The problem with that(ok there are numerous problems, but one [...]]]> The story came out yesterday that The republicans were unanimous in swearing their secrecy, to Michael, Best & Freidrich while they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to make sure they had as many republican friendly districts as possible.

The problem with that(ok there are numerous problems, but one of the problems was the republicans denied the democrats legal representation. The republicans pointed out that thanks to MB & F, everyone was represented. They just forgot to ever let the democrats get involved. That did not sit well with Jon Erpenbach and he let them know with this letter:

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Eric McLeod

Michael, Best and Friedrich

One South Pinckney St.

Suite 700

Madison, WI 53707

Dear Mr. McLeod,

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) has insisted from the start of the redistricting process that the process has not been political in nature. He even went so far as to deny Senate Democrats legal representation in this process, saying that the Senate already had a law firm: yours. That fact was restated by his staff, when ask by myself, as a member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Utilities and Government Operations during a recent hearing. During that hearing, I asked Sen. Fitzgerald’s staff on more than one occasion, and more than one way, if politics were involved with redistricting. His answer was always the same, “no.”

Therefore, it is my understanding, as the elected State Senator of the 27th Senate District, I am your client. As your client I would like to review the file regarding your firm’s work on redistricting.

Attorney client privilege should not be an issue here because I am one of the 33 clients you represent.

If it’s not your understanding that your firm represents all 33 Wisconsin State Senators, then perhaps we need further clarification from Sen. Fitzgerald. Otherwise, please provide me with a copy of the entire redistricting file.

To be very clear, I really have a disdain for reading about a case that involves me and the entire Wisconsin State Senate in the newspaper.

Sincerely,

Jon Erpenbach

State Senator

27th Senate District

I will anxiously await the response to this letter! This is starting to get interesting!

Now on to the story: JSonline delved into more detail regarding the republicans redistricting process. and the [...]]]> If you take away anything from this next story, as egregious as it is, remember that line. That should be the mantel that the democrats use to prop up their republican counterparts in the upcoming election.

Now on to the story: JSonline delved into more detail regarding the republicans redistricting process. and the one word to describe this process: WOW!

First off, republicans had to SIGN Secrecy agreements:

Other newly released documents also show almost all Republican lawmakers signed legal agreements promising not to discuss the new maps while they were being developed…The agreement tells each lawmaker “you agree not to disclose the fact and/or contents of such discussions or any draft documents within your possession.”

All the agreements were also signed by Eric McLeod of Michael Best & Friedrich, one of several attorneys who advised lawmakers on the maps. Legislative leaders have committed $400,000 in taxpayer money to pay Michael Best and the Troupis Law Office for their work on the maps.

Quick aside: If the name Eric McLeod sounds familiar, he is the lawyer who bought Michael Gableman.

The republicans (specifically Adam Foltz, a legislative aide to Jeff Fitzgerald who helped draft the maps), where this gem was written.

“Public comments on this map may be different than what you hear in this room. Ignore the public comments,” the talking points also say.

Why whatever does that mean? Adam Foltz is no help, he had no idea he wrote them. Luckily we have people like attorney Peter Earle who tells us

it was clear from the case’s record that GOP lawmakers were being told to ignore what their leaders were saying publicly and to focus on what they said in private.

translation: the republicans will be lying in public but working on it behind the scenes. Do not believe anything they say.

This case was started in court in December when Mr. Foltz testified that the new maps were not meant to increase the GOP majority.

Foltz said those who developed the maps used election data from 2000 to 2010 in helping decide where to draw the lines. Yet the goal of the maps was not to increase the GOP’s advantage in elections, he testified.

Not sure Adam rally wants to perjure himself at such a young age to protect the Fitzgerald family. You are too young to start your career like this, Ask Tim Russell what trying to cover up for your boss gets you. Hopefully there is still time for Mr. Foltz to correct his story. Since we now know he is not telling the truth:

The new batch of records also includes memos from Foltz to Republican lawmakers telling them how GOP candidates performed in their districts under the new and old maps. In a deposition in December, Foltz testified the new maps were not meant to increase the GOP majority in the Legislature.

Of the 58 Republicans in the state Assembly at the time, 33 would pick up additional Republican voters. For instance, the district for freshman Rep. Mike Endsley (R-Sheboygan) would go from marginally to solidly Republican.

Those Republican representatives experiencing a drop in the number of Republican voters in their district under the redistricting plan would still have a strong Republican majority of voters. For instance, the district represented by Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) would still be about 60% Republican despite losing a share of its GOP bases under the redistricting plan.

Legal secrecy agreements, eric mcleod, Michael Best & Freidrich, only republicans allowed, new maps where it was broken down by republicans in the district, none of that was done politically? Yes if you believe that you will believe that Scott walker is voluntarily meeting with DA Chisholm.

As for Attorney Earle, here he is testifying at the joint public hearing on redistricting.

