John Doe
“No one cares about crazy people,” was the reply by Kelly Rindfleisch, Walker’s chief-of staff while he was Milwaukee County Administrator, to an email from Keith Gilkes, Walker’s gubernatorial campaign manager. This email exchange was in reference to the death of Cindy Ancza at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex. Other serious problems, such as sexual assaults and security lapses, occurred at this facility while Walker was administrator. Gilkes refers to the facility as a “looney bin.”
What was Walker’s reply? He wanted to be kept out of the story. The story was kept buried until after the November 2010 election.
One of Walker’s staff compared the unemployed, people of mixed race, the disabled, and people who can’t speak English, to dogs asking to be signed up for welfare. “So true,” was Rindfleisch’s reply.
Jewish people, blacks, gays, immigrants and the current female lieutenant were not spared by the ugly remarks of Walker’s aides. Rindfleisch’s filthy language would make most people blush.
A lengthy investigation and open records requests reveal over 27,000 pages of emails/documents that are available for everyone to read regarding the first John Doe investigation of the illegal, private email system set up while Walker was county administrator running for governor. Walker’s aides, who worked for the county, did much of their work coordinating the campaign using the illegal system while being paid by taxpayers, which is also illegal. They feared no retribution. Additional documents are being requested by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Supervisor John Weishan, Jr.
Reindfleisch served six months in jail. