Posted on Sunday, 19th September 2010 by Patrick Dorwin
The paper’s Daniel Bice has a juicy piece today about how union thugs have been attacking Gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker have been acting in collusion with the Barrett campaign. John-David Morgan, a lobbyist and spokesman for the Service Employees International Local 1, was recorded making claims that he has been working with the Tom Barrett campaign workers (which is illegal) and county supervisors, in attacking Scott Walker.
Union plan not lost on Walker aide
According to a copy of the recording obtained by No Quarter, Morgan explained how he has been working with County Board members - in particular, Supervisor John Weishan - to call for an independent investigation into what caused a 13-ton concrete panel to fall from the O’Donnell parking ramp and kill a 15-year-old Greenfield boy in late June.A resolution requesting an independent probe was introduced by Weishan and other supervisors in July. Morgan told the Walker campaign staffer that another news conference will soon be held on the subject.
“I’ve got county supervisors to do this stuff so, you know, it’s not just the labor union,” Morgan said.
The union staffer bragged about his ability to garner news coverage of his anti-Walker events from local TV stations, which he called “willing partners” in his endeavors. He also disclosed that he secretly runs an anti-Walker blog at www.scottwalkertruthsquad.org, which prominently features Weishan and SEIU’s criticisms of the county exec.
Morgan suggested that, based on a conversation with a Barrett campaign staffer, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee is expected to bring up the accident in the upcoming debates and push for legislation on the matter. In addition, Morgan talked in his unguarded chat with the Walker worker about trying to get state engineers from the Doyle administration to lend a hand with the O’Donnell Park probe.
Legal perspective:
Two election law specialists said it doesn’t appear that anyone has violated any election laws, even if everything Morgan said in the recorded conversation is true.
But the pair of experts - former state Elections Board lawyer George Dunst and Rick Esenberg, a Marquette University assistant law professor and conservative blogger - said they could see the labor union encountering problems if it ran ads on the O’Donnell Park tragedy now that an employee is on record saying he talked with Barrett’s staff about hitting Walker on this issue.
The union may, in short, be handcuffed.
“If SEIU or any other union spent money based on discussions they had with the Barrett campaign - whatever campaign - yeah, you’ve got a coordinated expenditure issue,” said Dunst, who is now retired from state government.
How many times have we at BadgerBlogger talked about media bias?
Morgan specifically mentioned WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) for its coverage of the union’s press-friendly inspection of county facilities last month. Like the Journal Sentinel, the station is owned by Journal Communications.
“They’ve really been willing partners in it,” Morgan claimed of the news stations. “They come in with the TV cameras, and (channels) 58, 12 come, and 6 doesn’t always. But, yeah, they’ve been really helpful. They think it’s fun.”
Go read the entire article, lots of good information.
Posted in Home | Comments (8) |
8 Responses to “SEIU goon caught in collusion with Barrett campaign”
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September 19th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Would this explain why not one TV news crew showed up for the AFSCME “We Hate Scott Walker” rally at the County Courthouse two Fridays ago?
The unions weren’t happy that their willing accomplices hadn’t shown up, and didn’t keep their frustration silent. Both Rich Abelson and Spencer Coggs made reference to “no one being there to see this [rally.]” Coggs took multiple shots at the media in his prepared remarks to the crowd.
I guess turning union press releases into fake news stories is only fun so long as Dan Bice isn’t looking over your shoulder. It better snow soon, so that Mick Trevey can find a salt pile to stand next to.
September 19th, 2010 at 10:29 am
The gang that couldn’t shoot straight. These people are hilarious - demented, but hilarious. Wrote for the Sheperd Express. Does it get any better? This guy must have been waiting for Joel McNally and the rest of the hippies at the Y-Not II. Republicans don’t have to spend any money campaigning. All they have to do is let goofs like this keep shooting down their own candidates. Walker is going to crush Barrett!
September 19th, 2010 at 10:35 am
I think it is also important to highlight the involvement of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in this. John Weishan, sticky fingers Chris Larson were actively using county policy for coordinated political attacks between the unions, county board, Jim Doyle and the Tom Barrett campaign!
It is interesting that they censured Lynn DeBruin for inappropriate activity, I think this is right along those lines. Time for a few more censures and some investigation by the elections board.
It does show how desperate the left is. Unfortunately for them, anything they do from now until the election is tainted by these coordinated efforts.
Also…did you notice of of the few links from this guys blog “Scottwalkertruthsquad” links to Milwaukee County First? No big surprise that our worthless county employee Chris Liebenthal would be involved.
September 19th, 2010 at 11:35 am
I say “taint away.” With their every move, this crowd becomes more toxic. Even the media has grown tired of their derangement.
The AFSCME / SEIU officials are thuggish dictators with nothing but disdain for the taxpayers. I have never personally witnessed a less professional group of so-called “leaders” in my life.
September 19th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Not just the County Board Calvin, pay attention to the willing media oh so ready to go after Walker.
September 19th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
This clown has succeeded in putting the media in damage control mode now. It will be interesting to watch if they adjust their tone/attitude when reporting on this election now.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Yup, The local media has been exposed by someone who benefited from their bias.
Will be interesting to see just how they do damage control.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Don’t forget Barrett has also been working with ACORN…