Walker initiated John Doe investigation
Wisconsin finally has a governor- Scott Walker - whom we can be proud of. For the first time in many years, the state budget has been balanced - honestly. No shell games. No robbing from one fund to pay for another. No accounting gimmicks, making it appear that the budget was "balanced" only to learn later that it wasn't and the state was deep in the red. (Thanks Governor Doyle!) In addition, our second amendment rights have actually been upheld - allowing citizens to carry guns if they chose to. We also have the long overdue safeguard against voter fraud in place - yes, Voter ID has become a reality which so many of us wished for. And the "car-speed" rail train, destined to soak taxpayers for years to come, was derailed - exactly as Walker promised. Taxes did not increase, and in many cases taxes went down. Thousands did not lose their jobs in an effort to "balance the budget." Private companies are finally finding an accepting, positive business climate in Wisconsin, rather than thinking of fleeing the state due to excess rules, regulations, taxes, and fees. Governor Walker clearly has brought back Wisconsin from the brink of disaster and the malaise of the Doyle years.
Walker has been a refreshing, energizing change for our state. A true leader in every way. Walker has done exactly what he promised. No double-speak, lies, or misleading the people. We got who we voted for. Walker has stood firm in the face of reprehensible behaviors on the part of unionista's and the anti-Walker crowds, many whom are crying that their taxpayer-funded entitlements are being curtailed. To get our house in fiscal order, the taxpayers of Wisconsin cannot keep paying for the premium health care, retirements, and pensions of government employees. To do so is simply not sustainable. Common sense and reality are finally prevailing.
The fact is, the majority of Wisconsin voters elected Walker. Yet our votes at this time sure don't seem to matter, as the anti-Walker crowd wants to "disenfranchise" the many who elected our governor. Guess that "disenfranchising" is OK when one doesn't like it that a Republican/conservative was elected and is enacting legislation that a minority don't approve of. What blatant hypocrisy - but the left is famous for it.
So now the latest ploy in the anti-Walker campaign comes to fruition.
The long, drawn-out, John Doe investigation has finally reached somewhat of a conclusion. The media, who kept tantalizing the public with allusions that Walker and Walker co-horts were going down with what seemed to be a never-ending "John Doe" investigation, finally reported the story. Turns out that "Walker appointees" - Timothy Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh - were charged with embezzling more than $80,000.00. The money was supposed to go to military veterans and their families. Only one key point in this story has been glossed over or ignored by the media: the fact (yes, FACT) that County Executive Scott Walker AND his chief of staff - Tom Nardelli - were the two men who brought this criminal activity to the attention of the Milwaukee District Attorney - John Chisholm - in the first place.
This bears repeating: County Executive Scott Walker and his Chief of Staff Tom Nardelli helped set the whole "John Doe" investigation in motion!
Yet, the media sure seems reluctant to mention this very important fact. Why? Aren't journalists supposed to report the who, what, why, where, when, and how for a story? Why are they dragging their feet - or ignoring - the fact that Walker and Nardelli helped launch the John Doe investigation to begin with? Does the media think this is somehow not newsworthy? Imagine for one moment if there was a role reversal. Let's say that Jim Doyle had been the Milwaukee County Executive who started an investigation into bookkeeping concerns regarding Operation Freedom. Doyle goes on to become governor. After many months go by, the Milwaukee District Attorney discovers the embezzlement of funds meant to go to military families. Now, does anyone honestly think the news media would not have printed large headines regarding how Doyle played a key role in initiating the investigation in the first place? They would have tripped all over themselves to gush about what a hero Doyle was for bringing these two corrupt individuals to justice. The whole case would have been presented as a big politic boost for Doyle. Can the same be said for the way the media is treating Scott Walker?
What is also puzzling is the fact that when employees are caught embezzling funds (like Russell and Kavanaugh appear to have been doing), the employer is usually blameless and left out of the picture. In many cases, the employer (in this case, Walker) is usually portrayed sympathetically as a victim (and rightly so) - having been taken advantage of by the criminal activities of their employees who they hired and trusted. So why the over-use of the "Walker" name when reporting on this story to begin with? It's as though the media, by dropping Walker's name in with Russell and Kavanaugh at every opportunity, hopes people think "guilt by association," when this could not be further from the truth.
