Scott Jensen Should Not Be Allowed To Serve On Tommy Thompson Center On Public Leadership

I was surprised to read the list of names to sit on the board for the Tommy Thompson Center on Public Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos sponsored the bill that created the center.  Once it was law he nominated himself to the board.  He then placed, among others, Scott Jensen, a former Republican state representative and Assembly Speaker who ran afoul of the law while in office to the board.

Many people will recall the statehouse scandal which impacted both legislative houses, and their top leaders.  It was eye-opening for many people across the state who never before had such insight into the way politics was played in Madison.  It was also eye-opening for many in the state to witness the wheels of justice move so slow due to seemingly unlimited funds along with the best lawyers in the state working on behalf of Jensen.  Over those years Wisconsinites came to better understand how politics was a full-time job at the statehouse, but also how money and influence effects justice.

Scott Jensen was found guilty of three felonies and one misdemeanor on March 11, 2006 for directing legislative staffers to campaign on state time.  Jensen was ordered to spend 15 months in jail after Judge Ebert said that the actions of the former lawmaker were “common thievery elevated to a higher plane”.  Jensen appealed that jury decision.

In November 2006  Judge Steve Ebert released a ruling in that never-ending case to allow for restitution to the state.  The money ordered to be paid was for dollars spent on salaries for Capital staffers to do illegal campaign work on state time.  Jensen was ordered to pay back over $190,000.   At that time former State Representative Steve Foti was ordered to refund nearly $58,000.  Sherry Schultz, who was an aide and key player in the corruption scandal, was ordered to repay almost $58,000.

On December 20, 2010, the three felony charges were dropped and Jensen agreed to pay back his legal fees to the state of Wisconsin.  Jensen pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor ethics charge.

What I found most damaging to the state during that long process was how it undermined the integrity of our state’s political process.   Voters place faith in the people they cast a ballot for, and then expect responsible elected officials to abide by the laws.  But throughout the many years which the scandal matter meandered throughout the legal system there was never a heart-felt statement to the people of this state showing any remorse for the actions Jensen took while in office.   It was nothing more than utter contempt for the process of law and order.

So it is easy to understand why there should be a stunned reaction that Jensen has now been appointed as a board member to a UW center which has as its mission the facilitating of research and leadership training.

There are countless Wisconsin Republicans who could have been named to the center’s board.  Countless skilled, intelligent, ethical, and decent men and women.    People who understand that virtue was a foundation the Founding Fathers stressed continually when shaping our nation.  A value that certainly is at the heart of what creates a leader–the very type of leaders which the center wishes to be known for in the decades to come.

I have been hard-edged with both Democrats and Republicans who misused their position and power (and taxpayer’s monies) for both illegal and unethical campaign activities in the Wisconsin Statehouse.  I have argued that the responsibility voters entrust to a candidate at the time of election is a treasured bond that requires elected officials to act with honor while in office.  When that trust is broken, as with Jensen, not only is the law violated, but the trust of the voter is shattered.  When that faith from the voters is replaced with doubt and cynicism our political institutions suffers.

Should it not be the mission of the Tommy Thompson Center On Public Leadership to make our politics a higher and more noble calling?

Sherry Schultz Should Be Remembered At Wisconsin State Capitol

If we are lucky the final story has now been told regarding the shameful caucus scandal at the Wisconsin State Capitol.  Legislative figures from both political parties made headlines as they were caught having used their offices to raise  money for partisan campaigns on taxpayer time.  The legal twists and turns would prove to be one of the more stunning events to play out at the Capitol.

Sherry Schultz, a former aide to onetime Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen pleaded guilty Friday to  a misdemeanor and was fined $100,  as part of a plea deal.

With this news the long drama of the caucus scandal comes to an end.  But it should not be forgotten.  While Sherry Schultz was not an elected official her name along with the importance of why she made headlines should be recalled by the current staff that serve in legislative offices, and the ones who will start working in the statehouse in the new session come January.  Only by recognizing the limits of what is allowed, and what is legal will prevent the old problems from finding a new way to start.

