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.
Can you BELIEVE the audacity? Every time I think WI-GOP can’t sink any lower they turn around and prove me wrong.
This is a new low for our elected officials.
Those Republicans who went along with this should be ashamed of themselves. Then again, to feel shame they’d actually have to have consciences.
The shame should be on anyone who votes for them after reading stories like this!
This is why I discount anyone who uses the words “centrist” “moderate” or “compromiser” – including the writers of the three encomia to Tim Cullen I came across last week – as knowing absolutely nothing about Wisconsin politics.
The GOP isn’t engaging in mere partisanship. It’s privatizing deliberation and decision making, making compromise impossible. That’s why the goobers sit there stonefaced during “debate” at the Capitol. They’ve already got their orders.
Do you think Cullen knew his best bud Shultzy agreed to the Fitzes’ omertà?
There certainly seems to be an epidemic of CRS disease breaking out in the Republican Party. I think Scott Walker is the primary carrier of the virus and has infected everyone around him.
But seriously…is there any recourse to taxpayers at this point to recover the funds that the Michael Best law firm received for the sole purpose of disenfranchising voters and rigging elections?
It might be time for a Dane County John Doe investigation. What would happen to those who violated their “Oath of Silence”? What was their reward for complying.? Could the reward be campaign funds? The Republican Party is emulating the mafia and engaging in a form of racketeering.
Yup..nothing hyper political ever done by the left regarding redistricting historically in Wisconsin. We’ve been fighting over this stuff since the 50’s. Lawsuits in every decade. Wisconsin supreme court decided it in the 50’s, and 60’s(dem governor, rep legislature). In the 70’s (dem governor, rep legislature) the federal supreme court threatened to rule so the Wisconsin legislature got it done in special session. In the 80’s Earl eventually signed a plan controlled by the dems in both houses. In the 90’s both houses were controlled by dems and Thompson vetoed their plan. That went to court and resulted in it being implemented. After the 2000 census it went to the FEDERAL district court and they decided it in 2002.
A cat and mouse game since the beginning of time. But this time the houses and Governor are republicans. “Elections have consequences” -Barack Obama.
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/im/10im4.pdf
James, do you really have no problem with something done by elected officials with such privacy and secrecy?
Wow. After the judges reamed the MB&F folks for what? $17,000 in sanctions? Now they’ll have to explain how they basically abused attorney client privilege to subvert transparency on legislative process? Better get that check book ready.