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A petition attempting to recall Wisconsin state Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du lac) was delivered this afternoon to the Government Accountability Board in Madison, capping off a day of rallies protesting Hopper's record of service and his support of Gov. Scott Walker's budget and collective-bargaining positions.
"He has completely and utterly failed to represent his district," said Scott Dillman, leader of the Committee to Recall Hopper. "His inability to actually be responsive to his constituents, to their concerns, to come back and hold listening sessions, it's inconceivable why he thinks this stuff actually good for the district."
According to Dillman, a former corrections officer currently living on disability, about 22,500 people signed the petition to recall Hopper, 7,000 more than the required 15,269 valid signatures required by the state Government Accountability Board (GAB). Dillman attributes the massive outpouring of support for recalling Hopper, who was elected in 2008, to his continued inability to respond to constituent concerns and to represent their policy preferences.
"It's not just the collective bargaining," Dillman said over the phone. "It's his stands on the tax cuts for corporations, too. It's inconceivable to me and 25,000 others that he did this."
An owner of a local media conglomerate that owns several radio stations, the 45 year-old Hopper champions a platform of restoring fiscal order and getting people back to work in the private sector. While Hopper couldn't be reached for comment, his campaign manager, Jeff Harvey, said Hopper "will continue to stand by" his policies if the state approves the recall petition.
"We're confident that Sen. Hopper is going to win," Harvey said. "We've been out there talking to voters trying to educate them, and we're very confident."
Harvey pointed to Tuesday's hotly contested Supreme Court race between incumbent Justice David Prosser (R) and challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg (D) as evidence Hopper can withstand a recall election. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel map of results from the Supreme Court race show Prosser won handily in Fond du Lac, though he barely edged Kloppenburg in neighboring Winnebego. Hopper's campaign chief says observers informed his office of numerous irregularities with the recall petition. Harvey charges Dillman and organizers for the Committee to Recall Hopper gave 18th district addresses to people from outside the district, so they could sign the petition. Harvey also said committee volunteers misrepresented themselves to constituents, falsely claiming to be one of the 14 Wisconsin senate Democrats who fled the state to prevent a vote on Gov. Walker's budget repair bill.
Dillman denies the allegations.
"That's a bunch of malarkey," Dillman stated. "We know exactly how our signatures were obtained. Nobody was paid to go get signatures. We never offered anything for any of the signatures."
Dillman said he and the committee took extra precautions to assure the signatures they collected were valid, going back through their documents to verify addresses. Before today, Dillman claimed he never heard anything about his staff or committee volunteers collecting signatures under false pretenses and Hopper's staff or local Republican party leaders never brought these allegations to his attention. Calling the contentions "delusional," Dillman added that if Hopper's people knew of these charges they should have informed not only the government accountability board, but also his committee and the local police. Regardless, he doubts these accusations will impede the recall effort.
"We have 22,500 signatures," Dillman said. "There's no way they're going to throw out 7,000 plus signatures. They can try but it's not going to work."
If the accountability board certifies the recall petition, it will mark the second successful recall effort launched against republican state senators this year. But these two recall campaigns could only be the tip of the iceberg. As NBC’s John Yang reported in March, a total of 16 letters of intent to recall state senators have been filed with the Elections Division of the accountability board and many speculate Democratic lawmakers will organize an effort to recall Walker, when he becomes eligible in January 2012. While Article XII of the Wisconsin State Constitution, which contains the procedure for a recall election, was codified in 1926, it has never been used on such a large scale before.
"This law hasn't been used often," said Art Cyr, a political science professor at Carthage College. "This intense ideological acrimony is not typical of Wisconsin."
Wisconsin has never been this divided along partisan lines and predicts state politics will eventually return to its pragmatic baseline, according to Cyr. While Cyr said the state gave birth to the progressive and populist movements centered around direct-citizen participation, it does not have a tradition of direct popular recall of politicians, he added. To explain the explosion of recall efforts, Cyr cited Walker's policies and his popularity among Republicans. Cyr said he thinks Walker will need to moderate his style if he wants to survive.
