Protesters around the Capitol had a new talking point after Justice David Prosser took a 7,500 votes lead after the Brookfield election results were reported. Some also had a much angrier tone. One union protester told an independent there's no neutral ground in this debate.
Video.
That's just embarrassing.
So much for a "new tone."
Keep it up Leftists. Your tactics will help conservatives in November 2012.
The Dane County Clerk's Office holds a press conference on Thursday to announce that the vote tally for a city had been omitted from the unofficial total released on Tuesday night.
The corrected tally includes 14,315 votes - 10,859 more votes for JoAnne Kloppenburg and 3,456 more votes for Justice David Prosser. Republicans involved in the canvassing vouch for the integrity of the process and the count.
It would be a dramatic turn of events. No question about it.
"Wisconsin voters as well as the Kloppenburg (campaign) deserve a full explanation of how and why these 14,000 votes from an entire city were missed. To that end, we will be filing open records requests for all relevant documentation related to the reporting of election results in Waukesha County, as well as to the discovery and reporting of the errors announced by the county," Kloppenburg campaign manager Melissa Mulliken said in a statement.
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) raised the possibility of an independent investigation over the recovery of the votes.
"This is a serious breach of election procedure," he said. "We're going to look further. She waited 24 hours to work this. And she waited until after she verified the results, making it that much more difficult to challenge and verify the results."
But at the news conference with Nickolaus, Ramona Kitzinger, the Democrat on the Waukesha County Board of Canvassers, said: "We went over everything and made sure all the numbers jibed up and they did. Those numbers jibed up, and we're satisfied they're correct."
As a Democrat, she said, "I'm not going to stand here and tell you something that's not true."
Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas, who sat in on Nickolaus' news conference, said voters can be confident in the results because "all the votes are in that office. If anyone wants to look at them and verify, they can."
Kristine Schmidt, the clerk in the city of Brookfield, said in a separate interview that she shared the results with the news media on election night.
She said she also sent the results twice to the county. After the first results were sent she said the county requested a second set of data because they wanted results tabulated in a certain format with fewer columns.
"We sent it to the county and called the county to make sure they got it," Schmidt said.
There should be a record that Brookfield's results were shared with the news media on election night. That should put this notion to rest that votes were "found."
Unfortunately, admitting that would require a sense of honor on the part of Kloppenburg and the Left. That's what's missing. That's what needs to be "found."
The fact that Dan Vrakas is inviting scrutiny should quell outrage on the Left, but it won't. They don't lose well. Tantrums are part of the routine.
Let the lawyers swoop in and examine the ballots. We don't have hanging chads and butterfly ballots here. Investigate. No problem.
However, there's no reason to involve the feds in our state election. I resent Moore's suggestion that the Obama administration should impound the ballots. This is not a national election. It's purely Wisconsin, our Supreme Court.
Then there's Ramona Kitzinger, a Democrat. Is she a liar? Michael Moore and the unhinged Leftists are completely disregarding her comments. She's an inconvenient player in this.
It's to be expected that Moore and company are flipping out. It was inevitable that they would smear Kathy Nickolaus. (I guess they'll have to smear Kitzinger, too.)
I'm sure Kathy Nickolaus is truly sorry. Why would she invite all the criticism and ridicule she's receiving? Does anyone really think she's enjoying this nightmare?
Certainly, it's a personal embarrassment. The poor woman must be a mess.
Given the current political climate and the thuggery exhibited by the unions and their minions, if I were Nickolaus, I'd be fearing for my safety.
What we absolutely must have in Wisconsin is confidence in our elections.
Human error will always be a possibility. Usually, it's not on such a grand scale as in this case, but mistakes happen. Mistakes were made in other counties as well.
What we can do is make it more difficult to commit voter fraud in Wisconsin. We need to have voter photo ID.
I wonder how many fraudulent Kloppenburg votes were cast in this race. Dozens? Hundreds? More?
Let's check every single same-day registration voter. Verify them. Investigate them.
