Randy Hopper, family man?

Via folkbum and MAL Contends comes this little nugget:

Recall target, Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac), talks a good game about family values.

But protesters outside the Hopper house this week in Fond du Lac were met by his wife who reportedly came out and told them: Hopper no longer lives there, but with his 25-year-old mistress in Madison.

No confirmation on whether the divorcing wife signed that petition to recall Hopper who represents Wisconsin Senate District 18.

Hopper has been a close ally with Gov. Scott Walker whose billionaire-funded attacks on Wisconsin families is drawing international attention and widespread condemnation.

Randy Hopper filed for divorce from his wife in August 2010, and it’s being reported his soon to be ex-wife will be signing a recall petition.

As for the claim by Hopper’s soon to be ex-wife that Hopper is living in Madison with his 25-year-old mistress, I’ve received unconfirmed reports the “other woman” is Valerie Cass, who as of this morning was a lobbyist for Persuasion Partners, Inc., a right-wing lobbying firm. According to her bio on Persuasion Partners’ website (which has since been removed from their site), prior to going to work for Persuasion Partners, Cass staffed the Senate Economic Development Committee, of which Sen. Randy Hopper happened to be a member. I attempted to contact Valerie Cass to get any comment on the veracity of claims she’s in a relationship with Randy Hopper, but my email went unanswered, and as I mentioned above, any mention of Valerie Cass has been removed from the Persuasion Partners website this morning.

However, here’s a screenshot of Cass’ bio, as it appeared this morning on the Persuasion Partners website.

I contacted Persuasion Partners and confirmed Valerie Cass is no longer there, but I’ll have more on this story as it develops.

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121 thoughts on “Randy Hopper, family man?

    1. A question that should also be asked of the Senators residing in Illinois.

      1. There’s a big difference, but you know that. The WI 14 weren’t permanently residing in Illinois; they were visiting. On the other hand, Randy Hopper is not residing at the residence he listed as being his permanent residence, and it’s likely he’s not residing in his district at all.

        1. The only difference I see is that Hopper was in Madison (which is in this state) doing his job and voting. The Senators who were “visiting” I think were prepared to “visit” another state for quite some time if need be. The question that Jeff asks is, how did “visiting” Illinois for weeks on end effect their ability to represent their districts? I’d like answers from those Democrats who shirked their constitutional duties.

          1. They did NOT shirt their “constitutional duties” … they have clearly been working the entire time they have been away. It is not a “constitutional duty” to be used by the opposition party to ram a terrible bill through the legislature.

          2. The difference is that the WI 14 were doing what they think represents the constituents they are constitutionally sworn to represent. Hopper is serving himself in a manner that goes contradictory to his public face. If you don’t understand that… Ur betr off in da Yoo Pee. lol

            1. You represent your constituents by voting no. You don’t undermine the democratic process by hiding out in another state.

          3. The ability to represent your district is affected when the system in place allows one Authoritarian (Fascist!) side to say, “we will not compromise”, or, “this is necessary & it will solve the problems at hand”. What has occurred (taking away collective bargaining violates the 1st amendment (right to associate) is a great injustice. I am glad that THE OTHER side will not be able to say ever, “the democrats were also part of this legislature”. Their actions are self defeating & what has happened shows the character of those involved on both sides. I want a government & a populace who fight for the greater good, not fear mongering manipulators.

            1. Actually it’s “freedom to associate.” As in having a choice of membership instead of union thugs forcing people to join their corrupt organization. Why are they so worried about allowing people to excercise that right?

          4. Just like a Republican to be hypocritical and insincere. The Senator is not “living” in the district from which he was elected but instead is shacked up with his much younger concubine. When you go on vacation or away on business do you fill out a change of address form with the post office? No of course not but that is what you hypocritically suggest the Democratic Senators do.

            1. Jack–

              I don’t think that concubine is the appropriate term. Slut, adulteress, home-wrecker would all be more appropriate.

          5. Perhaps you may want to re-read (or read for the first time) the Constitution and its mention of a thing called QUORUM. This is what the 14 Wisconsin senators invoked. The Founding Fathers put it there for a reason and for situations exactly like what happened n Wisconsin. Study your history and see where another senator did the same thing- only he went out a window when they locked the door to try to keep him from leaving. His name? Abe Lincoln.

