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Recall Petition Fraud, Tea Party Style

   February 7, 2012

The Racine County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a case of signature fraud in the drive to recall GOP  Senator Van Wangaard. The fraudulent signatures were submitted by a man, Mark Demet, who may have ties to the Racine County Tea Party and the Racine County chapter of Citizens for Responsible Government

For several weeks now Tea Squawkers around the state have been hollering at the top of their lungs about signature fraud within the various recall efforts statewide. What a prescient bunch, indeed! How did they know in advance that fraud would be discovered? Hmmmmm.

Here’s hoping Demet is charged and that any other suspicious signatures discovered throughout the process are investigated as well.

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60 thoughts on “Recall Petition Fraud, Tea Party Style”

  1. So what you are saying is there really isn’t a million valid signatures like all the gigantic numbers held in the air at the capital spelled out, right?

    Secondly, what you are saying is there is fraud in both directions as it relates to recall petitions, right?

    So why won’t the GAB do it’s job and verify the numbers correctly? Is that asking too much? Isn’t that their responsibility? Aren’t you as curious as I am to know exactly how many valid signatures there are? I don’t give a flyin’ feck how many it ends up being. But let’s ensure the credibility in the process so we don’t have to sit and wonder. I know we can’t get it 100% but we can at least let it run it’s correct course. I’d say that no matter what my political persuasion was!

  2. James,

    What I’m saying is that the Racine County Sheriff’s Department is investigating signature fraud by what appears to be a pro-Walker guy who may be connected to the Racine County Tea Party and Citizens for Responsible Government.

    I don’t know what the hell you’re saying.

    1. what I’m saying is there’s fraud in both directions. But would you ever admit that?

  3. No, that isn’t the GAB’s responsibility. The GOPers keep crying they want it to stay within statutory boundaries. Well, here you go.

  4. No, that isn’t the GAB’s responsibility; it’s Friends of Walker’s.

    The GOPers keep crying they want it to stay within statutory boundaries. Well, here you go.

      1. While I hate to reply to myself, what if “friends of Scott Walker” do it themselves. Will you trust it??

  5. James,

    Let’s stick to what we know for sure right now. The Racine County Sheriff’s Department is investigating signature fraud by an apparently pro-Walker guy who may have connections to the Racine County Tea Party and Citizens for Responsible Government.

        1. Invalid, fraudulent, whatever. If one is too dumb to either A, fill the damn thing out correctly to ensure it’s counted, or B, too incompentent as a circulator to make sure what you are collecting is correct, then you deserve what you get. That’s not a partisan opinion on my part either. I’d feel the same no matter what.

          1. James,

            It makes a big difference to the Sheriff’s Department. Invalid is a mistake, fraud is a crime.

            You claimed there was fruad on our side. Got any proof?

  6. Jimmy Boy- the vast majority of “questionable” signatures have always been due to Tea Bagger Trash like you and Demet. And it won’t be nearly enough to discredit the 900,000+ that will be shown to have wanted our Governor to face the music, and the 20,000 or so that will be certified in all of the recall elections.

    And by the way, that “15%” figure is only what the J-S doesn’t KNOW FOR SURE IS LEGIT. Probably half of those 15% are legit as well, and even a pathetic little child like you knows it.

    Only someone stupid enough to listen to Sykes, Belling or McKenna wouldn’t believe that this is real, and it’s getting stronger by the day as you act worse and worse. So keep up the bitch act, son. It makes our victory all the more certain.

    1. wow. Just when I thought I was in the midst of civil debate. Even I, the lone conservative around these parts don’t resort to that ridiculous level of discourse and vitriol. I don’t care if it’s a million, a billion, a trillion. Whatever. So it’s 900,000. Fine. I wasn’t one of the proud libs on camera holding up signs that spelled out “1,000,000+”. Just sayin’.

      “the vast majority of “questionable” signatures have always been due to Tea Bagger Trash like you”. Got anything to back that up. I don’t think my new friend Zuma would agree with your lack of citation on that statement!

      Sykes? Belling? McKenna? I’ll have to look them all up. How the hell do you know who I listen to? I’m here reading your garbage, aren’t I?

      1. Actually Jimmy Boy, Phil accurately points out that the 15% figure thrown out by the J-S doesn’t include many eligible signers like people who live with someone else, or people who have moved to a new address. In reality, it’ll be 5-10% invalid AT MOST, and much of that is due to trash like you either intimidating or outright being fraudulent by Demet. Don’t play that “both sides do it” cop-out on us, it’s garbage and we see through your weak sauce.