Wisconsin has to stop being a haven for voter fraud.
Then maybe Michael Moore and the union bosses will take their hysterics and thuggery elsewhere.
David Prosser gained 7,582 votes in Waukesha County, after a major counting error of Brookfield results was detected, County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus announced in a stunning development this afternoon.
Nickolaus says the reason for the big change is that data transmitted from the City of Brookfield was imported but that she failed to save those results to the database. Brookfield cast 14,315 votes on April 5 -- 10,859 of those votes went to Prosser and 3,456 went to JoAnne Kloppenburg.
"The purpose of the canvass is to catch these kind of mistakes," Nickolaus said. She called it human error that is "common in this process." "I apologize," Nickolaus said.
What can you say about Nickolaus' mistake?
It was an error that was caught and corrected. That's the purpose of the canvassing process.
It's important to note that Ramona Kitzinger, the Democrat observer and Democrat vice chair of Waukesha county, had no objections whatsoever.
Ramona Kitzinger, the Democratic member of the county board of canvass, defended the process. She agreed with Nickolaus that the board "went over everything and made sure that all the numbers jived up, and they did."
"I'm the Democratic vice chair of Waukesha County, so I'm not going to stand here and tell you something that's not true," Kitzinger said.
Kudos to Kitzinger for doing the right thing and being honest rather than playing politics. __________________
BREAKING: Computer Error Could Give Prosser 7,381 More Votes, Victory
After Tuesday night’s Wisconsin Supreme Court election, a computer error in heavily Republican Waukesha County failed to send election results for the entire City of Brookfield to the Associated Press. The error, revealed today, would give incumbent Supreme Court Justice David Prosser a net 7,381 votes against his challenger, attorney Joanne Kloppenburg. On Wednesday, Kloppenburg declared victory after the AP reported she finished the election with a 204-vote lead, out of nearly 1.5 million votes cast.
On election night, AP results showed a turnout of 110,000 voters in Waukesha County — well short of the 180,000 voters that turned out last November, and 42 percent of the county’s total turnout. By comparison, nearly 90 percent of Dane County voters who cast a ballot in November turned out to vote for Kloppenburg.
Prior to the election, Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus was heavily criticized for her decision to keep the county results on an antiquated personal computer, rather than upgrade to a new data system being utilized statewide. Nickolaus cited security concerns for keeping the data herself — yet when she reported the data, it did not include the City of Brookfield, whose residents cast nearly 14,000 votes.
...“Waukesha County officials have announced a press conference for 5:30 CST.”
So when do we hear that a bag with 10,000+ ballots for Kloppenburg was found in a Dane County poll worker's garage?
In a political bombshell, the clerk in a Republican stronghold is set to release new vote totals giving 7,500 votes in the state Supreme Court race back toward Justice David Prosser, swinging the race significantly in his favor.
The Waukesha County clerk's office has told state elections officials that they will be adjusting the vote totals to give incumbent David Prosser more than 7,000 new votes, said Mike Haas, staff attorney for the state Government Accountability Board.
"Waukesha will be adjusting their vote totals by 14,000," Haas said the Accountability Board was told.
The numbers will add some 11,000 votes for Prosser and some 3,000 for Kloppenburg, he said.
The new numbers may provide some clarity to a race that had appeared to be headed toward the first statewide recount in two decades and provided a new surprise for a state that had already faced two months of chaotic politics.
As Kevin Kennedy of Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board said yesterday, the numbers provided by the Associated Press were unofficial. He said the vote count in the Supreme Court race would likely change.
Pulling such a stunt wouldn't be prudent. It wouldn't be appropriate. It would be foolhardy. It would lack gravitas. It would show an utter lack of wisdom and judgment. It would smell of politics.
JoAnne Kloppenburg had the audacity to declare victory in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race, acting as if she had defeated Justice David Prosser by a wide margin.
It was a classless, sleazy move.