        1. How dare you say this woman is a whore? You don’t know the circumstances or anything about her. I’m not agreeing with Hopper’s choices – just giving this woman a fair chance.

          1. C’mon….do we really need to resort to name calling?

            Though I don’t agree with the choices Ms. Cass made, that doesn’t mean she needs to be called all sorts of nasty names.

          2. What’s the difference between a lobbyist who sleeps with a politician as part of her paid job, and a whore?

            Lobbyists wear nicer clothes.

          1. Truth is an absolute defense against libel. If she knew he was married (hint: he’s a public figure that used the wife and kids as campaign props) then calling her all the names associated with homewreckers seems appropriate.

      2. The BIGGEST difference is that the Senate Democrats left the State specifically to represent their constituents, and the vast majority in Wisconsin in order to stop wealth redistribution from working people to Walker’s campaign donors. It’s that “We the people, by the people, and for the people…” thing ya know…Something neocons fail to comprehend

      3. Fitzgerald had the nerve to refer to the Fab 14’s hiatus to Illinois as a vacation. I guess he would have to refer to Hopper’s move to Madison as a paid vacation with special benefits! Get real here. Those Democratic senators represented their constituents in a very real and tangible way. They allowed us the time to make our voices heard – and we will continue to be heard!

        1. If this is what you want the democratic process to be then I guess just have both parties open offices in Illinois so that when either party disagrees they have a place out of state they can work from. I am sure your for it because it furthers your cause but I want to see you support the move when its used years from now by the party you appose.

    2. I hate Hopper… But we went through this with the “pissant from Pestigo (Gard) when he was actualy living in Sun Prairie…. and collecting his per-diam as well years ago… They always manage to cover theirselves in their own rules.

  1. I don’t see what’s so bad about this compared to Newt Gingrich – after all, it’s not like he duped his wife while she was in the hospital or something…

    1. Is Valerie Cass what passes for an educated, classy woman in the Republican party?

      She’s revolting, on the inside AND the outside. Hope his children spit at the filthy homewrecker!

      1. you are an ignorant fag. do not call her a homewrecker she did nothing of the sort

  2. Evidently “Persuation Partners” is VERY appropriately named. And so is “Randy Hopper”.

    My sympathy to his poor wife, but she’s probably better off without him, as will be the great state of Wisconsin.

    “As sure as the Lord made the Day and the Night,
    Deeds done in the Dark will be seen in the Light!”

  3. I hope that we can all keep the focus on Hopper and leave Cass out of it as much as possible. She is not an elected official; she does not owe us anything. He, on the other hand, is a giant hypocrite and deserves everything and anything we can pin on him.

    1. Jessica, I agree. I named her only because I felt it was important to bring to light the fact that not only does it appear Sen. Hopper is having an extramarital affair, but that he seems to be having said affair with a lobbyist.

      1. Were you as equally enthusiastic about reporting such facts when it concerned the Speaker of the Assembly last session?

        1. I fired on Sheridan often(he “defriended” me on facebook), it is part of what cost him his seat. Unfortunately the Repubs do not hold their elected officials to such standards.

          I disagree on her taking the moral high ground. A lobbyist sleeping with a Senator/Assembly (person), forgive me if I think there is more reasons there than “love”

          1. Well good for you Jeff, but my question was directed at Zach. Also, when do Republicans not hold their officials to those standards? I have more often than not seen them not excuse behavior among their own.

            Also, a lobbyist would have to sleep with more than just one elected official to realistically accomplish those reasons you speak of. There’s more of a case to make when it was the Speaker rather than just a regular member.

            1. Except for Chris lee in New York can you name another? FC is making fun of Zach for even bringing it up. http://fairlyconservative.com/

              So i would love examples.

              I agree that the Speaker is a more prominent position, of course being on the joint finance committee and Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Veterans and Military Affairs might be of use to certain lobbyists.

              Of course maybe they just fell in love.

              1. And who are we to question true love, Jeff? lol

                Bob Livingston is another one. He was going to become Speaker but stepped down. The difference with Lee and Livingston is that they stepped down, while Sheridan was simply voted out of office (maybe for that or other reasons).