Tonight was the first commercial I was impressed with since Clara Peller Asked "Where's the Beef?" albeit [...]]]> I do not watch the Super Bowl for the commercials for a couple reasons, 1. They usually suck and 2. if they are good you will see them about 157,000 times in the next month.

Tonight was the first commercial I was impressed with since Clara Peller Asked "Where's the Beef?" albeit for different reasons. Tonight Chrysler stole the show(at least until Eli Manning engineered the game winning drive) and aired this “Halftime in America” spot narrated by Clint Eastwood.

This was a commercial touting American Made cars and the resurgence of Chrysler. They even used some footage from WI.

The bailout/saving of the American auto industry by President Obama will be a campaign issue. I stand with President Obama on this and will be interested to see who stands against him,especially Paul Ryan’s view!

We will all be awaiting the answer to Clint’s questions. ”

By the way, what was the hero of the right Rush Limbaugh doing while Chrysler was airing this commercial asking tough questions?

Picking his nose:

On Martin Luther King, Jr. day, a teacher from Racine refused an award because it was given to him by Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.). The same Paul Ryan who has perpetually been adamantly against [...]]]>

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’
Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Martin Luther King, Jr. day, a teacher from Racine refused an award because it was given to him by Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.). The same Paul Ryan who has perpetually been adamantly against extending unemployment benefits for the unemployed workers in his district(which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country), protections for General Motors and thousands of other American jobs and also has his sites set on dismantling Social Security and Medicare as we know it.

Al Levie had this to say about his refusal of the award from Pink Slip Paulie:

“I would not accept the award from Paul Ryan because Paul Ryan is a lackey for the 1 percent,” he said. “Paul Ryan had no business at a Martin Luther King event, it’s totally hypocritical. On the one hand he votes to slash health care, while on the other hand, King dedicated his life and he died for it, for people to have adequate healthcare, to have adequate jobs.”

“King made it very clear that he was on the side of working people,” he continued. “Ryan on the other hand, he has absolutely no affinity for the working class and for him to come to an event where somebody of King’s stature was honored is wrong.”

This tremendously upset the right wing as people like the rights brilliant orator Andy "go to hell" Breitbart labeled this "Liberal Hate".

No way that Paul Ryan (R-$350 bottles of wine) would ever treat anyone with such contempt, right?

Packer/Badger Schedule anyone?

He could be in Naples, FL or New York with the stimulus king of AIG, or attacking unions in Arizona, OR Colorado secretly getting his orders from the Kochs. The one thing we know is Governor Walker is NOT in Wisconsin and and he [...]]]> Neither do I!

He could be in Naples, FL or New York with the stimulus king of AIG, or attacking unions in Arizona, OR Colorado secretly getting his orders from the Kochs. The one thing we know is Governor Walker is NOT in Wisconsin and and he will not tell anyone where he is.

You have Scott Walker doing this financial tour across the nation, raising money wherever he possibly can, flying over Wisconsin, sort of waving, and getting back on the plane and leaving the state again.
- Sen. Jon Erpenbach

Before we have to put out an APB and use some Wisconsin Milk cartons please help us out. He was last seen wearing a red and white shirt and stocking cap and blue pants! If anyone has seen him please let us know!

By the way for those of you scoring at home:

From madison.com

My first question was a softball: “Will you pledge right now to run the most open, transparent gubernatorial administration in the history of the universe?”

Gov.-elect Scott Walker’s one-word reply: “Absolutely.”

Prosecutors charged Thomas with two felony counts, one for accepting [...]]]> Boy, attorney Michael Maistelman sure is keeping busy these days…

Milwaukee County Supervisor Johnny L. Thomas – the frontrunner in the race for city comptroller – was charged Thursday with accepting a bribe in exchange for promoting a company for a county contract.

Prosecutors charged Thomas with two felony counts, one for accepting a bribe and the other for misconduct in office. Thomas, 43, is chairman of the board’s Finance and Audit Committee.

I had heard rumors of another John Doe investigation in Milwaukee County that involved Supervisor Thomas, so this news isn’t shocking. However, these allegations sure would seem to put a damper on Thomas’ comptroller campaign, which had garnered the support of much of Milwaukee’s liberal establishment, including Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore, and Democratic State Sen. Lena Taylor, not to mention Sachin Chheda, the Chair of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County (who also happened to be Thomas’ campaign manager).

Nasty business, those attack ads…

UPDATE: It’s also worth noting that the video I’ve embedded above is the only video uploaded to Jan Pierce’s [...]]]> It looks like Jan Pierce is pulling out all the stops to try and beat incumbent Alderman Tony Zielinski in the 14th District Aldermanic race in the City of Milwaukee.

Nasty business, those attack ads…

UPDATE: It’s also worth noting that the video I’ve embedded above is the only video uploaded to Jan Pierce’s YouTube channel at this moment. It’s telling that the first and only video the Pierce campaign has chosen to upload is a negative attack ad.