It was pure POLITICAL posturing by the supposedly apolitical Kloppenburg. Kloppenburg certainly didn't display the sort of gravitas I would expect from a Supreme Court justice. She didn't even display the grace of a junior high school student in a tight race for class president.
Although Kevin Kennedy of Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board made it very clear the results were not official and the numbers would change, Kloppenburg claimed herself to be victorious.
“We owe Justice Prosser our gratitude for his more than 30 years of public service. Wisconsin voters have spoken and I am grateful for, and humbled by, their confidence and trust. I will be independent and impartial and I will decide cases based on the facts and the law. As I have traveled the State, people tell me they believe partisan politics do not belong in our Courts. I look forward to bringing new blood to the Supreme Court and focusing my energy on the important work Wisconsin residents elect Supreme Court justices to do.”
INAPPROPRIATE.
Given the status of the race and the incredible, truly hard to believe vote count, I found Kloppenburg's statement both stunning and disgusting.
She comes off as delusional.
Doesn't she realize what's going on? According to the Associated Press, only 204 votes separate her and Justice Prosser. The results aren't certified, but she says, "Wisconsin voters have spoken and I am grateful for, and humbled by, their confidence and trust."
Supreme Court candidate JoAnne Kloppenburg said her apparent victory over Justice David Prosser was the result of voters’ dissatisfaction with partisanship on the state’s high court, and not a referendum on the policies of Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
Kloppenburg said she was “ecstatic” with her victory, and said she believes it will hold up after all of the votes are certified by local boards of canvassers – or, after a possible challenge by Prosser.
She declared victory earlier in the afternoon after Associated Press results showed that she had a narrow lead over Prosser.
Kloppenburg said it was premature to comment on whether she would challenge the results if they show that she lost to Prosser. She declined to comment on whether she had hired outside experts to aid her in the event of a recount.
She's conducting herself like a political hack, not a possible Supreme Court justice. Her demeanor and her comments are out of line.
What a disgrace!
Who is advising Kloppenburg? Who suggested that she take such an improper stance? Was this her decision?
For Kloppenburg to say she's "'ecstatic' with her victory" is loony and shows remarkably bad judgment.
She does not have the evidence to declare victory at this point. She personified imprudence during her news conference.
Justice David Prosser clung to a narrow lead over Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg in the state Supreme Court race early Wednesday, after a hard-fought campaign dominated by political forces and outside interest groups.
But even with 97% of the vote counted, less than 2,000 votes separated the candidates.
That close margin had political insiders from both sides talking about the possibility of recounts, which Wisconsin has avoided in statewide races in recent decades. Any recount could be followed by lawsuits - litigation that potentially would be decided by the high court.
The razor-thin result was the latest twist in Wisconsin's ongoing political turmoil. The state has drawn the attention of the nation in recent weeks because of the fight over collective bargaining, which caused massive weeks-long protests in the Capitol, a boycott of the Senate by Democrats and the attempts to recall senators from both parties.
Interest groups on both sides had portrayed the election as a referendum on Gov. Scott Walker's agenda and particularly on a controversial law sharply restricting public employee unions. Conservatives backed Prosser, and liberals supported Kloppenburg, even though the candidates themselves insisted they were politically neutral.
Justice David Prosser is by far the best candidate. In every capacity, Prosser is JoAnne Kloppenburg's superior. Without question, he deserves to be reelected to the Supreme Court.
David Prosser recently compared the Wisconsin Supreme Court, of which he is a member, to a family. Families have their squabbles, he noted in an interview with WisconsinEye.
True enough, but this "family" does more than squabble. It's close to dysfunctional.
The state Supreme Court is riven with personal dislikes, petty jealousies and wide ideological divides. The court is split 4-3, with self-described judicial conservatives, including Prosser, most often in the majority.
Though Prosser, 68, shares responsibility for the court's divisiveness, we don't believe he is the problem. Prosser has been a capable justice who has shown the ability to work with his ideological opposites when the situation demands. He is a good writer, has an even temperament and is a hard worker. We disagree with him on disciplining of lawyers - he doesn't see major problems with the lax system the state now employs; we do. But this is not enough to disqualify him.
