Monday, March 5, 2012

Scott Walker Scores Judicial Appointment for Out-of-State Political Supporter

As Wisconsin leads the nation in job loss, having shed jobs every month since his draconian budget was signed into law, Scott Walker is working hard to make sure his political cronies won’t feel the burden.

Scott Walker's recent decision to appoint a Michigan Tea Party lawyer with close ties to his Republican Party to the high post of circuit judge is yet another disappointment for Wisconsin workers, and is the second such questionable Walker appointment in Marinette County.

"Scott Walker's choice to look outside of Wisconsin and appoint a Michigan Tea Party lawyer to the state's circuit court is just more evidence that our governor doesn't have the people of Wisconsin's best interests in mind — especially given that qualified Wisconsin attorneys had applied for the position,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Thursday. “Scott Walker has been a total failure at creating jobs-except for his cronies."

Background:

Walker appoints unqualified GOP operative to Marinette County post. Walker installed Renee Miller, a Republican campaign worker with 'no experience with land records and vital records,' as the register of deeds for Marinette County and passed over three other more experienced candidates, according to the Sentinel. Miller is a friend and campaign worker of Republican Rep. John Nygren. ['Another Walker pick causes stir,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/20/11]

Walker's 'budget repair bill' allowed several dozen civil service jobs to be filled by political appointment rather than by a competitive hiring process. Some in those positions – notably former top Walker aide Cindy Archer – have received hefty raises under the new system. Archer, for example, made nearly 65 percent more than the previous legislative liaison at the Department of Children and Families, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ['Archer profited when job shifted from civil service to appointment,'  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 09/17/11] [Act 10]
Walker finds cushy state job for the drunk-driving son of a top campaign donor. Brian Deschane, the son of the executive vice president and lobbyist for the Wisconsin Builders Association – a major Walker donor – landed a job with an $81,500 salary in the Walker administration, even though the 27-year-old had 'no college degree, very little management experience and two drunken-driving convictions,' according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Walker demoted Deschane after the Journal Sentinel broke the story –and a week after Walker' spokesman Cullen Werwie said Deschane was a 'natural fit' for his job at the Department of Commerce. Deschane later resigned. ['No degree, little experience pay off big,' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 3, 2011] ['Walker demotes son of campaign contributor,' Milwaukee

Posted by Cute at 11:03 PM
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