February 5, 2014

"Judge orders release of emails of convicted former Scott Walker aide."

"Personal information collected (in) a criminal investigation is routinely included in criminal appellate records," wrote the judge. "Although the investigation that led to the criminal charges against Rindfleisch generated widespread public interest, Rindfleisch is no different from any other person seeking appellate review of his or her criminal conviction. She may not seek to shield information simply because she does not want the information to be made available to the public."

Everything will become public? Things like Social Security numbers and medical information will be shielded, but everything else will be ours to nose through. What was the underlying crime? Doing work for the campaign while at her government job. She pleaded guilty, but there is an appeal, based on the breadth of the search warrants.

What's in all that email?
Likely included in the emails are messages exchanged with Walker or his top political aides as he ran his 2010 campaign for governor.
Scott Walker... they'll get him yet. And if they don't, it won't be that they didn't try, and they'll have unintentionally left him looking unfathomably clean.

42 comments:

cubanbob said...

Regarding the underlying crime pretty much every elected official is guilty of that. Does anyone think a military coup would be a good solution to this problem?

The Crack Emcee said...

Scott Walker... they'll get him yet. And if they don't, it won't be that they didn't try, and they'll have unintentionally left him looking unfathomably clean.



Like the ghettoes across the way?

Beta Rube said...

I think cubanbob is right. There aren't enough jail cells to hold all the underlings who tried to help the boss get elected during the course of a day.

Mark said...

You presume there is nothing damaging in the emails. That is a large presumption.

Jim said...

Mark -

Actually she didn't presume anything. She laid out 2 paths:

a) They find something damaging, in which case, they will have "gotten him," or

b) They will find nothing, in which case, he will look squeaky clean.

I was saying as much to my wife just a couple of weeks ago. Given the Roto-Rooter they will have applied to Walker's personal life, associates, neighbors, family members, work, time as governor, etc., in their non-stop game of "gotcha," Scott Walker may actually wind up being the safest Republican candidate in 2016. If Wisconsin Democrats haven't found a "smoking gun" by then, then there will be well and truly absolutely nothing there to find and no opportunities for last-minute "gotchas" a la Bush in 2000 or Romney's "47%" comments.

Curious George said...

This is what happens when you can't win in the arena of ideas. It's what Democrats always do.

Howard said...

We like our presidents to have chutzpah. It's a job requirement.

This is just a wee taste of the kind of heat that comes with presidential ambition. Look at all the crap thrown at Clinton and the folks still love the guy more than any other politician. Bush faced tons of bad press and accusations of being a moron, drug addict, bribed with a MBL team, failed oil ventures, Halliburton, etc.

Christie showed he is not presidential material because he couldn't stand the heat.

Now we might get to see if Walker can.

Walker supporters should welcome this now. Better fail now then fold like Ed Muskie in New Hampshire.

Howard said...

Piss, whine and moan that "it's not fair": That's what lily-livered Repugs do

Ann Althouse said...

"You presume there is nothing damaging in the emails. That is a large presumption."

1. As Jim said, I didn't presume. I proposed alternatives.

2. The John Doe investigation has been going on for a long time and those emails have been available to the investigators who seem to have been trying very hard to find something damaging, so that might properly give rise to the presumption you incorrectly see me making.

CWJ said...

Howard,

Yeah Walker's been treated with kid gloves since he was first elected. It's been a cakewalk.

Titus said...

GM will be happy.

snowy, office closed tits.

traditionalguy said...

The next step after criminalizing politics is John Doe pretense of criminalized politics, and then releasing information that the poor criminalized political person is a "known associate" of the real target.

The War on Walker.

Beta Rube said...

I am enjoying the contrast between Scott's lack of whining about any of this, and Barry's punching down at Fox News, Bill O'Reilly, and congressman who badger him with "phoney scandals".

Howard said...

CWJ: Then he should do fine once they really turn up the heat and he has to explain himself to the entire world, not just some insignificant backwater state where he knows the culture like the back of his.

If I was a Walker supporter, I would want the press and political trolls to bring it on hard and heavy. Get this guy battle-hardened sooner, rather than later.

traditionalguy said...