...All the justices share responsibility for decorum, but Prosser is right: The chief does have a special role to play. It's worth noting that fissures on Abrahamson's court are nothing new. Shortly after Prosser joined the court in 1998, a cabal of justices sought to depose Abrahamson, backing her opponent in her re-election race. Prosser supported her and says that over the years he has had a good relationship with her.
We encourage Prosser - and his fellow justices, especially Abrahamson - to repair their differences and focus on interpreting the state constitution fairly and modestly. Leave the sniping for the lunch room.
Kloppenburg, 57, is a strong candidate. She has degrees from Yale and Princeton and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin. She specialized in environmental affairs. But we believe Prosser is the stronger candidate this time.
We recommend that voters return him to the court for another 10-year term.
There's no question that Justice Prosser is a stronger candidate than Kloppenburg.
Governor Tommy G. Thompson Gov. Scott McCallum Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow
Retired Supreme Court Justices: Justice William Callow Justice Don Steinmetz Justice Louis Ceci Justice Jon Wilcox
Judges: Hon. Charles Pollex, Adams Hon. J.D. McKay, Brown Hon. Donald Zuidmulder-Brown Hon. Kendall M Kelley, Brown Hon. Mark Warpinski, Brown Hon. Don Poppy, Calumet Hon. Alan White, Columbia Hon. Patrick Fiedler, Dane Hon. George Glonek, Douglas Hon. Kelly Thimm, Douglas Hon. Leon Stenz, Forest Hon. Dale English, Fond du Lac Hon. Peter Grimm, Fond du Lac Hon. Richard Nuss, Fond du Lac Hon. Robert Wirtz, Fond du Lac Hon. James Beer, Green Hon. Randy Koschnick, Jefferson Hon. Paul Curran, Juneau Hon. John Roemer, Juneau Hon. Chad Kerkman, Kenosha Hon. Bruce Schroeder, Kenosha Hon. Wilbur Warren, Kenosha Hon. Mary Wagner, Kenosha Hon. Todd Bjerke, LaCrosse Hon. Scott Horne, LaCrosse Hon. Fred Karalski, Langlade Hon. Jay Tlusty, Lincoln Hon. Tim Duket, Marinette Hon. James Habech, Shawano Hon. Carl Ashley, Milwaukee Hon. William Brash, Milwaukee Hon. Jane Carroll, Milwaukee Hon. Dennis Cimpl, Milwaukee Hon. Jeffrey Conen, Milwaukee Hon. Pedro Colon, Milwaukee Hon. Joseph Donald, Milwaukee Hon. Tim Dugan, Milwaukee Hon. Clare Fiorenza, Milwaukee Hon. David Hansher, Milwaukee Hon. Daniel Konkol, Milwaukee Hon. Mary Kuhnmuench, Milwaukee Hon. Kevin Martens, Milwaukee Hon. Dennis Moroney, Milwaukee Hon. Daniel Noonan, Milwaukee Hon. Stephanie Rothstein, Milwaukee Hon. William Sosnay, Milwaukee Hon. Francis Wasielewski, Milwaukee Hon. J.D. Watts, Milwaukee Hon. Maxine White, Milwaukee Hon. Jay Conley, Oconto Hon. Michael Judge, Oconto Hon. John Desjardins, Outagamie Hon. Howard Froehlich, Outagamie Hon. Michael Gage, Outagamie Hon. Mark McGinnis, Outagamie Hon. Mitchell Metropulos, Outagamie Hon. Paul Malloy, Ozaukee Hon. Sandy Williams, Ozaukee Hon. Joseph Boles, Pierce Hon. Dennis Barry, Racine Hon. Faye Flancher, Racine Hon. Gerard Ptacek, Racine Hon. Gene Gasiorkiewicz, Racine Hon. Edward Lieneweber, Richland Hon. Daniel Dillon, Rock Hon. Michael Fitzpatrick, Rock Hon. James Welker, Rock Hon. Scott R. Needham, St. Croix Hon. Patrick Taggart, Sauk Hon. Robert Kennedy, Walworth Hon. James Carlson, Walworth Hon. Todd Martens, Washington Hon. Michael Bohren, Waukesha Hon. William Domina, Waukesha Hon. Donald Hassin, Waukesha Hon. Lee Dreyfus, Waukesha Hon. Mac Davis, Waukesha Hon. Patrick Haughney, Waukesha Hon. Ralph Ramirez, Waukesha Hon. Mark Gundrum, Waukesha Hon. Raymond Huber, Waupaca Hon. Greg Dutcher, Waushara Hon. John Jorgensen, Winnebago Hon. James Mason, Wood Hon. George Curry, Grant Hon. James Eaton, Barron (retired) Hon. Tim Vocke, Oneida (retired) Hon. Ed Zappen, Wood