Bias in the media? An anti-Walker slant? Most definitely. Pay attention. Realize what the media is trying to do. Scott Walker - as County Executive - questioned where funds were going after his chief of staff, Tom Nardelli, brought concerns about bookkeeping issues regarding Operation Freedom, to Walker's attention. Walker and Nardelli then asked the District Attorney to look into the situation. Shouldn't Walker be given some credit for doing so? Guess not, as the media has an anti-Walker template that they have to abide by. Sigh.
At least WE can get the word out. Governor Walker is one of the best governors this state has ever had. Walker is a man of real character, honesty, beliefs, and faith. Walker is truly looking out for the people of Wisconsin. This recent "John Doe" investigation is yet another example of Walker doing the right thing. We must not allow him to be recalled by the misguided few who are only looking out for themselves, at the expense of all the taxpayers.
Walker deserves accolades for helping to initiate the "John Doe" investigation that eventually ended with the arrests of Tim Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh. He must not be thrown under the bus with these two men as though he conspired with them to rob military veterans of funding. That is not true, it never was, and the media should cease and desist in their obvious desire to smear Walker.
Spin can only go so far. In this case, spin is all the media has.
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112 Comments
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 7:42 AM
Hiring a open homosexual is being "open-minded" only for someone who thinks it's otherwise a problem. Like you.
ahemmer - Jan 10, 2012 8:28 AM
I am only pointing out that conservatives/Republicans - especially Governor Walker - are always called racists, bigots, cold-hearted, mean-spirited, Nazis, Hitler, and - of course - homophobes - by the left. And this just is not the case. Governor Scott Walker is an excellent example - both while serving as County Executive in Milwaukee and as Governor.
Rather than bashing Walker for his supposed "ties" to Tim Russell, as though Walker himself was picking the pockets of military veterans and their families and/or breaking into their homes in the dead of night, why not praise him for doing the right thing? Scott Walker and Tom Nardelli began the whole John Doe investigation in the first place! That doesn't seem to make any impression on lefties, or the Urinal/Sentinel, who just desperately need to smear Walker, no matter what the facts may be. (Those darn facts - they sure get in the way of the liberal m.o.!) Now we hear how Russell was supposedly a part of "Walkers inner circle" - no matter that Milwaukee Magazine ran an earlier story on how Scott Walker has no "inner circle." C'mon. The desperation is pathetic. I suggest the Urinal/Sentinel and anti-Walker folks give Walker a nod on this one and admit he did the right thing.
This whole situation is akin to a Bush joke of a few years ago: "President Bush could find a cure for cancer and the Democrats would complain he was putting lab rats out of work."
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Those crickets have been chirping long enough.
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 8:38 AM
Except they arent. "Homophobes tend to be conservatives" is not the same as "Conservatives tend to be Homophobes ". You make that mistake all the time, but alot of liberals make the same false equivalency error.
WFB resident - Jan 10, 2012 8:48 AM
Repubnlicans are all of those you stated . But in reality they are far more
openminded and fair to all people than Dumocrats !! Over and over you and I can
see the truth as Walker in hiring to the Pizza man running for the White house ! Who
attacks those people Dumocrats !! Cain , Rice, You name it it all is Dumocrats brain
washing the lowbrows. Apparently Garber,carl,gwb,bs and others are lowbrows .
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 9:00 AM
sharpaxe - Jan 10, 2012 9:00 AM
ahemmer - Jan 10, 2012 10:00 AM
"Walker set up the annual Operation Freedom as a military appreciation day at the zoo for veterans, who got free admission and food. It was run through the county executive's office. Russell was the coordinator of the event and worked on it with Darlene Wink, another former Walker aide at the county who has been under investigation in the John Doe probe.
But the financing setup for the event drew ethics scrutiny in 2006, when two county Ethics Board members questioned the practice of county officials asking private companies for money for public programs, saying it raised conflict-of-interest questions.
Walker said then that he was trying to save taxpayer dollars and that he'd resolve ethics concerns by asking a veterans organization to solicit funds for the event. Walker got legal advice that the fundraising should be handled by a separate charitable entity.
As a result, starting in 2006, Milwaukee Purple Heart Chapter 96 began overseeing the checkbook for Operation Freedom."
