Here are the doors to the Wisconsin State Assembly gallery, blacked out on March 13, 2012 to prevent the citizenry from observing/filming/photographing the police arresting other citizens.
Not surprisingly, Wisconsin’s spending transparency earned a D-minus Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, which found that the state’s online checkbook is difficult to use, lacks information and lags behind other states.
Wisconsin’s transparency website – sunshine.wi.gov – has not been upgraded since the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group last studied Wisconsin’s spending transparency last year.
Welcome to the Republican version of Wisconsin, where government transparency makes for great campaign rhetoric but really gets in the way when they’re trying to stick it to the the poor and middle class while giving handouts to corporations and the wealthy.
WisGOP has also won the prestigious Black Hole Award.
How often are citizens in the gallery being arrested now? Is there a Log with the totals and “infraction” details? …not necessary to include names but ages and home communities might be insightful.
This image is particularly compelling. Who was the photographer?
The media aren’t interested in reporting on the number of arrests for crimes of speech, so you really only know when reports pop up on Facebook or in other social media.
One person was arrested the other night for just *having* a camera in the gallery (under his sweater, not turned on, no intent to use it, they knew he wasn’t filming — he just didn’t want to leave his camera unattended outside the gallery). Here’s video, apparently shot mostly by Leslie Amsterdam, who also took the lovely photo in this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwYOqCp8Jmo&feature=youtu.be
Even the bs rules the Assembly made up against using cameras didn’t proscribe having a camera on your person. Arthur was probably targeted because he’s the same guy who caught Joel Kleefisch voting for his neighbors, a video he shot from on the other side of one of those doors to the Assembly gallery. That’s why they first papered over the glass and have now put up black plastic. Some people have pointed out that there’s a safety issue here — with the windows blocked, no one can tell whether there’s someone on the other side of the door when going in or out.
Sue, thanks for the video. Door safety issue, building code violation IOKIYAR. Let’s cut the, “lack of transparency,” crap and start using the proper term. FASCISM!.
Same thing that will coming to a WI city near you from the national democratic party if Rahm Emanuel(Obama) backed Barrett enters the scene for the gubernatorial race.
http://bdgrdemocracy.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/why-would-tom-barrett-run-for-governor-again/
Further to GT’s comment:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/15/1074712/-Wisc-Legislature-gets-Black-Hole-Award-from-Society-of-Professional-Journalists-