Elected Officials: County Executive Dan Vrakas (Waukesha) Mayor John Antaramian (Kenosha--former) Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer (Independent-Manitowoc) Rep. Tyler August (R-Walworth) Rep Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) Rep. Jeffrey Mursau (R-Crivitz) Rep. John Murtha (R-Baldwin) Rep. Stephen Nass (R-Whitewater) Rep. Lee Nerison (R-Westby) Rep. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls) Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) Rep. Alvin Ott (R-Forest Junction) Rep. Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay) Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) Rep. Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg) Rep. Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) Rep. Jerry Petrowski, Jerry (R-Marathon) Rep. Warren Petryk (R-Eleva) Rep. Mike Endsley (R-Sheboygan) Rep. Paul Farrow (R-Pewaukee) Rep. Don Pridemore (R-Hartford) Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Beaver Dam) Rep. Keith Ripp (R-Lodi) Rep. Roger Rivard (R-Rice Lake) Rep. Mark Honadel (R-S. Milwaukee) Rep. Erik Severson (R-Star Prairie) Rep. Andre Jacque (R-Green Bay) Rep. Richard Spanbauer (R-Oshkosh) Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) Rep, Samantha Kerkman (R-Powers Lake) Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield) Rep. Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) Rep. John Klenke (R-Green Bay) Rep. Gary Tauchen (R-Bonduel) Rep. Joe Knilans (R-Janesville) Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac) Rep. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson) Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) Rep. Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) Rep. Scott Krug (R-Wisconsin Rapids) Rep. Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay) Rep. Robin Vos (R-Caledonia) Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) Rep. Tom Larson (R-Colfax) Rep. Chad Weininger (R-Green Bay) Rep. Dan LeMahieu (R-Cascade) Rep, Mary Williams (R-Medford) Rep. Michelle Litjens (R-Oshkosh) Rep. Evan Wynn (R-Whitewater) Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) Rep. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) Rep. Dan Meyer (R-Eagle River) Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) Sen. Michael Ellis (R-Neenah) Sen. Pam Galloway (R-Wausau) Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac) Sen. Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) Sen. Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn) Sen. Frank Lasee (R-DePere) Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) Sen. Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls) Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) Past-Rep. John Dobyns
Law Enforcement Community Milwaukee Police Association Sheriff David Clarke, Milwaukee Sheriff Dan Trawicki, Waukesha Sheriff John Gossage, Brown Sheriff Steve Helgeson, La Crosse Sheriff Bradley Gehring, Outagamie Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, Racine Sheriff Todd Nehls, Dodge Sheriff Paul Susienkea, Bayfield Sheriff Jerry Moran, Crawford Sheriff Mylan Fink, Fond du Lac Sheriff Dennis Smith, Dunn Sheriff Jerry Sauve, Marinette Sheriff John Andrews, Pepin Sheriff Dean Roland, Burnett Sheriff Dennis Richards, Columbia Sheriff Thomas Dalbec, Douglas Sheriff Mark Podoll, Green Lake Sheriff James Kowalczyk, Chippewa Sheriff Ron Cramer, Eau Claire Sheriff Jeff Rickaby, Florence Sheriff Keith Glover, Grant Sheriff Steve Michek, Iowa Sheriff Brent Oleson, Juneau