So which Republican(s) wanted the sweeping changes to Wisconsin’s open records laws

Just keep this in mind when you hear Gov. Scott Walker talk about how he doesn’t want changes to Wisconsin’s open records laws.

Though Republicans (including Gov. Walker) have now said the sweeping changes to Wisconsin’s open records laws will be removed from the state budget, I still can’t help but wonder which Republican lawmaker(s) wanted the changes to begin with. Who was driving that train, so to speak?

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10 thoughts on “So which Republican(s) wanted the sweeping changes to Wisconsin’s open records laws

  1. This whole episode is a sign of major desperation in the Walker camp. It may also be a sign that they think (or more likely, know) that the WI SC Fab-4 are not going to bail them out. This, and the aborted Gableman Reindfleisch ploy, are not the signs of an organization that is operating in any way other than flop-sweating, pants-shitting, hail-Mary-throwing, fear.

    Any sane political organization, even one as arrogant as Walker’s, has to have known that this would land with an audible plop accompanied by an azure haze. Nobody is defending it. The instant response from far-right to far-left has been a unanimous “What the Fuck are you doing??”. They could not have been stupid enough to not understand that would happen. So…by deduction…Whatever they are trying to cover up must be much more painful than what they are going thru now.

    Walker is not talking in anything other than vague generalities. The JFC Repubs are vowing ignorance. They conveniently put the law in the budget so it is retroactive to July, so no open records request can be made to see who actually is the father of this beautiful snowflake baby.

    Maybe it all is a master political plan: JFC votes for this and then Walker gets to look like an open-records hero by vetoing it.

    Nah….. I can’t see the JFC Repubs falling on their swords just for Scotty. I bet it is getting a bit snitty back in the republican caucus rooms. Nobody, least of all a politician, likes getting set up this way.

    1. Joe- That’s been my instinct as well. They wouldn’t be this frightened if the fix was in. Nygren in particular has been flop-sweating like a fiend.

      I just wish they’d drop the bomb sooner than later , as that’ll cause the few GOPs with any decency to turn on these guys FAST

      1. The Irrational Exuberant in me is strongly thinking that there is something that the Repubs and Walker really don’t want seen being buried. It isn’t the Wisconsin Idea lies being uncovered. That is a done deal.

        My SWAG is that we haven’t heard the whole story about WEDC yet. WEDC has copped to mis-appropriating $124M of the taxpayers hard-earned money so far. That is just what they have admitted to. What else lies out there in the misty haze?

        Whatever it is, it must be pretty lurid for the Gov and the entire repub JFC to go out on an exceedingly thin limb over. Both must be involved for them all to lock arms and jump off the same cliff. This idea didn’t just wander in off the street like some stray dog. I get the feeling that somebody is going to drop a dime soon and the diaper-bomb will explode. I wait with bated breath…

        Meanwhile…
        I’ve not heard much from the Koch’s or Sheldon lately RE: Scotty. Do you suppose they are just keeping their powder dry, or have they abandoned him?

  2. They [Walker, Vos, Fitzgerald, Nygren and Darling] have all public declared that they stand for open, transparent and accountable government so when they are asked who wrote the proposal and submitted it [it did not write itself] and what process was used to result in Walker, Vos and Fitzgerald supporting it and how all 12 republican members of the JFC voted for it…….we’ll see just how much they really believe in open, transparent and accountable government. My bet is “not very much!” But in this case the media must not let Walker and friends stalemate them as he has done previously. Dog every legislator relentlessly until the truth comes forth. This was an attack on the people of Wisconsin’s rights to know what their government and elected officials are doing and the attackers need to stand accountable.

    1. When people contact the members of the JFC who voted for this – and they should contact all twelve of them – it’s probably a good idea to mention that barring any new information, it is assumed that all twelve are behind this and by the way, what have they done that requires this level of protection from the citizens of Wisconsin?
      If they don’t want us to think they are using the budget to find a way to hide their own illegal, unethical behavior, let us know who is.

      1. Let’s see what kind of goodies are in there…

        #16 – No oversight on police depts using military hardware
        #18 – Add restrictions to info released from officer-involved death investigations
        #23 – New restrictions on benefits for mentally ill public sector workers
        #25 – Make it harder to recognize a new union
        #27c – Records of any officer of the Legislature, legislative employee, and legislative service agencies (LAB, LRB, etc) are not considered public records or preserved as such. Keep an eye on this one, make sure it’s removed with the rest of the public records stuff!!
        #28-32 – The outrageous gutting of public records laws we’ve all been following the last few days
        #33 – Redefine “lead-bearing paint” to allow 43% more lead
        #34 – Require DHS to switch providers for non-medical transport providers in SE WI (not sure if this is good or bad)
        #35 – Higher payouts to dentists on Medicaid claims (no mention of fiscal impact; and why raise Medicaid payouts without taking the federal expansion?)
        #37 – DHS to distribute 3 nursing home beds — weird thing is the very specific criteria: (a) licensed capacity of no more than 75, (c) in a county of population 380k+ and adjacent to a county of population 750k+… This means ONLY Waukesha County; and there are only 5 facilities that would possibly qualify. That’s some nano-managing right there.
        #39 – Freeze all county fees for coroner, death certificate, transportation, etc. Another small incursion on local control, and maybe a little giveaway to funeral homes, etc
        #42 – Resurrects 2013 AB 808, which didn’t pass on its own, to allow medical malpractice insurance to be provided by out-of-state companies
        #46 – Septic systems and well pumps no longer need a licensed electrician to install them
        #47 – Prohibits local electrical codes from being more strict than state code
        #48 – Weird very specific stuff for Madison Metro Sewage District
        #52 – If a telecom company stops using poles/antennas/etc, it’s now the municipality’s responsibility to pay for their removal
        #54 – Seems to extend the term limit of PSC Commissioners by 2 yrs; if appointed to PSC Chair, time spent as Chair doesn’t count against overall term limit as Commissioner;
        #55 – Prohibit municipalities (Dane County) requiring oil pipeline companies (Enbridge) carry insurance beyond existing general liability coverage
        #56 – Eliminate 1 day of rest in 7 requirement; employees will be able to “voluntarily” work unlimited consecutive days without rest. (Obviously, in many cases this won’t be so voluntary.)
        #58 – Get rid of that pesky “living wage” language that required DWD to go thru the motions and set up a committee recently when low-wage workers complained the minimum wage wasn’t sufficient for their well-being.
        #61 – Payday Lender Giveaway Bonanza! Allow payday lenders to offer other financial products like insurance, and operate any other kind of business under the same roof. Coming soon: Payday Loan/Liquor Stores. Bank on it.
        #65 – Prohibit local governments from making any requirements on real estate transactions, like removing junk/debris from the yard. Most of the talking-points say this helps “small, growing families” make as-is sales; but I wonder if this is more related to bank-owned nuisance properties
        #67 – Give Milwaukee County Exec (and only Milwaukee County) power to do just about anything without any input from County Board. Reduced Milwaukee County Board to ceremonial grantor of liquor licenses.

        1. Just a few exclamatory words or phrases to express my outrage::
          Oh No
          WTF
          Shoot
          What a waste of time
          OMG,
          Really
          Oh the humanity
          JC
          What crap

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