                Look, there’s no shortage of politians on both sides with serious personal flaws. My point was that Zach deems it only appropriate to gleefully report them when it’s on one side. I will say there is a difference between infidelity and when it involves the law or their job.

                1. Personally I could care less who sleeps with who. The only otime i get glee out of it is when it is a holier than thou politician in the vein of Senators Ensign and Vitter. Then its very enjoyable to watch them squirm.

                  As with everything, there are numerous reasons that SHeridan lost but he lost alot of his base(like me) with his ridiculousness with the lobbyist. Although I think he was divorced at the time.

            2. No, I didn’t feel I needed to add my own entry, considering Jeff had already addressed the subject.

              As for my tone in reporting this, I wasn’t gleeful; I simply felt it was worth reporting, especially considering Hopper ran as a “family values” candidate. Ironic, don’t you think?

        2. He doesn’t exactly go on talking about the sanctity of family values though compared to Randy Hopper. That’s the difference.

            1. It’s like if a liberal candidate ran on giving civil rights to minorities and turned around commenting later that they were stupid (racial slurs) and never bothered to do it. Hypocrisy.

                1. They should be pointed out in their hypocrisy if they want to get into other people’s private bedroom lives.

            2. Another prime example is people who fight against gay marriage, dehumanizing them, ripping on them to the point they suggest that they punish them, taking away every right about them to the point they can’t properly function in society compared to ‘straight’ couples only to turn around and be seen having a ton of sexual relations with someone of their same gender despite having a family with them.

          1. Haven’t plenty of politicians told voters what they want to hear to get elected? Obama pretty much admitted this when being called on some of his campaign promises that have not been carried out. More or less that was campaigning and this is running the white house.

        3. I’m sure you [and your hypocritical “family first (as long as my mistress’ doesn’t care)” representatives] were enthusiastic enough for all of us.

        1. max/laura, perhaps Ms. Cass should have thought about the repercussions of her actions before she engaged in them, and perhaps she should have made better decisions.

          She ruined her life when she chose to have an affair with a married man who happened to be a public official; all I did was bring that affair to light.

    2. Why should she get a pass, if you are a whore, you’re a whore, period.

      I bet she supports Walker.

      1. I’ll bet she also bangs Walker and has had several tax-funded abortions to keep her “night job”. She should be tarred, feathered and run out of the state, along with RANDY Randy and the fascist governor.

          1. Now, now, Laura…. it seems you’re the idiot, because we DO know something about her. We know that she is living in sin with a married man, and began an adulterous affair with a married man and father of children. What part of that do you find OK?

  4. “Moral” Republicans! What a crock! Fool the social conservatives into voting for them and then steal their family’s future. Disgusting!

  5. Sounds almost like the movie The American President, except his wife was dead. If that has any bearing on what we are in for, this is going to make another great movie, as is the day wisconsin crumbled cause of greed and idiots that ran a state into the ground with a gpa of 2.1 and less.

  6. The question is does he still live in his district. If he lives in another district, then he needs to resign.

  7. Ron,
    I agree with you. If he is now living in Madison with his sweetheart, then how is he supporting the people of his district? Also he is supposed to be a role model for everyone in Wisconsin being an elected official. I don’t think living with someone while he is still legally married is a very good example. If he can’t manage his own personal matters, how can he manage the state for us?

      1. Hey Jeff, tell me why the GOP Senators should be recalled. Because they voted on a bill you don’t like? That happens all the time. How about the Dem Senators who won’t even show up to do their jobs, despite taking an oath to do so. One deserves a recall, while the other doesn’t. It’s fairly obvious, but I am sure you don’t see it that way. “Shame!”

        1. If the Democrats brought through a legislation which would ban guns throughout the entire state, would you support the republicans in leaving the state if they had no other choice?

          They were doing their job, whether you like it or not. And these actions by both sides woke up the sleeping ‘giant’ everyone keeps talking about. But to both liberals and conservatives alike: sleeping giant that woke up in Wisconsin is not conservative or liberal.

          The giant is something in between them.

        2. And since you obviously do not know what oath they took… why don’t u cite your source? Where in the “Oath” they take that states to uphold the constitution of the US, as well as the state, does it say “I swear to be the Gov’s little b^(&*, and come running when he calls.” Especially if he’s ramming through legislation that we DON’T WANT.

