July 4, 2015

"In a sudden reversal amid a stinging backlash, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and GOP legislative leaders said they agreed Saturday to completely remove a part of the proposed state budget that would severely roll back open records laws."

"Walker announced the decision in a joint statement Saturday with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and the co-chairs of the joint budget committee. They said that they're committed to open and accountable government."
"After substantive discussion over the last day, we have agreed that the provisions relating to any changes in the state's open records law will be removed from the budget in its entirety," the statement said. "... The intended policy goal of these changes was to provide a reasonable solution to protect constituents' privacy and to encourage a deliberative process between elected officials and their staff in developing policy. It was never intended to inhibit transparent government in any way."...

Walker didn't specifically say... whether he and his office were involved in crafting the proposed changes, whether he objected to them in advance, or specifically say who proposed the overhaul. The joint statement didn't address those points either....
Well, let's use the open records law to find out.

24 comments:

Michael K said...

"inartful drafting" most likely. Not everything is a conspiracy.

Eli Blake said...

I am a low level elected official (since January) and recently went to training on open records laws.

The main thing we must remember is that the difference between good government and corrupt government is not as clear as we might think. People with the best of intentions may be tempted to make tough decisions in secret that should not be made in secret.

The desire for increased secrecy and opaqueness on the part of elected officials may be understandable (nobody likes bad press in the local paper or on social media) but it is a temptation that (like any drug) is best avoided by strict adherence to the rules.

Carnifex said...

Anyone who thinks their politician is better than the oppositions politician is hopelessly and destructively naive. All politicians are not to be trusted. That's what makes dealing with libtards so frustrating... they love THEIR politicians

Eli Blake said...

Carnifex, then be frustrated.

Bernie Sanders refuses to accept PAC money and has raised $15 million from hundreds of thousands of small donations.

Every other candidate takes big money. And people who give you big money expect something back. If you don't believe that then talk to me about a deal on some land in Arizona.

So yes, I do as a matter of fact trust Bernie Sanders. Even when he is wrong I don't doubt his sincerity.

Laslo Spatula said...

Sorry for the off-topic to follow.

""Music and surfing breaks like the one I'm on at the moment. Highway 61 Revisited. Some glorious, homemade from-the-bean chocolate a colleague made for me, melting on my tongue. Life is more wonderous than you can possibly imagine, and death is just a part of the road I'm on."

That was April Third of this year,

The internet is a strange and beautiful thing, Chef Mojo has been in my prayers for months even though I only know him through his comments on Althouse. He struck me as an honest, humble and interesting man, and I have been hoping to hear more from him.

Chef: if you are out there, drop us a word.

If you have moved on -- like we all inevitably will -- I hope you are at peace, and know that you made connections you probably never realized. Tonight I dreamed of you even though I never met you, and now I am going to listen to Highway 61 Revisited and have some ice cream.

Thank you Althouse: though many comments are spats, there are real people you have brought together.

I would have saved this for a cafe but i had the dream tonight.

God bless.

I am Laslo

Drago said...

Walker dude! Just shred everything. In the open. Then lie about it. Repeatedly.

Then tell everyone there is not a "shred" of evidence of any wrong-doing nor will there be.

And then dare the opposition to do something about it!

Walker is clearly not prepared to operate on dem terms.

bbkingfish said...

Duhnn-duh-dun-dun. Duhnn-duh-dun-dun-daaaah!

Friday and Gannon are on the scent.

Carnifex said...

Geex Eli,,thanks for making my point for. After all Sociualism is such awondeful political system Germany had to build a wall to keep people out...retard.

Michael K said...

Politics is filled with dishonesty which is why it is so important to keep government as small and weak as possible. The few exceptions are law enforcement, and even here it is suspect, and the military which is largely honest although it is also subject to abuse as we saw in Vietnam when politicians get too involved.

That is why I consider myself to be libertarian and with a small L.

I don't care about gay marriage, for example, but the triumphalism going on right now is going to cause trouble, and not just for gays.

Bob Boyd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
hawkeyedjb said...

"Even when he is wrong I don't doubt his sincerity."

That's the Road to Hell. Sincere and earnest people can wreck the world.

Mark said...

Same bullshit walk back as when he tried to kill the Wisconsin Idea.

I guess it's nice he didn't try to blame the legislative aides who draft the bill this time, though as they released his offices instructions last time I think they want to avoid their fingerprints being seem on these ideas.

Walker knows to operate on the phone and not email, doubt open records will find anything. Walker is expert at avoiding paper trails

Curious George said...

"Mark said...

Walker knows to operate on the phone and not email, doubt open records will find anything. Walker is expert at avoiding paper trails"

And you know this because....?

Rusty said...

Bernie Sanders refuses to accept PAC money and has raised $15 million from hundreds of thousands of small donations.


List them.

So yes, I do as a matter of fact trust Bernie Sanders. Even when he is wrong I don't doubt his sincerity.


You should not be voting.

Rusty said...

The biggest donors to Bernies Sanders campaign are Union PACs. Berine said he wouldn't hace a PAC, becsause the unions have them for him. Bernie is answerable to union money. Hows that for trustworthy and sincere?

Mark said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mark said...

Curious, I have seen it written up in articles over the years. You should really read more.

With a perfect day on tap, you can waste it googling. It's been written about plenty. I would rather go enjoy summer with my kid,

Birkel said...

Allegations that cannot be disproven are fun, right Mark?

Paco Wové said...

Vote Bernie: He Really Believes It!

Bobber Fleck said...

"...sudden reversal...stinging backlash...severely roll back..."

Why do I think the author took special joy in writing this piece?

khesanh0802 said...

Walker was right to kill this and he did it well by including the legislative leaders. Sometime stupid ideas take a while to be recognized as such. Unfortunately many times stupid ideas are enacted into law to bedevil us all.

Phil 314 said...

Mark;
You can't criticize a guy for wasting a beautiful day in the internet when your comment comes almost immediately after his.

PS And by saying "don't waste your precious time proving me wrong" are you saying "I'm right" or admitting you're wrong?

CWJ said...

And as people were wont to say in Wisconsin, this is what democracy looks like.

Politicians changing course in response to the public. Who'd a thunk it.

machine said...

unintimidated