I like the idea of having a President from frozen solid Wisconsin thinking about the Global Warming Lie instead of one from Honolulu, Oahu.

Rusty said...

Mark said...
You presume there is nothing damaging in the emails. That is a large presumption.


A motivated prosecutor could indict a lunch menu.

garage mahal said...

Rindfleisch is a big trash talker, these emails should prove to be highly entertaining.

Dr Weevil said...

I hope no one minds if I recycle a comment from last March - it seems only fair to reply to warmed-over lefty talking points with warmed-over replies. I've bolded the most pertinent part:

"[Howard's 10:35 comment is] a textbook case of a standard lefty method. When engaged in a metaphorical boxing match, make sure that you bribe the ref, and then starting punching below the belt. If your opponent does the same, demand that he be disqualified: the bribed ref will be glad to oblige. If your opponent complains that you are punching below the belt, call him a whiner and keep on punching. If he keeps on fighting without complaining, punch further below the belt and more frequently. Even a boxer who is totally outclassed in actual boxing skills can win this way."

n.n said...

If it's not there, they will manufacture it, or they will force an error of perception if nothing else.

Mark said...

You do realize that Walker will get ads with the fake Koch brother call played, right?

What about the fact that WI is horrendous for racial minorities?

How about the Trans vaginal ultrasound bill, the one even McDonnell in VA did not sign?

Yeah, Walker has huge potential peeling away votes from the Dems .... NOT.

Prepare for less votes than Romney got, as always the possible swing voters will not go for Walkers policy or record.

Dr Weevil said...

Republicans tried nominating a squeaky-clean candidate last time around, and the Democrats just made up dirt that wasn't actually dirt and made it stick, with the help of a compliantly stupid press.

The worst thing about the whole "women in binders" thing is that the press was too stupid or dishonest to tell us how it made Obama look far worse than Romeny. Think about it: Dems said "he should already know plenty of women" - no need to take applications from strangers and put huge numbers of resumes in binders where they can be found easily, if you just hire friends of friends with no concern for competence.

The Dems were openly pushing cronyism - don't hire anyone who's not already a friend of a friend - where Romney, as a successful businessman, knows that there's plenty of talent out there beyond your circle of friends and relations, and you need to find some way to tap it. Taking resumes from strangers and checking their references is a time-tested way to do that.

garage mahal said...

Walker still has this to contend with as well. Scott Walker raised $5 million at end of 2013, paid $86,000 to defense lawyers

"It's the incredible support from the grass roots that will enable Governor Walker to continue moving Wisconsin forward," he said.

LOLZY

Beta Rube said...

Endless (and useless) John Doe's will run up legal defense bills. That's a goal for lefties, not a defect.

garage mahal said...

Beta Rube
It's highly unlikely Republican DA's would risk their careers by signing on to a flimsy case. In Wisconsin, that would be political suicide. And why didn't JB Van Hollen, a Republican, agree to take the case?

Beta Rube said...

We all would love the answers to questions about the John Doe. But it goes on forever and largely in secrecy. How long does it take to find a smoking gun?

Rusty said...

Beta Rube said...
We all would love the answers to questions about the John Doe. But it goes on forever and largely in secrecy. How long does it take to find a smoking gun?

Just wait. They're looking for a patsy to plant one.

Thorley Winston said...

So basically Scott Walker has already been vetted more thoroughly and intensely than Barack Obama was in 2008. Plus he’ll already have executive experience before running for President.

The Crack Emcee said...

CWJ said...
Howard,

Yeah Walker's been treated with kid gloves since he was first elected. It's been a cakewalk.



Actually it has. You guys just mistake weak tea for furious battle.


Let somebody hit him hard on black issues and I betcha he folds,...

DKWalser said...

The pursuit of Walker reminds me of the similar pursuit of Arizona's Evan Mecham after his election as governor in 1986. The zeal of those opposed to Mecham and Walker is remarkably similar. So are the tactics.

In Mecham's case, a recall movement was started before he even took office. Soon after taking office, felony charges for campaign finance irregularities were brought by a member of Mecham's opposition. Those charges were dropped (the alleged illegal activity took place before Mecham had been elected, so he couldn't have used government resources to promote his candidacy) and replaced with charges of obstruction of justice (for allegedly misleading investigators looking into the original charges) and for misuse of government funds. It was on these second set of felony charges that Mecham was impeached and removed from office. He was later acquitted in the criminal case.