"I don't see this as a new trend in Wisconsin," Cyr said. "Once Gov. Walker realizes he could lose the election, if he were forced to run again, I think the kind of traditional and pragmatic character of the state will reassert itself."
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The Wisconsin Democrats are the Amazing Example of what Doing What's Right for the American People and Washington Democrats need to Follow Suit. They were humble and played Hardball even in the midst of all the Republican threats and bully tactics.
It's time Washington Democrats earned their money and stand up for those who vote them in office and stop playing the games with the Republicans while the Middle Class, the Old People, Sick Old People, The Poor keep getting their families pushed into "Proverty"
If the Democrats can't protect these people, then we must vote in Democrats who will. Time out for games 14 Million families are suffering lost their jobs, homes, sleeping in cars, shelters, while they have been completely forgotten for "Class Issues"
Democrats how many time do the Republicans have to tell you they are all for the Rich Americans and Corporations before you believe them? They are getting Paid by the Koch Brothers and their other Rich Cronies.
If Democrats in Washington are not going to fight, then we need to "Promote" the Wisconsin Dems to replace 14 and fire the rest because 14, hear that 14 made a difference for the Working Families, they Stood and Fought, a "foreign word" to many Dems in Washington.
Republicans have a ball playing games and breaking the backs of Washington Democrats.
Amen to that June!
*standing O*
You mean like all those democratic senators that you now hate because they voted against the EPA?
Like those democrats June?
Hey June you should totally form an extremist group like the tea-party. Maybe you all could get something done, eh?
Say anyone got a current vote total on Prosser? I hear he pulled ahead earlier.
June:
Ditto Feisty. The people are speaking and the GOP/TP better start listening.
you need to stop spankin it, and pay attention he lost.
Say there Navy, you never did respond.
If the soldiers are not getting everything they need, isn't that the fault of the commander in chief?
What's the matter, that doesn't fit you silly rant against republicans being selfish and bad?
Come on Navy yu gonna talk the talk, and you certainly did that, you are going to need to back it up.
So Navy, don't run away and answer - why is Obama mis-treating the troops as you described. And what are you doing about it?
Oh and dzaffina, word on the street is he's up, but don't worry I'm sure they'll fine a bunch of ballots in the trunk of a shiny new Chevy.
yea spanky, i think the "new black panthers" and acorn are involved.
Who is this american people you talk about? A minority.
June, Fl
Well June, if I recall, the WI Traveling Progressive Party Senators left WI and hid in another state. Are you advocating that Harry Reid and the Federal Senators leave DC rather than vote on difficult proposals? Where do they go, Canada? Rather interesting concept.
Could we then legally recall Harry like the liberal members of WI wish to do. Now that may be an interesting concept. Could we refuse to allow Harry's re-entry back into the US? I'm all for that. Perhaps then the Senate could have a leader who knows responsibility rather than a progressive leader that shirks his job accountability.
Spanky- "Say anyone got a current vote total on Prosser? I hear he pulled ahead earlier."
Yes, they found another 7000+ votes for Prosser that had not been counted, so he now has a comfortable lead, and a recount may not be needed.
It kind of 'takes the wind out' of the Democrats, though, who were celebrating too soon, but I'm sure they will still claim a 'victory' because it was closer than expected.
It just seems that nothing is working out for them these days.
I just looked up the 'pension' benefits of public union workers in Wisconsin which indicates that they can retire at age 55 with 85% of their pre-retirement pay and great health insurance, all paid by the taxpayers that have to wait until age 67 to retire on about 30% of their regular pay from social security, and depend on Medicare for insurance.
Yup, we gotta keep those public union workers happy.
Actually, Prosser did pull ahead because 7000 votes were mysteriously not put into the original count due to a human error in a clerks office! The Federal election investigation board (I believe that is what it is called) has been called in because of the "irregularities"!