          [Let’s make the Police and Fire Dept’s part of it then. See what happens then. See if the troopers in the state capitol stand there stoic, or start holding signs too! (secondary point is that they SERVE US too, not Walker… a point they, and Walker seem to forgotten.)]

          If they(WI 14) believe they are serving the constitution and their constituents by doing what they can to stop illegal legislation or such that is in the contrary to the best interests of those they represent, they are not violating anything.

          However, Walker (and obviously 18 others) don’t care if THEY are violating laws.

          http://www.politicususa.com/en/wisconsin-republican-breaking-law

          This is an act of tyranny and a violation of the law in multiple facets. I think its time to act as Wisconsinites in an aggressive (not violent) manner. STOP F(&*^$ WITH MY RIGHT TO LIFE LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS WALKER. It’s that simple. Oh and BTW. I don’t belong to or give a S(&* about unions. I simply don’t believe you should tell an entire people that they can’t come together and lobby or bargain for their rights to fair wage or compensation.

          Let’s see that happen in the senate itself, which has had the ability to determine its own wage since the 1789! (citing US senate, not specifically WI)

          Wonder what would happen if we told them… all of them, dems and reps, that they now do it free. State is in a budget crisis. No more pay for you. Public “SERVICE”, not public “fleecing.”

          Then we would have regular people, not fat cat millionaires with interests in taking money from the Koch bros or whomever else, and stealing our rights.

          “A great wave of oppressive tyranny isn’t going to strike, but rather a slow seepage of oppressive laws and regulations from within will sink the American dream of liberty”

          “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.”

        3. The Democrats were merely taking a play from Abraham (founder of the Republican party) Lincoln’s playbook. He seems to have originated the move.

        4. The Fab Fourteen were doing their jobs – keeping their commitment to defend the rights of the people.

  8. I think when a person has an affair with a married elected politician there must be an awareness that it could come to light. Therefore the need to ‘protect’ is not one I agree with in cases such as this. Attempts that are being made to delude voters into thinking the one elected is as advertised in the election needs to be brought to light, along with those who tried to carry out the charade. That would be ‘the other woman’. This should apply on both sides of the aisle.

    1. Gregory, your statement is all well and good, but keep in mind this is all just rumor at this point. Even Zach admits he has received unconfirmed reports of who it is, if it is anyone. Not exactly enough to be printed in a legitimate newpaper, but enough to be splashed all over blogs on the internet.

      1. Yeah, it’s just coincidental that Valerie Cass no longer works for Persuasion Partners and all mention of her has been removed from their website. I’m sure that has nothing to do with my email and call inquiring about the nature of her relationship to Randy Hopper.

      2. forgotmyscreenname,

        Tell your story to Hopper’s wife.

        This is not rumor. And the lady has not been shy about the situation which you would know about if you spent any time in Fondy.

        The women in this matter deserve our support; Hopper is a hypocrite who deserves a kick in the ass and 25,000 signatures on the recall petitions.

  9. I can confirm from a source who is friends and professional associate of Hopper’s wife that indeed he has been having a multi-year affair with this woman from Persuasion Partners, a conservative lobbying group. His wife is under a gag order not to speak about this as part of their temporary agreement while the divorce proceedings occur. It is all true.

  10. There are “stones” to be cast by both major parties: Bill Clinton and John Tower are two VERY GOOD examples as to when moral conduct mattered (or didn’t). Tommy Thompsom and Gart Hart come to mind as well. Both major parties are hypocrites when it comes to conduct both in and out of politics. Take just one major issue: ABORTION. Liberals believe in a woman’s right to have one, yet they are anti death penalty. Conservatives, on the other hand, don’t believe in abortion, yet once the child is born, they don’t want to provide any help for the child to survive.

  11. Hint, Investigate:

    1. How much state income tax Hopper has paid for himself and his businesses.
    2. Why he was so eager to change the capital gains laws when he was in the middle of a divorce and needing to sell his businesses.
    3. Other “family value” men this “lobbysit” has had interactions with any you might find some something more.
    4. How Hopper used his campaign finances.
    5. The ties between Persuasion Partners and Alberta Darling – another sentator ignoring the will of her district.
    6. Lobbyist efforts on recent high-money GOP funded supreme court victories.

    enuf for now 😉

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