        And of course I know you listen to Sykes, Belling and McKenna. No Wisconsinite with pride would be a troll like you and spout BS like you have, and losers like you always get your “facts” from those pukes – which is why you’re always so laughably full of crap and incorrect.

        The only way you wouldn’t listen to that trash is if you were an out-of-state Koch Troll.It wouldn’t shock me, since Walker has a lot more support the further you get away from having to deal with the reality he’s left us with. Is that what you’re admitting to us?

        Good, you out-of-staters will get Walker on Faux News soon enough…if he isn’t in prison.

        1. Uh…Ok…um…Jakester,

          maybe you missed the part where I said I don’t care how many valid signatures there are?

          I wondered how long it would take before you typed the word “Koch”. While I do live in Wisconsin, you are aware that he and his brother don’t, right?

          If I may ask, what exactly do you do for a living? There’s a sugar daddy in there somewhere. I’m certain of it.

          Care to place a friendly little wager on whether Walker’s recall will be successful or not? Spoiler alert!! I say NOT.

      2. @ James Booth

        You wrote, in pertinent part, just above: “wow [sic]. Just when I thought I was in the midst of civil debate. Even I, the lone conservative around these parts [sic] don’t resort to that ridiculous level of discourse and vitriol.

        Yeah, Jim-Bob, you’re PURE as the driven snow.

        At 8:53 a.m. on February 5th you said the following to Zach Wisniewski in the comment thread for Zach’s post entitled, “Free health insurance & pension benefits for public employees?”: “I would give you specifics on why I know that but you assholes would gang up on me and run me out of town like only blue-fisters can!”

        I’m sorry that Jake gave you “the vapors” and all, but TRY to keep the faux outrage and douchebaggery to a minimum, all right?

        Just for the record, you’re not alone, Jimbo. A legend in your own mind, perhaps, but not alone. Crazy old Uncle Olaf [Jacobi], Wingnut [yes, he apparently CHOSE that name for himself – the progressives here had nothing to do with it] and a guy who calls himself [Cool Hand] Locke also play for the “conservative” team ’round here.

        1. guess I have not seen them yet. But the site is subtitled “blogging liberally in the Badger state”, afterall. So yeah….I’m a fish out of water. Not compaining, mind you.

          And I already apologized for for my missteps. Must you brow beat me? And you have to admit Jake doesn’t quite “fit in” with the tone of what I’ve mostly been exposed to by the “progressives” in the room.

          1. Yeah, you have apologized for your missteps.

            I wouldn’t have said anything about them again, but for the fact that you engaged in some hypocritical “pot calling the kettle black” behavior here.

            I don’t think that I was “browbeat[ing]” you, my misguided wingnut brother, so much as I was calling you out on your “I JUST don’t think that anybody will remember that I said that” hypocrisy.

            You want to have some credibility around here, James? Don’t try to pull stunts like that.

            1. What’s with the “Wingnut” name calling? You’re starting to sound remarkably similar to that which you criticize in me. But have I called you any names?

      3. Jim-BobbityBoo wrote: “I don’t think my new friend Zuma would agree with your lack of citation on that statement!”

        Uh, “[w]hat do you mean WE, white man?”

        Look, maybe when you actually start providing corroborating evidence or citations to support your positions, you’ll be in a position to talk smack about what other people say. In the meantime, Jake is kicking your ass. Passive-aggressive whining isn’t going to change that. It just makes you look like a douche.

          1. @ James

            Come on, James. Every one of your reactions doesn’t have to be that faux shock and outrage that they teach you at Wingnut Tech, does it?

            If you just sat back and chilled once in awhile, instead, you might actually get a joke, or even the larger point being made with it.

            So, here goes: As THE JOKE goes, the Lone Ranger and Tonto are surrounded by hostile Native-Americans, the menacing circle tightening around them. “Looks like we’re done for, Tonto”, the Lone Ranger says. Tonto looks at him, and says, “What do you mean, ‘we’, white man?”

            I guess that you’re just strung too tight, or maybe just not insightful enough, to get the allusion.

            In any event, let me break it down for you, my misguided wingnut brother, in as concrete a way as possible, so they’re are no misunderstandings regarding why I wrote what I wrote.

            You called me your “new friend”, and indirectly referenced the tongue-lashings that I had given you regarding the need to tether your wild-eyed speculations (masquerading here as “opinions”) to something objective.

            You know what I’ m talking about, right, big guy? Like if you’re going to say that the Wisconsin Constitution prohibits “this kind of recall”, or say that the framers ACTUALLY intended to put the words, ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ into the Constitution, I told you that you need to provide some evidence tethering such speculation to legislative history or case law or SOMETHING else real in order to “prove it” in any meaningful way.