I will never vote for a repub.
AND I will vote!!
the last time i voted, was for reagan. never paid attention to politics, for thirty years. until the tea party. i saw this group of people screaming in the faces of pliticians, with signs depicting our newly elected president as hitler, in african garb with a bone through his nose, and as a socialist, strong sentiments. and wondered where this came from. since then i've educated my self, not through cable news, but the internet where i could form my own opinion. and it scares the hell out of me, what has happened to our nation the last thirty years.and... i will never vote for a repub. and i will vote.
GOP war on women rights. Is GOP = Taliban ??
That's what happens when Republicans fail to represent their constituents. They start finding themselves in the unemployment line.
"Progresive Power" in the great state of Wisconsin is recharged, and is ready for political action. The economics of evil represented by "Whacky Walker" will be coming to an end shorly. The economic anitics of "Richie Rich Ryan" at the Federal Level are being read, and researched very carefully here in Wisconsin. The Koch Brothers economic and political connections to "Wacky Walker" are well documented. "Whacky Walker" thought it would have been great to send political agitators into protesters in Madison. "Whacky Walker" has made it very clear that, the elderly, the disabled, union workers, the working poor, and the Middle Class. Have no political choice and had better accept the economic consequences of being who they are. If you are one of the Koch Brothers? "Whacky Walker" is your best poltical, and economic friend. He will open tax loop hole for large corporations, and cut their taxes. Heck! He will lower their tax brackets! The poltical and economic treats being handed out by the Wisconsin Governor to his "Wealthy Whacky" friends is just wrong! Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! The Party of No will have to go!!
Fine - start the recalls...
Will those 14 wimpy cowards that flew the coup be fired? What about the medical folks writing fake sick notes? And of course the workers themselves that didn't show up to do what they get paid to do.
Someone give me a good reason why public workers need a union and why "private" taxpayers which pay their salary, are not represented at the pow-wow.
you are represented at the pow-wow, by scott walker if your one of the koch bros.
yawn.. next Wingnut talking point please
Krell, I'm still trying to figure out what it is the public union folks fear from their neighbors that makes it so critically important that they have collective bargaining privileges to protect them. I can at least understand it in the private sector, especially in this day and age of union shops being run by faceless CEOs who no longer live or work in the communities where the jobs exist and have no vested interest in your happiness, but in the public sector it's literally your neighbors (as in the taxpayers in your state and community) you are demanding protection from. Most of us are smart enough to realize there are critical services being provided and that those services are better when the people performing them are treated well.
dzaffina...
I would bet that most people have no idea who the Koch's are. Just like most people don't know who the Bechtel family is (look it up). I don't live in WI.
New Wavez...
At least write something. Should there be some type of penalty for those I listed above?
Suzy...
Fear? How about accountability. It is almost impossible to fire a bad teacher. Why is that? What about the MTA bus driver in Detroit (in Jan 2011) who was driving the bus with his girlfriend in his lap? The union rep was actually stupid enough to get on TV and try to justify the driver. If the union rep's wife or daughter were on that bus it would have been a different story. So what is it the workers need protection from? Aren't there pages and pages of legislation that provide worker safety, etc?
I'm an electrical engineer and quite frankly, I can't relate to your comment (CEOs in union shops)... I speak for myself, get myself a job and work hard. Of course I am not in a union. I can sell myself much better than some rep I don't even know.
To me, common sense dictates that police and fireman have the tools/equipment they need. I don't know anyone who wouldn't agree to that. Teachers too -- they need stuff. One thing they don't need is that seniority crap. That has to go.
Thanks for writing.
Fond du Lac county broke 61:39 in favor of Prosser in the state's supreme court race. Fond du Lac is typically more red than blue so, while collecting the signatures allows the recall to move forward, it does not guaranty the effort will be successful. Motivating people to sign their names to a piece of paper handed to them in front of the grocery store or the local Culvers is a lot easier than getting them to come out to the polls on election day. Not to say there isn't a chance of success, there's always a chance, but if we learned anything from the SC race it's that the dems are not the only motivated parties in the state so it's going to be interesting to watch the results.
