December 20, 2014

"The state Government Accountability Board’s top officials proceeded with a secret probe into coordination between Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign and conservative political groups for months without authorization..."

"... from the six retired judges who run the board, court records unsealed Friday allege. The documents filed by a target of the investigation also allege that the board voted to end its involvement in the probe in July but that staff continued to work on it."

ADDED: This strikes me as the ultimate in bullshit:
... David Deininger, the retired appeals court judge who chaired the board during the launching of the John Doe investigation, defended [GAB chief counsel Kevin Kennedy and Jonathan Becker, administrator of the agency’s ethics and accountability division].

Deininger... said he didn’t recall exactly when the board was made aware of the investigation, “but something of this magnitude would have been brought to our attention at the earliest opening. They would know this would have been something the board needed to be up to speed on from the get-go." 
He also vouched for Kennedy and Becker, saying impartial administration of election laws was their “modus operandi." "They are professionals and they have always been so," Deininger said.
The GAB is enforcing the letter of the law on its targets. You cannot defend them by saying but they are good people who mean well and who never departed from the spirit of the law. Sticklers must be judged by stickler standards.

56 comments:

alan markus said...

Wonder if they had secret routers?

“For example, the public has learned for the first time, over GAB’s objections, that GAB set up a secret system of Gmail accounts for its staffers and the prosecutors who ran the John Doe.

WI John Doe Claim Search Warrants Planned for Sean Hannity/Conservative Media

Oso Negro said...

The Democratic Party has been an instrument of much evil and may yet cause the utter ruin of the United States of America.

Bobber Fleck said...

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others".

Tank said...

Whoa, Althouse goes with the Alinsky Rules.

F said...

The government of the state of Wisconsin is sounding more and more like a criminal conspiracy.

paminwi said...

Does any of this surprise anyone who has been watching this clusterfuck? I can hardly wait to hear garage and his cohorts response to this!

Possibly going after Sean Hannity for god's sake? You can't help but laugh at the absurdity of that!

traditionalguy said...

The Board's BS could apply to Seal Team Six. They too are Professionals and have always been so. Just on an assigned mission to get Walker. Oh, I mean impartially administer OUR election laws...and destroy that enemy SOB, put him in jail a long time and ruin his family and friends forever...impartially of course.

ddh said...

Runaway bureaucrats putting people on double secret probation--and just as worthy of respect as Dean Wormer.

Original Mike said...

Mark is going to be very angry with you, Althouse. I'm sure the word "smear" will be used.

Curious George said...

"paminwi said...
Does any of this surprise anyone who has been watching this clusterfuck? I can hardly wait to hear garage and his cohorts response to this!"

Here let me speed this up for you.

The GAB is run by Republicans. John Doe was run by Republican DAs. The special prosecutor is a Walker supporter.

Same ole same ole. There has been nothing and never will be anything to get garage off his talking points. Hell, he still believes the Michael Brown was shot in the back with his arms up.

Original Mike said...

"Deininger... said he didn’t recall exactly when the board was made aware of the investigation, “but something of this magnitude would have been brought to our attention at the earliest opening. They would know this would have been something the board needed to be up to speed on from the get-go.""

Yeah, that struck me, too. "They would know this would have been something the board needed to be up to speed on from the get-go."

Bank robbers "know" it is illegal to rob banks. They still do it.

Original Mike said...

"“For example, the public has learned for the first time, over GAB’s objections, that GAB set up a secret system of Gmail accounts for its staffers and the prosecutors who ran the John Doe."

Oh, that's hilarious!

FedkaTheConvict said...

I can't wait to hear Garage Mahal's reaction to the disclosure that GAB staff members set up a secret network" using GMail. Remember how he specifically, and the left in general, went batshit crazy over Walker's "secret routers?"

rehajm said...

Job creators see this stuff.

Owen said...

This just makes my head spin. Not just the brazen corruption --the outright betrayal by the GAB of its oversight-- but the childish effort by those betrayed to excuse the perpetrators.

"Deininger... said he didn’t recall exactly when the board was made aware of the investigation, “but something of this magnitude would have been brought to our attention at the earliest opening. They would know this would have been something the board needed to be up to speed on from the get-go.""