Read the entire story at: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/three-charged-in-john-doe-investigation-of-walker-aides-o63mivs-136748913.html
ahemmer - Jan 10, 2012 10:02 AM
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 11:22 AM
As I can piece it together, because of concerns about how the money was being handled by the Purple Heart Chapter (treasurer was Kevin Kavanaugh, who was somewhat close to Walker and has been arrested), officials turned over control of the funds in 2009 to the Alonzo Cudworth American Legion Post No. 23.
But the group soon lost that responsibility when it was handed over to Russell and the organization he ran, Heritage Guard Preservation Society, in October 2009 - a decision personally signed off on by Walker as county executive.
Again, What was the problem with the VFW post running things??
It smells like a combination of Special-Favors and Bad-Judge-of-Character.
Its too bad. Walker may end up looking like another petty politician. I hope not.
ahemmer - Jan 10, 2012 11:35 AM
"I have identified a nonprofit corporation to which I am transferring Operation Freedom,” Walker told the Cudworth Legion Post in a letter mentioned in the criminal complaint. “This new structure will allow the community to take ownership of it.”
Walker reiterated that intention to reporters Thursday, saying he wanted to consolidate oversight under Heritage because it could focus solely on Operation Freedom."
From: http://www.recallscottwalker.com/2012/01/walker-ordered-transfer-of-control-of-veterans-event-funds/
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 11:40 AM
--- On Oct. 20, 2009, Walker transferred about $19,000 in Operation Freedom funds to Heritage Guard, as well as control of its finances. The Walker and Russell memo transferred the "ownership, responsibility and operation" of Operation Freedom to Heritage Guard, which the memo said "had expressed a desire to administer, manage and continue this worthwhile event."
Expressed a desire???? Is Scott really such a soft touch??? *I* have desires, too, man!!
Whats that smell?? A whif of Special-Favors and a whaft of Really-Bad-Judge-of-Character??
In my mind (pending additional info) Scott Walker is a pantload!
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 11:55 AM
A non-profit entity is not "the community".
Wont someone please save us from non profits!!!
Carl Hicks - Jan 10, 2012 12:49 PM
do quote them?
ExToDResident - Jan 10, 2012 1:04 PM
were not doing any fund raising. Walker wanted to put it under a 501(c)3 nonprofit
because the VOW had a "hard for donors to understand" nonprofit status so Walker
wanted to transfer it to charity format that would help fundraising by making
corporate donations tax deductible.
ExToDResident - Jan 10, 2012 1:08 PM
the Zoo but didn't do any fund raising for it because there wasn't anything to pay
for.
ExToDResident - Jan 10, 2012 1:36 PM
say that all he knew about the investigation was what he heard on the news.
Why not say at that time that he couldn't comment or just come out and say that
his administration initiated the investigation?
I believe Nardelli acted on his own.
MGarber - Jan 10, 2012 3:15 PM
Because had no reason to know any details? Why would he?
WFB resident - Jan 10, 2012 4:16 PM
what can possibly make your side correct ? Instead of focussing on the fact that
Dumocrats are wrong !
ahemmer - Jan 10, 2012 4:24 PM
Let's rewrite the whole episode - Walker wanted lots of money (even though he declined a great portion of his salary while county executive...). So he conspires with his "inner circle" of nefarious no-good best buddies, let by Tim Russell. Walker expresses a desire to steal money from veterans and their families. Reason being??? Unclear - is Walker strapped for cash? (The Journal needs to do some digging!!!)
However, in the meantime, Walker suffers from the guilts. He suggests that perhaps his chief of staff, Tom Nardelli, needs to go to the Milwaukee District Attorney and check into what Walker/Russell/Doyle (oops - how did that stand-up, stellar do-gooder's name get in there! A governor who really had the taxpayers best interests at heart!!! My mistake, sorry!) and Kavanaugh are up to.
He sits back and waits, sweating it out. And alas - the D.A. uncovers, with the aid of what Walker and Nardelli informed him about - the fact that funds were indeed being embezzled!!!
However, there are no ties to Walker except for the fact that he started the investigation in the first place!!!! Yet, because he refused to mention this when the investigation began - he's GOT to be guilty simply by the fact that he DIDN'T say "no comment" when asked about it. Instead Walker said all he knew was what he heard on the news! My GOSH! Caught red-handed!!! NOW how did that happen? Is there some kind of pro-Walker conspiracy going on in the Milwaukee D.A.'s office that we are unaware of??? Stay tuned.... the liberal spin on this one is guaranteed to make our heads explode!!!