Suzy...
I may have (in part) misunderstood your reply above. Sorry if I did but hope you can still get what I am saying.
No worries. I am solidly in agreement with you.
Mark/Domenico,
I seem to be getting an error trying to access the Milwaukee Sentinel. What's the story on the Prosser/Kloppenburg race?
Prosser ahead by 7000+ votes; one city "forgot" to send in the results which, coincidentally, gave Prosser a lead probably large enough to prevent an automaticrecount. MSNBC may catch up with the news eventually.
from the Waukesha county clerk's own words, human error resulted in on full city's results not being included on the unofficial spreadsheet provided to the media on election night. She entered the numbers but did not save the change to the spreadsheet before sending the spreadsheet. The error was discovered Wednesday morning when they began the canvas process required before providing the official numbers to the state elections board. The spreadsheet showed all zeros for this particular community and the unofficial number was short by a similar number of votes according to the election night counts reported by the precincts. Her statements were verified as accurate during the press conference by the democratic appointed
To the Waukesha county canvass- her statement was something to the effect that in addition to serving on the canvas committee she is also the vp of the county's democratic party so clearly has no reason to lie in favor of the republican candidates favor.
Strength in numbers and unity for the people who really care about this country the Democrats.The people who care about your neighbor your parents and the education of your children never give up fellow Democrats.
Fairness for all not just corporate America, Wall Street , the Rich and the Banks.
Face it The republicans will not help you the Flea Party hates you there will be no jobs if they continue Republican or Democrat.
Stand tall America fight back
WANTED
Representation for middle class Americans in the government
The Republicans dont seem to want the job. Will the Democrats answer?
3rd parties and Independents also welcome
Eric,
If you read post 6.4 you see I am an EE and am middle class. Tell me why I need a loudmouth like Trumpka to represent me. How is he able to sell my skills better than me?
I don't know if its Reps don't want the job... me (as a conservative) expect accountability with gov't workers - something that is sorely lacking.
Maybe you can come up with a good reason why the gov't needs a union. If you have one, please share.
And consider this... yesterday Biden and Obama are out-of-town with the gov't ready to shut down. It doesn't matter why they were away. It looks bad - they need to be here. Forget twitter and all that crap.
The union issue in WI. The union folk acted horrible - a disgrace actually. Sure they were angry but still - to do damage to the bldg, and act like savages. Now they are boycotting business and some threats were made - and your OK with this? It looks bad and unions generally do 2 things very well:
=== Protect deadbeats and losers
=== Make themselves look bad
Go Walker !!
"And consider this... yesterday Biden and Obama are out-of-town with the gov't ready to shut down. It doesn't matter why they were away. It looks bad - they need to be here. Forget twitter and all that crap"
Sorry, that is incorrect. There were budget meetings with the president at the White House, so he couldn't have been out of town. And a planned trip to Indiana was cancelled. See here: http://www.indystar.com/article/20110408/LOCAL18/104080337/1001/SPORTS0107/Obama-postpones-his-visit-Indianapolis-stays-Washington?odyssey=nav%7Chead
"The union folk acted horrible - a disgrace actually. Sure they were angry but still - to do damage to the bldg, and act like savages."
There was no violence. According to the city of Madison, the crowd was well-behaved and orderly. See here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/news/view.cfm?news_id=2526 You may be referring to the footage aired by Bill O'Reilly during an interview, which turned out NOT to be from WI. And the original damage "estimates" were a huge exaggeration and were retracted the following day.
Let's be accurate and not repeat stuff that has already been debunked repeatedly.
I see in my tea leaves a lot of Wis. Blue cheese floating in a pool of tears...
Gov Walker is a traditional Republican and is not extreme; the radicals are the out of control zealots of the public employee unions and their trained poodles, the Democrats.