What does that even mean? If they were doing it, they knew they lacked approval? Or if this had been going on, we would have known, and we didn't know so it didn't happen? Huh?

Wince said...

Do these state actors enjoy prosecutorial immunity and, if so, at what point of outrageous conduct do they forfeit that?

FedkaTheConvict said...

The Wisconsin Reporter has much more in-depth coverage than the Journal Sentinel: http://watchdog.org/category/wisconsin/

Original Mike said...

Garage is going to be very agitated when he gets up.

damikesc said...

Garage is going to be very agitated when he gets up.

That assumes he is consistent.

Which requires evidence never presented to date.

alan markus said...

Garage is going to be very agitated when he gets up.

That assumes he is consistent.


I think some of us have found him to be consistently stupid.

RecChief said...

damikesc said...
Garage is going to be very agitated when he gets up.


Only about conservative justices on the Wisconsin supreme court, hearing John Doe cases.

He'll call for recusal. Except, since he also claims all the major actors in the John Doe fiasco were Republicans, why should they recuse?

Eh, Garage is not known for consistency except that he is consistent in his blind faith in the cult of Progressivism

Curious George said...

"Original Mike said...
Garage is going to be very agitated when he gets up."

You new around here? There is absolutely nothing in this story that will get garage off his position regarding John Doe.

Kevin Kennedy is a POS, time to go after him criminally. Chisholm too.

alan markus said...

Hey Curious George - something of yours that I keep in my files:

Blogger Curious George said...
garage scoreboard:

Walker v Barrett I Fail
Act 10 Protests Fail
Senate Recalls Fail
Walker Recall Fail
Prosser v Joanne Kloppenburg Fail
Prosser v Bradley Fail
Secret Routers! Fail
John Doe I Fail
Emails! Fail
John Doe II Fail



6/27/14, 7:30 AM

Original Mike said...

"That assumes he is consistent."

Garage is more consistent on John Doe and secret routers than the sun is on rising.

iowan2 said...

From my perspective of what I read at this blog, and following the links, this is an assault on self governance.
Secret search warrents, middle of the night raids, required silence by those being investigated,all suppressing participation in the election process. If I thought, by donating to an organization that endorses political candidates, opened my personal life to raids, that I have no power to defend myself from, and have no due process rights available to me.
Yes, my rights to participate in the electoral process have been more than infringed. I have been effectively stopped from participated in electing the people of my choice.

People that defend these actions by govt actors are to stupid to see the abuses and how they can be turned on them personally.

Curious George said...

"alan markus said...
Hey Curious George - something of yours that I keep in my files:"

Don't forget to add Walker v Burke Fail.

James Pawlak said...

The real question is to the GAB's and Milwaukee's DA's persecution of political enemies by violating their Fourth Amendment rights is a MKVD style home invasion.

That is not "BS"!

Owen said...

Iowan2 said:

"From my perspective of what I read at this blog, and following the links, this is an assault on self governance.
Secret search warrents, middle of the night raids, required silence by those being investigated,all suppressing participation in the election process. If I thought, by donating to an organization that endorses political candidates, opened my personal life to raids, that I have no power to defend myself from, and have no due process rights available to me.
Yes, my rights to participate in the electoral process have been more than infringed. I have been effectively stopped from participated in electing the people of my choice.

People that defend these actions by govt actors are to stupid to see the abuses and how they can be turned on them personally.

12/20/14, 8:53 AM"

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

Will any of these people be brought to justice? If not, why should anyone trust the GAB (or the justice system) ever again?

Diogenes of Sinope said...

The individual members of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board should be held criminally accountable and then civilly accountable for their actions.

Michael K said...

"this is an assault on self governance. "

These are Democrats for Christ's sake !

What do you expect ? Civics lessons ?

Anonymous said...

Deininger... said he didn’t recall exactly when the board was made aware of the investigation, “but something of this magnitude would have been brought to our attention at the earliest opening.

I'm sorry, i'm a board member of a couple of businesses or non-profits.

Boards run legally have minutes and agenda's that are kept to meet legal and fiduciary requirements.

He's BS'ing

mccullough said...

So the people who continued the investigation should be fired. Actually, the whole GAB should be disbanded by statute since its a waste of taxpayer money.