I suspect some, if this is the first glance at this story, will assume that the lowest person always is the one to get tagged while the real power players walk away.   While Schultz worked for Jensen, and he was able to skirt the full ramifications of his law-breaking with seemingly endless legal manuevers, many who were implicated in the scandal paid a price of public embarrassment, or loss of holding public office.  (This blog remains consistent about the need for jail time, and financial penalties as a result of breaking the law, and abusing the public trust, regardless of which political party was the culprit under the dome.)

I hold to a very high standard those who work at the Capitol.  Be they elected officials or staff there is no doubt voters place responsibility and their faith on the shoulders of those who work at the statehouse.  It is a bond that then requires those who receive a state paycheck to act with honor.

When that trust is broken, as with Schultz, not only is the law violated, but the trust of the voter is shattered. When that faith from the voters is replaced with doubt and cynicism our political institutions suffer.

What has bothered me over the past decade is the cavalier attitude that too often is seen by those who got caught breaking the law.   There seems to be no repentance, or shame for what they were caught doing.  The old song and dance of ‘everyone else was doing it’ hardly works for 6-year-olds, and never looks reasonable coming from a state worker doing political work on state time.  It just looked silly when Jensen tried that line of ‘reasoning’ before a Dane County jury. (Schultz and Jensen were found guilty by a jury of felony misconduct in office in  2006, but their convictions were thrown out by an appeals court the following  year over an improper jury instruction.)

To my knowledge never once has Schultz acknowledged the corrosive effect her actions had on the political process. That to me is almost as bad as the actual crimes that were committed.

If she stood up and made a heart-felt statement of how this action harmed the system I would feel that she at least understands the gravity of what has happened.

Then the final story on this sad chapter in our state could be placed to bed with a more tidy ending.

Sherry Schultz Pleads Guilty To Misconduct In Office

News to squeak out.

Before we get to the news today I want to remind readers about my thoughts on Sherry Schultz.  In September I wrote the following.

In a nutshell Schultz  was on the public payroll to work full-time raising money for GOP candidates.  She was paid with taxpayer money to serve a purely partisan purpose.  By all accounts she did a cracker-jack job, and if she had been employed outside the statehouse no one would be chastising her, but wanting her skills for this or that campaign.

But Schultz knew, as did those who employed her, that what she was doing on state time was illegal.  That it was done covertly and not done in eyesight of journalists makes the point.

Some will argue that the lowest person always is the one to get tagged while the real power players walk away.  I think it can be argued that all those who made truly bad decisions regarding the political caucus scandal under the dome paid a price.

The voters place responsibility, and entrust their faith to those who work at the statehouse.   Be they elected officials or staff  it is a bond that then requires those who receive a state paycheck to act with honor. 

When that trust is broken, as with Schultz, not only is the law violated, but the trust of the voter is shattered. When that faith from the voters is replaced with doubt and cynicism our political institutions suffer.

Today Schultz pleaded guilty.  I only wish she had done so about nine years ago as the people of Wisconsin deserved better from one they were paying taxes for so she could have a salary.

A legislative aide accused of raising campaign funds for Republican candidates
while on the state payroll has pleaded guilty in a Capitol corruption case that
began nine years ago.

Sherry Schultz, 59, was placed in a deferred prosecution program this
week in Dane County and became the last defendant to settle a case linked to the
scandal that rocked Wisconsin politics. Five top lawmakers were charged in the
case, including Schultz’s boss, former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen.

Why Sherry Schultz Matters In Wisconsin Politics

I am quite sure that most residents of Wisconsin do not recognize the name of Sherry Schultz.  In the same breath I am quite sure they would not approve of what she did while working in state government.

And that is why I write this post.

