Green Touts His Failure on Getting Ethics Reform Passed
The press conference today by gubernatorial candidate Mark Green was a whole lot of distortion and distraction from his own and his party's ethical problems.
He said he supported SB-1, the Ethics Reform Bill, and that he talked to GOP leaders urging them to pass the bill. However, unlike Governor Doyle, who supports SB-1 and got every single Democratic member of the State Assembly to vote for reform, Green only got five people to vote for it out of 60. He claimed he strongly supported it, but obviously not strong enough to get it passed. Had he really wanted it passed he would have told John Gard not to even think about running for his congressional seat unless it passed. Instead, Green raised money for his own campaign while the GOP killed ethics reform.
Green also said he wants an "Inspector General" position to root out government corruption. However, he never explained why that was necessary when SB-1 would have given independent authority to the newly created Board to do just that. Word we hear is that if Doyle calls a special session on ethics, the Republicans plan to gut SB-1 and merge the Ethics and Elections Boards ONLY, and NOT give them independent authority to investigate. In other words, they'll take credit for reform WHILE killing it. No wonder Green had to offer a new position to allegedly investigate corruption. He must know what his party will do if they have to vote on SB-1.
Further, Green offered again his call for spending limits of both candidates, but failed to mention that 527's (independent "issue" organizations) can still spend millions attacking Doyle under spending limits. They would have no limit. Essentially, he wants to tie the hands of Jim Doyle, while allowing conservative front groups the ability to kick the **** out of Doyle. Right, like anyone is going to fall for that....
So, in the end Green did what was expected. He tryed to sound tough on government reform, but his past and his present indicate otherwise.
I have to admit hearing Green lecture about government reform was about as credible as hearing Paris Hilton lecture about the problems of living on the minimum wage. Right.
posted by Mark Pocan @ 11:09 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Pocan is pointing the accusatory finger again. We all know what that means: three other fingers are pointing back at himself.
Let's face it. If Doyle really wanted ethics reform he would have called a special session as requested by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and others. But he is no more lilly white as is Green or was Tommy Thompson. It will ultimately pass and he will have to adhere to the rules as well. The real question is, how far will it be watered down before it passes.
Jack Lohman
www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org
Hi Jack, thanks for all of your hard work. Here's a problem we have to figure out. If a special session is called and the GOP shows up, they will pass a version that Mark Gundrum has offered which merges the boards but guts the enforcement mechanism. Essentially, they will pass SB-1, while killing ethics reform. Green's own press conference previewed this in his call for an office of "Inspector General", which is essentially included in SB-1. I have a hard time trying to figure out a silver lining from letting anti-reform legislators pass a sham bill, but taking credit for passing reform. We don't have the money or resources to get the whole truth out. Bottom line: The best issue to get rid of corruptable legislators is gone. I think we need a real plan of attack before we go this way. Ideas?
You are absolutely right Mark, that it will likely be gutted and watered down, but I'd rather see that done before the election and force the Republicans to defend themselves on it. It could cost them the election. I think you have held tight on all issues of reform, and I think it is unfortunate that Doyle has not done the same.
And lest other respondents get the wrong impression, they should know (as I am sure you know) that I am a center-right Republican. But it is my party that is doing the most damage on the reform front, and the only Republican worth getting re-elected is Mike Ellis. And there's only a handful of Democrats that are worth a damn too (including yourself, Erpenbach, Miller and Risser). The rest have got to go. We need a major turnover in Madison.
Our current corrupt system is costing WI taxpayers about $1300 per taxpayer, and the only way to fix this is to get the bribery and payola out of the system. Then, and only then, will the Pols on both side of the isle start voting for the benefit of citizens rather than for those who line their pockets. This is a nonpartisan problem requiring a nonpartisan solution, and I thank you for moving reform to the forefront. My party certainly isn't doing it.
Jack Lohman
www.ThrowTheRascalsOut.org
Sorry, I meant give a damn, not worth a damn.
And I'd just add that Doyle can make this happen, if he wants to. And with all the heat he is taking over travelgate I hope he gives this serious thought.
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