Diogenes of Sinope said...

How did Wisconsin end up with two KANGAROO court systems, the John Doe and GAB? Both should be abolished.

Michael K said...

These guys are pikers compared to Austin, TX which is an island of Democrats in a sea of Republicans. The local DA has even gotten the Governor of Texas indicted and arrested !

Now that's Democrat power !

The indictment states Perry's crime was vetoing state funds to the Public Integrity Unit, headed by Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat and the district attorney for Travis County, who was arrested for drunken driving in April 2013.

District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg tested at a blood alcohol level of 0.239% — nearly three times Texas' legal limit of 0.08%.

District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg tested at a blood alcohol level of 0.239% — nearly three times Texas' legal limit of 0.08%.
Lehmberg, known for pursuing corruption charges against former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and other Republicans, staggered and wore a spit mask — typically used for prisoners who spit on jail guards — in the surveillance video at the Travis County Sheriff's Office. The district attorney tested at a blood alcohol level of 0.239% — nearly three times Texas' legal limit of 0.08%.


Doesn't matter. Perry is a "ham sandwich" to the lefty Travis County Grand Jury, no doubt all Democrats.

Bob Boyd said...

Owen said..."Will any of these people be brought to justice?"

And if so by what agency? Is there any state agency that can be trusted now? Is there even a Federal one?
Are we reliant then on the news media?
Oh shit....

Its the destroyed trust that is the real, long-term damage done by these John Gruber, 'we know what is best' types.



RecChief said...

Bob Boyd said...
Owen said..."Will any of these people be brought to justice?"

And if so by what agency? Is there any state agency that can be trusted now? Is there even a Federal one?
Are we reliant then on the news media?
Oh shit....

Its the destroyed trust that is the real, long-term damage done by these John Gruber, 'we know what is best' types.


I've said for several years that a revolution is coming. One thing that gives me hope that it will be a bloodless one is that the fuckers on the other side seem to eschew firearms in favor of signs, chants, bricks, and hammers

cubanbob said...

Give Garage credit; he sure has a lot of regulars talking about him, present company included.

I suppose in this funhouse mirror of government accountability the GAB will need another GAB to investigate it.

Forget the so-called Republican's who are the presumed candidates for 2016. Scott Walker is looking very, very good. So he isn't an Ivy graduate? I for one don't care. W is an Ivy and so is Obama. Enough said.

Original Mike said...

Garage must have really tied one on last night.

I'm still laughing at the GAB's secret email accounts. Comedy gold.

Curious George said...

"Original Mike said...
Garage must have really tied one on last night."

Probably ice fishing.

Christy said...

The retired judge said what!!??!!

Most of us with elderly parents recognize that Kevin Kennedy and Jonathan Becker took advantage of dementia. Could be the entire system is set up to allow staffers to run the GAB with the occasional signature of a member.

Anonymous said...

Wrongdoing is alleged by those who are being investigated, yet Althouse reports it as a fact that has already been determined. Typical of her "neutral" behavior.

Meanwhile, Curious George continues on with his crazy conspiracy theory that there are no Republicans at all on the GAB, not even the members that were handpicked by Scott Walker himself. Sounds like he needs some more tinfoil for his hat.

If the allegations about the GAB using private routers to get around open record laws are found to be true then that is just as bad as Walker doing it and they should receive the same punishment. But can't help but notice that the same people who gave the Governor a free pass on that one are stomping their feet and gnashing their teeth about these GAB allegations. Obviously their personal moral code begins and end with partisan politics.

alan markus said...

Madisonfella at 10:57AM

Meanwhile, Curious George continues on with his crazy conspiracy theory that there are no Republicans at all on the GAB, not even the members that were handpicked by Scott Walker himself. Sounds like he needs some more tinfoil for his hat.

Er, I think Curious George's comment 8:12AM was referring to Garage Mahal's (and your)predicted response - and as he predicted, you responded accordingly.

Original Mike said...

"But can't help but notice that the same people who gave the Governor a free pass on that one are stomping their feet and gnashing their teeth about these GAB allegations."

LMAO /= stomping feet and gnashing teeth

Curious George said...