On the face of it one has to feel a bit sorry for Sherry Schultz as at one time she was riding high while working in the office of former Lt. Gov. Scott McCallum.  She served him, by all accounts, most ably as his chief of staff.  She then moved around Republican circles, and was caught up in the Republican Caucus mess that blew up in Speaker Scott Jensen’s face.

All the players in the well-publicized scandal exited the judicial system one way or another, and are again making money.  Some are playing in the political circles they once were elected to serve in.

Meanwhile Sherry Schultz is about to go back to court.

For the record I must say I was moved a bit when I read that she has been working in a fabric store.  Nothing wrong with the job, but after being a top Republican staffer and rubbing shoulders with powerful movers and shakers it has to feel pretty bad to be placing bolts of cloth back on the racks.

So I am not here to rub her face in the past in order to make her feel bad.

But yet there needs to be accountability for what was done to the political process.    The process that people read about, and as a consequence feel less inclined to trust once knowing the truth.

In a nutshell Schultz  was on the public payroll to work full-time raising money for GOP candidates.  She was paid with taxpayer money to serve a purely partisan purpose.  By all accounts she did a cracker-jack job, and if she had been employed outside the statehouse no one would be chastising her, but wanting her skills for this or that campaign. 

But Schultz knew, as did those who employed her, that what she was doing on state time was illegal.  That it was done covertly and not done in eyesight of journalists makes the point. 

Some will argue that the lowest person always is the one to get tagged while the real power players walk away.  I think it can be argued that all those who made truly bad decisions regarding the political caucus scandal under the dome paid a price.

The voters place responsibility, and entrust their faith to those who work at the statehouse.   Be they elected officials or staff  it is a bond that then requires those who receive a state paycheck to act with honor.  

When that trust is broken, as with Schultz, not only is the law violated, but the trust of the voter is shattered. When that faith from the voters is replaced with doubt and cynicism our political institutions suffer.

To my knowledge never once has Schultz acknowledged the corrosive effect her actions had on the political process. That to me is almost as bad as the actual crimes that were committed.  If she stood up and made a heart-felt statement of how this action harmed the system I would feel that she at least understands.

The human part of me is not going to be high-flying if the courts actually come after Sherry Schultz with gusto. She seems to have had a long hard time in the past years, and I am not heartless to that fact.   But I also am not going to shy away from knowing that justice is being served if she indeed is brought back to face her past political actions.

Breaking News: Rod Blagojevich Guilty On 18 Counts

Clearly Rod Blagojevich needed Scott Jensen’s lawyer.

(BTW I am also counting the other felony conviction from the first trial in my number 18 above.)

The fact is that Rod Blagojevich once had a bright political future.  Some thought that he had presidential possibilities.  That seems like a long time ago.  That such a personable and seemingly bright man was so caught up in political chicanery is not a new thing to politics.  That this whole story was played  out in such candid ways with audio-tapes and an almost never-ending series of media moments by Rod Blagojevich made this all the more stinky, and sad.

The fact is that Rod Blagojevich was not happy being Governor.  Rod Blagojevich likened himself to Richard Nixon and the feelings of despair when winning his second term to Springfield.  The life that President Obama was living was the one that Rod Blagojevich thought he should have.

The antics and illegal acts that are now synonymous to Rod Blagojevich are well-known.  A jury listened to the prosecutors and rendered a judgement.  It is a fitting ending for this story.  Still, it is a sad story.  A needless one.

Rod Blagojevich is going to prison.  For a long time.

Justice David Prosser’s Perfect Political Storm

Meteorologists might term the confluence of upper winds, warm temperatures, and a ready supply of moisture all churning relentlessly under just the right conditions for days as the ‘perfect storm’.  The phenomenon is rare, but when it happens all eyes follow the developments and are amazed at the outcome.

Politicos around Wisconsin can now also rightly term the events swirling around the reelection efforts of David Prosser as the ‘perfect political storm’.  It would be nigh impossible to have predicted the scenario that now awaits the state and his candidacy.