            Your “dispute” with Jake? Apples and oranges.

            But, that said, the “What do you mean ‘we’, white man?” comment was A REFERENCE, in essence, meaning, “Hey, you’re on your own here, buddy. don’t drag me into it.”

            Dial the “knee-jerk” back, James, and take the partisan blinders off. Maybe then the things that I say to you won’t continue to fly right over your head. AND maybe you’ll be able to have a little more fun with all of this. I know that they teach something else over at Wingnut Tech, but this really isn’t a fight to the death. (*wink*)

            Lighten up.

  7. Jmaes,

    Big difference between fraudulent and invalid. Demet appears to have committed fraud. We don’t yet know why some signatures are invalid. Words have precise meanings. Smart guy like you should know that.

    1. At the risk of being redundant:

      Invalid, fraudulent, whatever. If one is too dumb to either A, fill the damn thing out correctly to ensure it’s counted, or B, too incompentent as a circulator to make sure what you are collecting is correct, then you deserve what you get. That’s not a partisan opinion on my part either. I’d feel the same no matter what.

      “Words have meanings”. Damn right. That includes the ones written on recall petitions…and the ones left off by careless, overly zealous electors.

    1. Yes, I know the difference. Now a question for you. If there is a name on a petition that does not have a signature, (a simple mistake by the elector) should that person’s entry on that petition count?

  10. Come on Mr. Carlson! I mean no disrespect. It’s an honest question about your feelings on the issue.

  12. Alright. Now if the GAB scanned all the petitions and saw some lines were absent of signatures, don’t you think they should have disqualified those entries?

    1. Now that would be a mistake by the petitioner…..that does not mean those people did not want to sign. This is why we have a million signatures, throw these out and you are throwing out signatures of people who legitimately wanted to recall the governor. thanks for this example its perfect….

      1. I also asked you if someone forgot to sign, should that be counted?

        Look, I also already said I don’t care how many valid signatures there are. But I wasn’t the one holding up cardboard signs that spelled out, “1,000,000+”!

        I only want the count to be the count. A billion, zillion, gillion….whatever. Details matter. Lefties wanted to throw out an entire bill over minutes notice given for a budget hearing. Like it would have mattered, the fab 14 were down in Illinois hiding.

        I can say out loud that if there was voter fraud on the part of some wacky right winger out there that it should be identified and prosecuted. Why is it so damn hard for you progressives to do the same thing?? The closest you can come is to say it should be investigated because maybe it’s another “Tea Squawker” when you know damn well there is fraud on your part. Hell, some even admitted to it publicly! http://www.wisn.com/politics/29958007/detail.html

        1. James: “Lefties wanted to throw out an entire bill over minutes notice given for a budget hearing. ”

          So, NOW you think both the Wisconsin Constitution AND the Open Meetings Law shouldn’t be followed?!

          You’re a hoot, dude. I truly think that your wingnut is screwed down just A LITTLE too tight.

          Do you actually think before you write? I’m beginning to wonder.

          Word to the wise, James: “Sometimes it is better to remain silent and only be thought the fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

          Breathe, think, THEN write. I know that it is contrary to the Wingnut Way, but give it a try.

          Then you may actually get something right once in awhile.

  15. Kent Wainscott from WISN news interviewed the man. It would be up to the authorities to investigate and the courts to prove, just like the case of Demet. Here’s a quote from you regarding him: “Here’s hoping Demet is charged and that any other suspicious signatures discovered throughout the process are investigated as well.” Do you include all suspicious signatures in that statement?

    But here is why I have doubts that this would ever be done fairly. Same link as before. Read further down by Kevin Kennedy of the GAB:

    http://www.wisn.com/politics/29958007/detail.html

    In the same story here is a quote from Kevin Kennedy basically telling people to sign more than once! “So, if someone signs a recall petition but later worries that petition might not be legit, he or she can sign another one. That’s different from signing dozens of different petitions, hoping to sneak in some extra signatures, according to the director.” Worries! That’s all it takes to sign twice, worry?

  16. And then! And then…Kevin Kennedy of the GAB, after saying it’s OK to sign twice if your “worried”, says: The GAB director said, according to state law, it’s up to the officeholder to catch duplicates. So, in this case, it will be up to Walker’s campaign and Republicans to catch any duplicate recall signatures turned in.

