Local Prosecutors for Damaging Information on AG DoyleTwo Republican lawmakers have sent a blanket request to local prosecutors for information that could provide them with political ammunition against state Attorney General Jim Doyle, considered the leading Democratic candidate for governor in next year's election. State Reps. Mark Gundrum, of New Berlin, and Scott Walker, of Wauwatosa, have sent an e-mail to district attorneys and their deputies and assistants asking for information on any late filings of any sort by the attorney general's office in the past 10 years.Doyle has been under fire because his office missed a filing deadline in the appeal of a Waukesha County sexual assault case. As a result of the missed deadline, the conviction was overturned and the case will likely be retried.Now the two lawmakers are asking if any local prosecutors know of any other such case in the past decade. "This is almost by definition a fishing expedition," Doyle said Friday. "It shouldn't be any surprise that this type of political stuff is going on." "I think they will be surprised by what they hear from the district attorneys," Doyle said, adding that his office is in constant communication with prosecutors around the state. "I am very confident about what the DAs have to say about the appeals unit" within his office, he said. The memo from Gundrum, chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and Walker, chairman of the Assembly Corrections and Courts Committee, says prosecutors can respond by e-mail or "to remain anonymous," can call Gundrum's home telephone number. category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Used His Assembly Committee to Attack Attorney General and ‘02 Gubernatorial Candidate Jim DoyleA state Assembly committee chairman Monday called on Attorney General James Doyle to appear before his panel next week to explain how his office missed a critical appeal deadline in a rape case. “We can’t overlook incompetence,” said Rep. Scott Walker (R-Wauwatosa). But a spokesman for Doyle said the attorney general planned to release a detailed report this week that should negate a need to appear before Walker’s committee. category-political-style
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Walker and RPW Lobbied Milwaukee County DA for Charges Against Democratic Volunteer in 2000 ElectionState GOP leaders are urging Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann to charge a Democratic Party volunteer with election bribery for allegedly giving cigarettes to homeless people in exchange for their votes before the November presidential election...In a letter to McCann Wednesday, party Chairman Richard Graber and state Rep. Scott Walker (R- Wauwatosa) said they were ‘concerned that charges have not been brought’ in light of information purportedly supporting them. ‘While we recognize that your office is seeking evidence on many of the other individuals who were involved with the crime, it seems that there should be more than enough evidence to charge Connie Milstein,’ Graber and Walker say in their letter. category-political-payback
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Walker Was “Excited” About Possibility of Lt. Gov. Appointment … Until Suddenly He Wasn’t"Being able to travel home each night is a blessing for our family as well as a benefit for our district.”
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Walker “Excited” About Possibility of Lt. Gov. Appointment …"That definitely would be something I’d be excited to do.”
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Floated Himself as Possible 2002 Running Mate for Scott Jensen or Scott McCallum“My joke was, after I talked to a couple of folks, it could be a ‘Great Scott’ ticket. Either way, I can’t lose.” category-politics-incarnate
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Walker Voted to Shield Gun Industry From LawsuitsThe bill would have granted, “firearm importers, manufacturers, dealers and trade associations immunity from civil liability in any action brought by an individual or group for an injury or death caused by a firearm or by firearm ammunition.” (Assembly Journal) category-guns
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Walker Not Impressed by Last GOP Prez Contender From WI (AKA Tommy Thompson)He also noted that he did not consider Thompson a “viable candidate on a national basis.” category-politics
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Walker Received Campaign Contribution From Private Prison Industry Executive Whose Company Did Business With State … Expresses Surprise It Took So Long“Quite frankly, I was surprised that if he was going to give, he hadn’t given earlier. I’ve been a private-prison advocate for some time.” category-criminal-justice
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Walker Authored Bill to Allow Private Prison Construction in Wisconsin and House Prisoners From Other StatesThe bill, “establishes the conditions under which a private person may construct and operate a prison in this state for the confinement of inmates from other states.” category-criminal-justice
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Walker Sponsored Bill to Protect Manufacturers From Liability for Defective ProductsThe bill “establishes the criteria to determine if a product manufacturer, distributor or seller is liable to a person injured by the manufactured product” and “specifies when a manufactured product is defective.”
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Walker Sponsored Bill to Require Union Members to Annually Authorize in Writing Use of Dues to Fund Political CommitteesThe bill prohibited “any employer or other person who is responsible for the disbursement of moneys in payment of wages or salaries from withholding any portion of an employe's wages or salary for the purpose of making a contribution or for use as a contribution to a political committee, except upon written request of the employe whose payment is withheld.” category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Attacks Dems for Using Tactics GOP Used EarlierIn a press release, Walker said the calls were an illegal and “inexcusable” tactic employed in an attempt to regain a Democratic majority in the Assembly. “The Democrats have been caught lying in an attempt to confuse and anger voters. These calls are in clear violation of our election laws and show how low the Democrats will stoop in their desperate attempt to regain the majority in the Assembly. This is illegal, irresponsible and inexcusable.” One month earlier, the state Republican Party had admitted funding push-polls and voter suppression calls attacking Democratic candidates. category-politics
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Walker Touts Gramm Appeal to GOP Base Versus Elites in ‘96 GOP Primary Race"The Dole campaign tends to go after the head table. The Gramm campaign tends to go after the audience. There’s more people in the audience.” The Gramm campaign tends to go after the audience. There’s more people in the audience.” Walker added that Thompson’s support for Dole would likely do little for Dole’s campaign in Wisconsin because the Governor “has never had much of a coattail effect.”
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Walker Supported Phil Gramm Over Tommy Thompson in 1996 GOP Presidential Primary"He can compete as a national figure and showcase himself as a vice-presidential candidate"
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Walker Authored Campaign Finance Bill Denounced for Seeking to Give GOP Partisan AdvantageA partisan swindle intended to solidify Republican control of the Legislature while fooling all of the people all of the time. The bill, crafted by Republican campaign strategist Scott Walker without meaningful input from Democrats, is designed to weaken the influence of labor unions and other mass organizations that generally support Democrats, while strengthening the hand of millionaire influence peddlers and corporate groupings that tend to support the GOP. category-campaign-fundraising
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Walker Proposed $50 Million in State Borrowing to Build “SuperMax” PrisonWalker’s bill increased “the general obligation bonding authority for the prison expansion project by $50,000,000, from $25,000,000 to $75,000,000. category-criminal-justice
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