News broke on Thursday afternoon that the Wisconsin Court of Appeals declined to rule on Dane County Judge Sumi’s order stopping the publication of  the controversial collective bargaining law which passed the Legislature and was signed by Governor Walker.  That means the legal matter will likely wind up before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

No one could have predicted back on February 11th when Walker announced his budget repair bill  that all the anger and weeks of high emotion that have captivated this state would directly land in the lap of Justice David Prosser.

But that is exactly what has happened.

In a perfect world there would be merit selection for judges, as this blog has long advocated, and the political dynamics of collective bargaining would not be a  factor in this spring’s election.  David Prosser would not be in search of an  impenetrable seawall. 

In the ideal situation, even after all the facts that have presented themselves over the past five weeks are laid bare, voters would still look at the larger judicial scope of the candidates and not base their vote solely on the collective bargaining bill.

I fully understand I may have alienated some readers with that last line.

But hear me out.

As much as I do not favor electing judges, I also do not care for the ‘lets take our disgust of Governor Walker out on David Prosser’.  That seems intellectually lazy to me.  I get the anger part of why people are making the connection, but I find it unsettling.

I want to think that most voters are deeper than that.

There are many reasons to cast a solid vote against Prosser, and never even think about Walker.  That would be the sensible and rationale way to approach this election.

I was prepared long before Walker was even sworn into office to cast a vote opposing Prosser based on his lack of holding Michael Gableman to a higher level of responsibility for conduct, Prosser’s strict conservative philosophy, and his lack of appreciation for the crimes that Scott Jensen committed while serving in the State Legislature.

Lashing out at Governor Walker seems like a weak reason to cast a ballot against Prosser.

But these are not times when quiet reflection gets headlines.  The frothy debate and unconstitutional actions and disregard for the honored processes at the Capitol have made for frayed nerves and lots of anger.

I get that. 

I was, and still am, very upset with how this entire collective bargaining mess played out. 

One thing is clear, no matter how I feel about how others should reason their way through a series of issues before finally deciding on who to vote for in the Supreme Court race.

The thing we can all agree on is that there is a storm packing high winds that very well could change the landscape of the Supreme Court.

That is the political reality that David Prosser faces on April 5th.

General Public Can Not Get In Wisconsin State Capitol….Scott Jensen Did

Welcome to Scott Walker’s Wisconsin!

Scott Jensen, the former Republican Speaker of the State Assembly who had to seek a plea deal so not to face another trial and possible prison time,  sat proudly in a chair for the inauguration of Scott Walker in the Capitol rotunda.

Meanwhile the doors to the Capitol were  locked and staffed with police so the law-abiding general public could not have access to the event.

Welcome to Scott Walker’s Wisconsin!

Remember Sherry Schultz From Wisconsin Caucus Scandal?

Friends have asked me, in light of the plea deal given former Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, about Sherry Schultz and her legal woes.  After all,  the cases of Jensen and  Schultz seemed intertwined.

Sherry Schultz was accused of using her state job in the Assembly majority leader’s office to do nothing but work on campaign fundraising. Schultz stood trial in the same courtroom as Jensen in 2006 when a jury found them both guilty of felonies.

Beyond that, their cases took different paths.

When an appeals court granted Jensen and Schultz a retrial, Jensen used a new state law that lets elected officials charged with ethics violations be tried in their home counties to get his case moved to Waukesha County. The Waukesha County District Attorney reached a plea deal with Jensen that dropped felony charges and called for no jail time.

But Schultz’s case remains in Dane County, where there’s a status conference scheduled for Jan. 14. Technically speaking, Schultz is still moving forward with a retrial. Although it’s unknown what implications the Jensen plea deal with have on her case.

Schultz used a different argument than Jensen in her appeal, saying that she had not acted inconsistently with her official duties. That is to say, legislative leaders expected her to use her state position to solicit campaign funds.

Another big difference between the Schulz and Jensen cases is that Jensen served no time while his conviction was on appeal. Schultz served four months of home confinement as well as time on probation.