    REALLY?? You tell people to sign more than once and then leave it up to the defending party to find them all?? That’s ridiculous!

    http://www.wisn.com/politics/29958007/detail.html

  17. James,

    Your side started all of this with the Facebook pages from Tea Squawkers saying they would gather signatures for a bonfire up north. You need to find those numbnutted bastards and do your ass chewing with them.

    1. Can you cite where you saw that? News to me. And for the record, that’s not “my side”.

        1. James is a kinder, gentler version of Notalib and Orlin Sellers, but, like them, he doggedly overlooks, or just can’t see, much that is right in front of his face. I’m guessing it’s the partisan blinders.

          He walks like a Tea Squawker. Squawks like a Tea Squawker. . .BUT he retains the “right” to call himself “an Independent” whenever the need arises, like when he needs to “dispel” the notion that he actually IS what he is.

  18. Isn’t it the petitioner’s responsibility to inform the idiots signing that they cannot use a PO Box, cannot sign someone else’s name etc?
    I agree that this Demet guy should be criminally charged, but so too should the people who signed multiple times and the petitioners who turned in obvious invalid signatures.
    Or all we just going to claim that everyone is too dumb to claim responsibility for their own actions?

  19. Come on Zuma, (I’M laughing now!)is that really necessary? You might be surprised how many things we agree on if you would only dial down your attack mode for a minute. I know the easiest thing to do is label me and lump me in with all the rest, but you make too many assumptions. It would appear the “Notalibs” and “Orlin Sellers” of the world have led you to assume that I’m somehow this pasty white, racist, bigoted, right wing wacko nut job out trolling around looking for trouble. Not exactly true!

    1. @ James Booth

      Uh, yeah, it IS necessary. (*wink*)

      See, Jimbo, I’m in , “DAMN that guy is clueless” mode aka “Have some fun with the clueless wingnut” mode, something which is fundamentally different than “attack” mode.

      If I was attack mode, trust me, you would know. Thing is, I just don’t believe in “attack mode” anymore.

      In any event, James, you’re likeable as a person, just generally wrong in the political positions you carve out.

      I “tweak” your nose here and there, but only enough to jostle those partisan blinders of yours out of position, so that you stand half a chance of seeing past them, and the seeing any issue at hand more clearly.

      There’s this humorous observation that someone once made, someone whose name I can’t remember off the top of my head right now. It goes something like this: “Around 17 or 18, I wondered if my parents could get any dumber. By the time that I was 25, I was amazed at just how much smarter they had gotten in such a short period of time.”

      I see you as a basically intelligent person, but your critical thinking/reasoning skills don’t seem to be fully developed. You also strike me as someone whose political perspective was regrettably skewed at some earlier, if not early, point in your life by immersion in, or contact with, rightwing and/or libertarian political philosophy.

      Anyway, I have a feeling that one of these days, you will find yourself marveling at “how much smarter [progressives] have gotten in such a short time.”

      In the meantime, to the extent that I continue to reply to your comments, I’m gonna “float like a butterfly” and “sting like a bee”, but I’m never going to be mean-spirited about it.

      There was never ever any real hope for Notalib and Orlin Sellars. I sense, however, “grasshopper” that there is hope yet for you.

      You may actually be “pasty and white” (*wink* – jusssst kidding, big guy), but I don’t believe for a second that you are ” a racist, bigoted, rightwing whackjob out trolling around looking for trouble”. I just think that you’re misguided.

      Good luck, James. Here’s hoping you come back over from the “dark side” one day.

      1. If by “hope” for me you mean, totally agree with you, I wouldn’t hold your breath. But maybe we agree on some things. I have strong feelings about what I believe. I think the federal government is way too big and that it wastes too much money. I believe it is remarkably inefficient in nearly everything it does. I believe in local and state control of policy decisions. I think we fight too many wars for stupid reasons. I don’t think we should be the moral compass for the whole world and have bases in hundreds of places around the world. I don’t think religion should have anything to do with government and vice versa. I don’t think government should have anything to do with abortion. I don’t believe capital punishment deters crime. I don’t think people should go to jail for personal use of narcotics, though I don’t use narcotics and I do think they are harmful, I don’t see laws as they are now helping a damn thing. I support legal immigration. I think we support Israel to the detriment of our own credibility in the world. I think man-made global climate change is over sold. I think our trade policies promote exporting jobs. Our tax policy needs a complete overhaul. I have about as much faith in the Republicans as I do the democrats, and that’s close to zero. I’m searching for a true leader who is not beholden to anyone, who speaks the truth no matter what, who honestly just cares about what’s best for the country and is not afraid to lead that way. Is there such a person?

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