"alan markus said...
Er, I think Curious George's comment 8:12AM was referring to Garage Mahal's (and your)predicted response - and as he predicted, you responded accordingly."

Yep. Both John Doe and the GAB are run by lefty hacks. The fact that there are some formerly GOP judges on the board "overseeing" the GAB is moot...that asshole Kennedy just kept them in the dark. And now they are trying to save face. John Doe was run by Chisholm...he is a Democrat. The GOP DA's are in small counties and were brought in to give cover to the partisan witch hunt...as was the JD special prosecutor Francis Schmitz. He was appointed 20 years ago by Bush the Elder, but so what? He has a stagnated career and was the perfect patsy for Chisholm. There is no record of him ever supporting a Republican. Ever.

Penguin's an idiot.

alan markus said...

Obviously their personal moral code begins and end with partisan politics.

Yes, all those people pushing the John Doe probes in the run ups to the recall and 2014 election, you definitely nailed that one.

alan markus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
alan markus said...

My prediction: Kevin Kennedy takes one for the team and resigns. In his announcement he says he is doing it to maintain the integrity and credibility of the GAB, admits that they lost their focus on this one, despite their best efforts there is an appearance of partisan bias, and that his continued service would be a distraction from the mission of the GAB.

Also, he would leave a note on the desk for his successor:

1. Do not give your direct phone # to John Chisholm.

2. Inform your Administrative Assistance that whenever John Chisholm calls, you are in a meeting and can't take his call.

chickelit said...

Original Mike said...
Garage must have really tied one on last night.

He was up late having a celebratory tweetfest with Michael Moore.

deepelemblues said...

It was so important that there are former GOP judges on the board that they had to be kept in the dark about it.

Eagerly awaiting Garage's forceful and convincing explanation that nothing has changed because it's their fault they weren't paying attention to what the GAB was doing. Still GOP members on the board, doesn't matter if things were concealed from them, it's still not a partisan Democrat witchhunt because there are GOP GUYS ON THE BOARD. Their fault they didn't notice the partisan Democrat witchhunt being carried out, that means it wasn't really a partisan Democrat witchhunt!

Unknown said...

----using private routers to get around open record laws are found to be true then that is just as bad as Walker doing it ---

Yet a separate email system would be required by election laws. That’s why Walker was never charged. He’s in compliance with the law except in your 'hang Republicans' mind.

tim in vermont said...

I am becoming more convinced every day that the left of the Democrat party is a cult.

Bruce Hayden said...

Yep. Both John Doe and the GAB are run by lefty hacks. The fact that there are some formerly GOP judges on the board "overseeing" the GAB is moot...that asshole Kennedy just kept them in the dark.

Which is why this reminds me a bit of the IRS scandal. Government employees tend to be Democrats, and govt attorneys seem to often be activists. So, some of them decide that this is their chance to make a difference. Probably didn't hurt that the governor essentially made war on the non-safety state workers, making him an enemy of all right thinking govt bureaucrats and leftists. If they had to bend the rules a bit, exceed their mandate a bit, and not tell their oversight board completely everything, it was probably justified as being noble, esp if they could take out Darth Walker. And, of course, being govt workers, their jobs are probably safe, regardless of whatever they do (Lerner still has her pension, the Fast and Furious architects all got promoted, etc).

As a conservative/libertarian, I am appalled. They are supposed to be public servants, and this sort of gross political hackers is anathema of good government. But, for much of the left, what matters is winning, and having to cheat just means that you need either control of the law enforcement mechanisms of the government (e.g. Eric Holder), or have good civil service protections. And, it would have been worth it if they could have taken out Walker - his successor probably would have promoted them.

FleetUSA said...

The Spanish Inquisition was a teaching moment for these lawyers.

Curious George said...

"tim in vermont said...
I am becoming more convinced every day that the left of the Democrat party is a cult."

There are no moderate Democrats.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see President Ted Cruz send the FBI to give these petty fascists a proctoscopy on the day he is inaugurated.

War you want, Democrats, and war you shall have.

Original Mike said...

Wow. Mike Gousha's "Up Front" just interviewed Kevin Kennedy. NOT ONE QUESTION about John Doe. I wonder if it was taped earlier in the week, or were they covering for him?