There are two notable differences: 1st, Walker is a far better politician than Mecham. Mecham was politically tone deaf and constantly said the wrong thing at the wrong time and in the wrong way. 2nd, although Mecham ran as a Republican, he was not supported by the Republican establishment. Embarrassed by Mecham's political clumsiness and hoping to gain favor with the media, Republican politicians actively joined the mob calling for Mecham's scalp. In contrast, Wisconsin Republicans have not tried to sacrifice Walker in hopes of winning political peace.

The decades since Mecham's impeachment and removal from office have taught most Republicans peace cannot be had by granting liberals their unreasonable demands. The demands just become more unreasonable.

garage mahal said...

The pursuit of Walker reminds me of the similar pursuit of Arizona's Evan Mecham after his election as governor in 1986.

Are you suggesting Republican DA's are going after Walker? And a Republican special prosecutor?

Howard said...

Dr Weewilliewinkie:

I saw the Romster Documentary on NetFlix. He lost because he lost the later debates, he looked and acted stiff and uncomfortable and because of the 47% remark.

He came off great in the documentary. His campaign did not present him to the public like he appeared in the movie: self deprecating, humorous, playful, unflappable, kind, etc, etc, etc.

Also, the repugs are famous for dirty tricks, racialist dog-whistling and voter intimidation in their campaigns.

I hate to break it to you but politics is a blood sport. You are just afraid to pull back the curtain.

But don't listen to me, go on with your butt-hurt bleating... it is The Macho Response.

Dr Weevil said...

Did Howard just write 'repugs'? I'm sorry I bothered arguing with him, because that is a sure sign of a bigot and a fool.

Of course, it's not the only sign. As I've been pointing out for 5-10 years, I've never read a comment or blogpost with the word 'repug' or 'rethug' or 'demoncrat' or 'democrap' or any similar construction in it (and I've read hundreds) that was worth the time spent reading it. They are invariably stupid and bigoted.

bbkingfish said...

"Scott Walker... they'll get him yet. And if they don't, it won't be that they didn't try, and they'll have unintentionally left him looking unfathomably clean"

Haven't former associates of Walker already plead guilty to or been convicted of crimes as a result of these investigations? If so, to describe Walker as "clean" strikes me as, uh, unfathomable.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

I have not followed this case but read from the excerpt that Rindfleisch pleaded guilty--did her lawyer not tell her to use the "no controlling legal authority" card?

wildswan said...

Walker will win the day the country starts to want competence, not detroitism. The country has to see the Democrats as dangerous to their health. It's like realizing what cigarettes do when you have been smoking them. It isn't easy to kick the habit. Easier to believe that smoking is OK. But someday ... America will rise up and demand competence.

Unknown said...

----- once they really turn up the heat

You mean the spurious, vile allegation that he had a love child 3 days before the recall wasn't heat?

Unknown said...

---What about the fact that WI is horrendous for racial minorities?

..the fact that 50 year long Democrat machine governed Milwaukee is horrendous for racial minorities…

Fixed it for you.

Unknown said...

----Let somebody hit him hard on black issues and I betcha he folds,…

MC You have been nothing but a racist on the last two threads. You need therapy and some religion that teaches you to love your neighbor.

Mark said...

These emails were enough to convict Rindfleish.

To think they don't make Walker look even a little bit dirty would be surprising. National coverage of the convictions in his prior office probably will not be fair.

I think Walker must do everything he can to avoid national scrutiny before November. He certainly is hitting up all the out of state donations before his chances start to sink.

Matt Sablan said...

Walker being guilty of something because an associate did something makes me wonder why we didn't impeach Obama over Rezko. (Rezco? How's it spelled again?)

Mark said...

Obama hired Rezko as deputy chief of staff and worked in the office next to him as his boss?

Associate =\= employee

Matt Sablan said...

The goal posts, they-are-a-moving.

Please lay down exactly what the requirements for guilt by association are, before we continue, so we can have an actual discussion on the matter.