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  • Reply to: Koch Cadre Billionaire Defends Nazi Comments   10 years 6 months ago
    These people are beneath contempt.
  • Reply to: Federal Judge Who Halted Walker Dark Money Criminal Probe Attended Koch-Backed Judicial Junkets   10 years 6 months ago
    It's funny how the Kochs can buy judges, even the pseudo buying of the supreme court with thousands of legal briefs advocating "corporations are people". Actually funny is a vernacular term.
  • Reply to: First Amendment for Whom? Press Fights for Access to Scott Walker John Doe Docs   10 years 6 months ago
    If public employees salaries are posted on line then why not all of the documents concerning the probe.
  • Reply to: Oregon's GMO Sellout   10 years 6 months ago
    Really important that all Monsanto activists know about this ALEC "model legislation" to preempt local agricultural ordinances and the back story of their involvement in what's going on in Oregon! Other states can expect this to be visited on them as well (as if the TPP and TAFTA weren't threat enough!) THANK YOU REBEKAH WILCE, THE PROGRESSIVE, AND CMD FOR THIS IMPORTANT STORY!! May I get permission to reprint this as a handout for the March Against Monsanto in Austin tomorrow? Thanks for your consideration and for your brilliant work!
  • Reply to: First Amendment for Whom? Press Fights for Access to Scott Walker John Doe Docs   10 years 6 months ago
    <p>Despite claims by "watchdog.org," the public record unequivocally shows that six Walker aides or associates were convicted as a result of the first John Doe investigation, which we have documented on SourceWatch:</p> <h3>6 People Indicted, 15 Felony Indictments, 6 Sentenced</h3> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a class="image" href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/File:Indictees.jpg"><img alt="Indictees.jpg" src="https://www.sourcewatch.org/images/thumb/0/08/Indictees.jpg/700px-Indictees.jpg" style="height:238px; width:700px"></a></div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><strong>Timothy Russell</strong> (former top aide, holding over eight positions including deputy chief of staff, to then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker): charged with 2 felonies, and one misdemeanor related to embezzlement of veterans funds. <a class="external text" href="http://media.jsonline.com/documents/Russell_complaint2_010312.pdf" rel="nofollow">Read the criminal complaint here</a>. Russell was sentenced to "two years in prison and five years on probation for stealing more than $21,000 from a veterans organization Walker named him to lead."<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-30">[30]</a></sup></li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Brian Pierick</strong> (boyfriend of Timothy Russell): charged with 2 felonies, including child enticement and exposing sex organ and pubic area. <a class="external text" href="http://media.graytvinc.com/documents/Criminal+Complaint+Brian+Pierick.pdf" rel="nofollow">Read the criminal complaint here</a>. In February 2013 Pierick was sentenced to 50 hours of community service and a $2,100 fine after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-31">[31]</a></sup></li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Kevin Kavanaugh</strong> (appointed by Walker as county veterans official): charged with 5 felonies related to embezzlement of veterans funds. <a class="external text" href="http://media.jsonline.com/documents/Kavanaugh_complaint_010312.pdf" rel="nofollow">Read the criminal complaint here</a>. Kavanaugh was convicted by jury and was sentenced on December 7th, 2012 to two years in prison and two years of extended supervision.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-32">[32]</a></sup><sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-33">[33]</a></sup></li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Kelly Rindfleisch</strong> (former top aide to then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker): charged with 4 felonies relating to political fundraising while on the county payroll. <a class="external text" href="http://media.graytvinc.com/documents/2012-01-26+Rindfleisch+Complaint+%28File+Stamped%29.pdf" rel="nofollow">Read the criminal complaint here</a>. Her trial was set to begin the week of October 15, 2012 in Milwaukee County Court. On Monday, October 8, 2012 Rindfleisch’s lawyers subpoenaed the Governor to testify in her trial. The next day, news broke that Rindfleisch had reached a plea deal with Milwaukee prosecutors. News reports indicate that she will plead guilty to one felony count of misconduct in office in an attempt to avoid jail time.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-mary-34">[34]</a></sup> Rindfleisch was in particular jeopardy, because she had been implicated in similar activities in the past and was granted immunity in an earlier “caucus scandal,” which resulted in sentences of jail time for more than one Wisconsin legislator and the disbanding of partisan political caucuses in the state legislature in 2001. Rindfleisch is scheduled to be in court on Thursday, October 11 for a judge to decide on the plea deal. The trial is cancelled, so Walker will no longer have to testify.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-mary-34">[34]</a></sup> The plea deal can be accessed <a class="external text" href="http://host.madison.com/plea-agreement-in-kelly-rindfleisch-case/pdf_11aa2876-131d-11e2-b45d-0019bb2963f4.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. She entered the guilty plea and was convicted of one of the felony counts. On November 19, 2012 she was sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation on a single felony count of misconduct in office.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-35">[35]</a></sup><sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-36">[36]</a></sup></li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Darlene Wink</strong> (former aide to then Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker): pleaded guilty to 2 unclassified misdemeanors as part of a plea deal that she made with the prosecutors related to political fundraising while on the county payroll. <a class="external text" href="http://media.graytvinc.com/documents/2012-01-26+Wink+Complaint+%28File+Stamped%29.pdf" rel="nofollow">Read the complaint here</a>. Her sentencing hearing has been delayed several times to ensure her full cooperation in other investigations. <sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-37">[37]</a></sup> In January 2013 Wink was sentenced to a year's probation, 50 hours of community service and $1,000 in fines.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-38">[38]</a></sup></li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>William Gardner</strong> (President and CEO of Wisconsin &amp; Southern Railroad): pleaded guilty to 2 felony charges relating to campaign finance violations <a class="external text" href="http://media.jsonline.com/documents/railroad-exec-041111.PDF" rel="nofollow">read the criminal complaint here</a>. Gardner pleaded guilty to felony violations of Wisconsin campaign law in April of 2011. Gardner tried to convince prosecutors that his $60,000 in illegal contributions, which he funneled through staff and girlfriends, was an innocent mistake, except he had done the same thing the previous year.<sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-39">[39]</a></sup> Gardner was sentenced to 2 years probation and 50 hours of community service. <sup><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_Walker#cite_note-40">[40]</a></sup></li> </ul>

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