Sheriff David Beth, Kenosha Sheriff Scott Pedley, Lafayette Sheriff William Greening, Langlade Sheriff Kim Gaffney, Marquette Sheriff Phil Malsack, Marquette (former) Sheriff David Kaminski, Rusk County Sheriff Michael Jansen, Oconto Sheriff Maury Straub, Ozaukee Sheriff Chris Schmaling, Racine Sheriff Randy Wright, Shawano Sheriff Dennis Hillstead, St. Croix Sheriff Gene Carey, Vernon Sheriff David Graves, Walworth Sheriff Terry Dryen, Washburn Sheriff Dale Schmidt, Washington Sheriff David Peterson, Waushara Sheriff Michael Brooks, Winnebago Sheriff Randy Roderick, Green (former) Sheriff Lewis Rosandisch, Clark (former) Sheriff James Kanikula, Marinette (former) Sheriff Randy Stammen, Sauk (former) Sheriff James Meier, Sawyer (former) Chief Randy Martin, RIO DA John Zakowski, Brown DA Mike Nieskes, Racine DA Richard Dufor, Marquette DA Brad Schimel, Waukesha DA Carrie Schneider, Outagamie DA Kurt Klomberg, Dodge DA Daniel Bank, Douglas DA Gary Luhman, Green DA Gerald Fox, Jackson DA Scott Southworth, Juneau DA Adam Gerol, Ozaukee DA Gregory Parker, Shawano DA Eric Johnson, St Croix DA John Snider, Waupaca DA Scott Blader, Waushara
Past State Bar Presidents Gary Bakke, New Richmond Pamela E. Barker, Appleton Lawrence J. Bugge, Madison R. George Burnett, Green Bay Gregory R. Conway, Green Bay John R. Decker, Evansville James D. Ghiardi, Shorewood Franklyn M. Gimbel, Milwaukee D. Michael Guerin, Milwaukee Donald L. Heaney, Madison Myron E. La Rowe, Reedsburg Gerald W. Mowris, Madison Gerald M. O’Brien, Stevens Point John Skilton, Madison Thomas S. Sleik, La Crosse Steven R. Sorenson, Ripon G. Lane Ware, Wausau
Associations/Groups Physicians for Responsible Government Wisconsin Restaurant Association Wisconin Realtors Association Wisconsin Builders Association Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Lawmakers, the legal community, and law enforcement all endorse Prosser.
JoAnne Kloppenburg's page of endorsements has lots of names, but they're simply alphabetized, without titles.
That's OK for the phone book, but it's a disorganized way to list endorsements.
For me, this race boils down to experience and judicial philosophy.
Kloppenburg lacks experience. I don't think she's qualified to be on the Supreme Court.
Experience Matters -- Prior to my 12 years on the bench, I served 18 years in the legislature, two years as Outagamie County District Attorney, and more than two years in the United States Department of Justice. In these roles, I have created, applied, and interpreted law -- and received high marks for my performance in every capacity.
Judicial Philosophy -- I present myself as a judicial conservative, devoted to the constitution and the rule of law. My job is to find the law and apply it properly, not to make it up to advance some ideological objective.
Judicial Record -- In 12 years, I have participated in more than 900 published Supreme Court decisions and have written opinions in almost every area of law. My record for impartiality and scholarship is well known to people who closely follow the work of the court.
A Supreme Court justice is expected to be an independent decision-maker who makes the correct call in tough cases. I believe I have earned a reputation as a fair and reasonable justice who will apply the law fairly, not legislate from the bench.
This race isn't a referendum on Governor Scott Walker.
It's not about unions and their thuggery.
It's not about the injustice of public employees demanding that middle class taxpayers like me be burdened with paying for my own health care and saving for retirement as well as footing the bill for their benefits.