"Gov Walker is a traditional Republican and is not extreme;"
WRONG!!! Walker is a poster child for people like me who worked on the Goldwater campaign, voted for Nixon and Reagan twice, voted for Ford, voted for Bush 41 -- have left the Republican Party. Walker is a power hungry, fanatical, right wing ideologue and his ilk have destroyed the party of Reagan, Eisenhower, TR and Lincoln.
The talking point I have never understood is the left wing attack that Conservatives are for the rich and against the middle class.
I am middle class and from my perspective the conservatives are the only group that support me and all middle class Americans. The Liberal party seeks more and more of everyone's money to keep themselves enabled and the less fortunate dependant. I will never again vote for a Democrat and I certainly will continue to vote.
Good post! You kind of hit the nail on the head when you described the Dems base. Gotta hand it to LBJ, though. His "War on Poverty" was one of the most brilliant political moves of all times! Keep an entire class of people voting for your party forever. Give them just enough to get by without actually doing anything, and keep promising it to them forever, and they will never vote for another party.
Again, with these GOP issues, IMHO, we can see a shadow of Karl Rove, political strategist, from the Bush Jr. White House, and currently hired out to GOP politicians or their supporters. This issue is also reminiscent of Karl Rove, who has been described as destroying everything our founding fathers put together for this Nation. Do the Google Search. Several issues have arisen this year in Wisconsin, showing Karl Rove shadows, IMHO, not just one, including the Wisconsin GOP Governor Walker's questionable governance currently under Judicial review, the justice vote this week, and now these recall vote issues. This smacks, people, and is more than reminiscent of the Bush Jr. White House tactics of Karl Rove, IMHO. Democracy has been hijacked in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin's hijacked democracy, IMHO, is a shadow of the political strategist, Karl Rove, hired out to the GOP or their supporters. Karl Rove created PAC. Do the Google Search. Karl Rove has been described as destroying everything that our founding fathers put together for this Nation. Wisconsin's hijacked democracy is reminiscent of the Bush Jr. White House political tactics of staffer Karl Rove. Karl Rove's political strategy is hired out to GOP politicians or their supporters. The public only sees the shadow of Karl Rove, but the GOP politicians know of his services, intimately. This makes Wisconsin's hijacked democracy a new learning curve for America as we head into the 2012 election. If you are a concerned or disenfranchised GOP voter, change your registration to an Independent voter. If you are the Young Adult Majority, register as Independent voters, enjoin your Latino American friends to register to vote as Independents, likewise, and Tweet to insure that others register. You hold the 2012 election votes in your hands. Tweet is sweet. I am continuing to monitor the GOP use of illogical argument for you, and I am,
The "Born boomer-banging chili." (for all of my posts on illogical argument, click on my handle)
To the Young Adult Majority citizens of America (#1 - of a series)
What's in your tea cup?
As you go through life sipping your brew,
can you overlook matters of trust from a few?
Along comes a boomer,
scanning the air waves and news articles.
Identifies and red flags illogical argument,
and shares his technique for political tweeters.
And he declares,
"Don't let yourself be dumb downed, America."
You may have some chafe in your tea cup.
The "Born boomer-banging chili." (for my series posts on identifying and red flagging illogical argument, click of my handle)
some of these recalls could be replaced by union people!
this could be a good demonstration of what will happen to the GOP in 2012!
Its about time they made examples of how to deal with the GOP!
One good democrat in office is worth two GOP in the Bush!
HELLO WISCONSIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2012 you will see many Republican recalls at the polls.
Stand up America fight for your family and your rights as Americans.
Forget about the big Business they are in it for their own greed.
As fighters we can bring America back to the people, not GE and the rest of the whores.This isn't about the Budget for Republicans it's about telling you how to live your life its about taking away your rights to satisfy the Agenda of the radical right looking for a state controlled by one idea one policy.
Stand and fight America stand behind common sense