Violence at the capitol

We were chided this week for not “covering” the fact that twenty six year old Katherine Windels was finally charged with making death threats to republican lawmakers. I want to make it perfectly clear that I condemn ALL death threats and instances of violence, ESPECIALLY as it pertains to what has been happening in Madison. So let’s take a look at what has been happening in terms of this at the capitol and put it in perspective.

The AP and the Isthmus put in an open records request to receive all of the emails of “support” that Scott Walker was touting in his many national interviews. The Walker administration, despite their campaigning on transparency, actually went to court to fight(using taxpayer money)the turning over of these emails. They obviously lost the case(and wasted our money) and amongst the “supportive” emails was a a special gem from Republican Indiana deputy prosecutor Carlos Lam.

“If you could employ an associate who pretends to be sympathetic to the unions’ cause to physically attack you (or even use a firearm against you), you could discredit the unions,” read the email. It went on to say that the effort “would assist in undercutting any support that the media may be creating in favor of the unions.”

Lam who initially denied sending the email, eventually was forced to resign.

Then we had the sad case of Katherine Windels, who sent a death threat to some republican senators. The sad thing is Ms. Windels admitted that she sent the death threats to frame someone else, not to actually threaten the senators. She obviously has her problems, was caught and will be punished.

Then there was the excessive vandalism that happened to Dan Kapanke, his car was vandalized and it was so scary it caused kapanke to cancel some public appearances for “safety reasons”. Luckily, with some great police work from the Capitol Police, the culprit was determined! Charges on Mother Nature are pending.

It appears by my count, only one person who has publicly advocated violence, who has yet to be charged.

“David Koch”: We’ll back you any way we can. What we were thinking about the crowd was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: You know, well, the only problem with that—because we thought about that

As Madison Police Chief Noble Wray says:

“I would like to hear more of an explanation from Governor Walker as to what exactly was being considered, and to what degree it was discussed by his cabinet members. I find it very unsettling and troubling that anyone would consider creating safety risks for our citizens and law enforcement officers,” the chief said.

“Our department works hard dialoging with those who are exercising their First Amendment right, those from both sides of the issue, to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure they can demonstrate safely. I am concerned that anyone would try to undermine these relationships. I have a responsibility to the community, and to the men and women of this department – who are working long hours protecting and serving this community – to find out more about what was being considered by state leaders.”

PS: the Windels situation is sad, but it was blown tremendously out of proportion by the republicans taking her sickening email and running it to the press so they could continue their perpetual cycle of being the \"victim\". Seriously, Google it and you see it was viagra for the right wing extreme. A quick call to Senator Miller’s office confirms that he(and others on the dem side) have also received numerous threats of violence to them and their family. The difference being they sent them to the appropriate people to deal, with not to Andrew Breitbart.