This is about electing an experienced, qualified justice for the Supreme Court; someone who will interpret the law, not act as a legislator.
I'm not going to vote for an inexperienced, judicial activist like Kloppenburg.
Needless to say, Kloppenburg continued to exploit Merryfield.
So today, Merryfield, the victim of both a pedophile priest and the Kloppenburg proponents, is speaking out again.
Will Kloppenburg respond now?
Is she utterly shameless?
We'll find out.
Transcript
TROY MERRYFIELD: In 1978, my brother and I were abused by someone our family trusted.
With the help of David Prosser and law enforcement, we brought our abuser to justice.
Now, we're being victimized again.
This time, JoAnne Kloppenburg's allies want to use our pain for their own gain.
I asked JoAnne Kloppenburg to try and stop these false ads.
JoAnne Kloppenburg refused.
It's just wrong.
I admire Troy Merryfield. It takes a lot of courage to come forward like this.
It's disgusting that Kloppenburg's team has exploited Merryfield and his brother, showing no sensitivity for their pain whatsoever.
For her part, Kloppenburg prefers to potentially benefit from the smearing of Justice Prosser than do the right thing -- strongly and clearly and loudly condemn the Greater Wisconsin Committee's ad.
I think Herb Kohl's most recent newsletter might be of interest to Chris Abele.
From Kohl:
Tax time is stressful for everyone, especially in this tight economy where every dollar counts. I know how complicated it can be to fill out tax forms and deal with the IRS, and I want to let you know about some good places to go for help this tax season.
If you still need to file your tax return this year, free tax preparation services are available for many individuals and families. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) locations throughout Wisconsin generally serve people who make less than $49,000 a year. For elderly taxpayers, the AARP offers a similar service.
A list of VITA locations in Wisconsin is available here. AARP locations near you can be found here.
Another excellent resource for taxpayers is the Taxpayer Advocate Service. This is an independent agency within the IRS that speaks for the taxpayer – not the tax collector. If you are having a problem with the IRS that you are unable to resolve, you can call 1-877-777-4778 to speak to a taxpayer advocate who will fight for you. You can also visit the Taxpayer Advocate’s website to learn more about their work and leave your own feedback for how to improve the tax system.
For more information on these resources and other helpful links, I encourage you to visit my Tax Time Assistance Web page. In addition to the resources listed above, my website has information on getting paper tax forms and making your voice as a taxpayer heard at the IRS. As always, my office is also available to assist you. If you have additional questions, please call 800-247-5645.
Tax time is never easy, but I hope these tools will help make it a little less difficult this year.
Sincerely,
Chris Abele probably doesn't find tax time stressful.
Slap a $2.3 million tax lien on him. No big whoop.
He should be concerned about paying his share required by law, but he's not troubled by certainties in life like taxes.
Radical Leftist Russ Feingold, former U.S. senator fired on November 2, 2010, by the people of Wisconsin, supports (SURPRISE!) JoAnne Kloppenburg for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
He posted his endorsement on the website of his political action committee - P.U. or Progressives United.
In the last two months, we watched as Governor Walker and the Republican-led state legislature ignored Wisconsin’s traditions of compromise, common-sense, and comity.
Just as disturbing is the path our Supreme Court races have taken over the last few years - as outside interest groups and corporate donations brought these campaigns into the mud.
Our state deserves better, and our elected officials, especially Supreme Court justices, should be held to a higher standard.
It's time we stand together to support candidates who will respect Wisconsin's traditions and impartially follow the law. JoAnne Kloppenburg is that candidate. On April 5, Wisconsinites can go to the polls and bring some much-needed change to the court.
JoAnne has a long record of working with progressives and conservatives in the interest of justice, and she'll make an excellent justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Together, we can support a candidate who impartially applies the law and upholds the individual rights and democratic principles that this state holds dear. Please vote for JoAnne Kloppenburg in next week’s election.
The fact that Feingold is supporting Kloppenburg should serve as an alert to Wisconsin voters.
