Nuggets from the News

A smattering of stuff today from our favorite governor...

From Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel:  "Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday that he’d ordered that a son of a prominent supporter be demoted because there were “more qualified” candidates available."  
Really, Governor?  Your crack staff couldn't figure out that a guy with no college degree and no experience wasn't less qualified than a guy with a doctoral degree and eight years experience (who didn't even get an interview, for goodness sakes)?  (1) 

Daniel Bice (again) of the JS:  "Who knew that Gov. Scott Walker had headed out on a national tour to help raise money for Republican senators facing possible recalls?" Bice cites an interview with NewsMax.com (cited in an earlier posting here) that Walker was in Florida drumming up money for legislators in Wisconsin. (2,3)
You're kidding, right?  The governor who wailed about protestors "almost all from out of state" (and proven false (4) ) is now not doing his job by traveling to seek money from out-of-state people to help his pals?  Amazing.

And one more from the Journal Sentinel (Patrick Marley): "Milwaukee's ordinance requiring businesses to provide paid sick leave would be voided under a bill Republicans in the Assembly sent to Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday." (5)
As we've heard, ad nauseam, when the majority vote fits Walker's agenda, it's "Hey, the people voted for it."  This ordinance passed with 69% of the vote.  That's 69%!  And, since Walker doesn't want it, he yet again--just like collective bargaining, just like open meetings--simply has his legislature change the laws to accommodate his agenda.  Did I already say, "Amazing?"

A little less than 266 days until the recall petition can be submitted to the GAB, Governor.

But, then, who's counting?

(1) "Walker Responds..., JS Online, 4/12/11
(2) "Report: Walker Launches national fundraising tour, JS Online, 4/12/11
(3) "Walker: Unions Won't Steal Prosser Election Win," NewsMax.com, 4/10/11
(4) Politifact, JS Online
(5) "Court of Appeals reinstates...," JS Online, 3/24/11

Brother, can you spare a job?

Thanks to Daniel Bice's piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today, Wisconsinites are aghast at the $81,500 job given to Brian Deschane, son of the leader of one of Walker's biggest PAC contributors, Wisconsin Builders Association. (1)

It's not just the favoritism causing the buzz, either.  At least when the father of Walker's pals, the Fabulous Fitzgerald Boys, got the top post at the State Patrol, he had credentials. (2) 

Walker's latest controversy, however, has a less-than-stellar resume for managing a department overseeing environmental and regulatory matters:  little management experience, no college degree, and two drunk driving convictions (the most recent in 2008). (1)   You can see what is reported to be Deschane's actual LinkedIn resume here (thanks to sally305 for the tip).  NOTE: This link no longer works (4/8/11).  Hopefully our Deschane friend, now resigned from all government posts, will still be able to secure employment without it...

And the fun won't stop with Deschane.  Walker's budget repair, according to the Journal Sentinel "would make existing civil-service positions into 37 new political appointments...That would allow Walker and agency secretaries to hire and fire employees in those positions at will." (3)

So to appease Walker's big-money donors, he can offer positions such as Deschane's and at least 37 more? 

That won't be nearly enough.


ADDENDUM: The very next day, Walker "took action" after getting caught with his pants down regarding cronyism--he "demoted" Deschane to a $62,000/year job. Walker demotes son of campaign contributor, JS Online, 4/5/11  http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/119283094.html


(1) No degree, little experience pay off big, JS Online, 4/3/11, http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/119159584.html
(2) Top lawmakers' father Stephen Fitzgerald to lead State Patrol, WI State Journal, 2/8/11 http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_5dbcb93c-3394-11e0-8091-001cc4c03286.html
(3) Walker gives himself more power..., JS Online,3/17/11 http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118217614.html