That's right. Gov. Scott Walker (R-FitzWalkerStan), king of the lying attack ad, is chiding others for running negative campaigns. Seriously.
Unfortunately, this isn't a real change in his attitude towards politics, but an intervention of sorts in the bitter rivalry in the Republican primary leading up to the election of a replacement for retiring US Senator Herb Kohl (R-Wis).
The GOP governor said last month that he would stay neutral in the four-way Aug. 14 primary, but would play the role of "referee" in case anyone got out of line. At a news conference in the state Capitol on Tuesday, he said he wished the candidates took a more positive tone in the increasingly nasty race.
"I haven't dropped the flag yet, but it's getting pretty close," he told reporters. "I think there are four outstanding candidates in the primary and I think they would be well served, not just in the primary but in the general election, if they would stay focused on the differences between themselves and Congressman Baldwin because I think the differences are substantial and they're important."
The current Republican candidates are:
Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (brother of State Senate Bully and Former Majority Leader Scott Fizgerald)
Businessman and hedge fund manager Eric Hovde
Former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann (frequent primary candidate in US Senate and Gubernatorial elections who keeps on losing in the primaries)
Former Gov. Tommy G. Thompson
The winner of the August 14 primary will face U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who has no primary opponent and is currently leading all 4 Republicans in the current polls.
Walker has not endorsed any candidate yet and says he will announce only who he voted for AFTER the primary. Interesting to note that he said the same thing about the Lt. Governors primary in 2010 while information available from the John Doe Probe indicates that part of the unlawful political work done by his Milwaukee County Executive office aides while on the taxpayers dime was fundraising for one of those candidates (who ultimately lost the primary to Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (Tea Bagger, FitzWalkerStan).
Of course, his irritation at other Republicans at attacking each other completely ignores the fact that he, himself survived the Gubernatorial primary in 2010 with the use of attack ads. No, Scotty, I haven't forgotten. I have a long, long memory.
If you would like to donate to Tammy Baldwins US Senate campaign, you can do so through Act Blue here.
John Doe Probe News:
Nothing tantalizing, just another delay in the trial of Walkers former top aide Tim Russell, who has been charged with stealing funds from a Veterans group and engaging in political activities in a taxpayer funded facility and on taxpayer time. The trial, which had been postponed until September due to an attorney change, will be delayed again until December (conveniently after the elections - and likely deliberately done to avoid "cross-contamination" of the news of a GOP operatives sleazy actions with Republican candidates) due to Russells FIFTH change in attorney.
Insiders say the John Doe prosecutors are trying to get Russell to cooperate in their ongoing and widening John Doe Probe into misconduct in the Milwaukee County Executves office while Scott Walker was in office. Intrepid reporter John Nichols has indicated that the next John Doe news would likely eminate from the Russell trial, sadly, now delayed.
While Milwaukee County Executive, it was Scott Walker who insisted that the veterans group place their funds in an account controlled by his office (something else Walker hopes everyone has forgotten).
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Wisconsins Own Oil Pipeline Disaster Update
Yes, we have our own burst pipeline here in Wisconsin contaminating everything from our soil to our wells in Adams County (central Wisconsin). The 24 inch diameter pipe spilled spilled an estimated 50,400 gallons of crude oil on July 27.
A geyser of oil shot up into the air of western Adams County, spraying oil up to 1,000 feet from the break, covering up to five acres of farm pasture, some livestock and one acre of woodland, according to state environmental officials.
Oil-soaked soil was removed from the pasture along with contaminated soil and oil-covered trees in the woodland, said Ed Culhane, a spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources.
On Tuesday, crews finished replacing a 120-foot-long section of pipeline where the rupture occurred, an Enbridge spokeswoman said. The pipe was being pressure tested Tuesday afternoon.
It has taken an order from the US government to prohibit Enbridge Energy Partners from restarting the pipeline until significant upgrades or replacements to the pipeline have been done.
Enbridge must submit a plan for restarting the entire pipeline extending from North Dakota to Superior, Wis. to the Chicago area, the order says. In addition, Enbridge must conduct mechanical and metallurgical testing and failure analysis of the pipeline section that failed July 27, the agency's order says.
Enbridge must also review all past inline inspection reports and bring in an independent consultant to investigate the company's pipeline management plan, the agency says in the order.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday the leak in an Adams County section of an Enbridge oil pipeline extending from Superior to the Chicago area was unacceptable.
Thank you, Ray LaHood, for stepping in. Our Governor is so corporate friendly he would approve of reopening the pipeline after the application of a single layer of duct tape to the site of the rupture.
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I'll keep watching for other news and update or add as needed.
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Update: Hahahahaha - Ya Think? Edition: It's taken until late today for our state government here in FitzWalkerStan to issue a water advisory in the area of the pipeline rupture. Yes, days after it's been noted that wells around the area were contaminated.
Water in the area is to be used only for flushing toilets. Bottled water is to be used for everything else. The ban includes warnings on ingesting the water, using it for cooking, lawn and garden watering and bathing.
Days late, 7 wells already contaminated, and the federal government stepping in to prevent the pipeline from being restarted, the Walker flunkies know this story isn't being ignored so now is the time they have to pretend to do something. Hopefully, no one has been injured due to their serious delay.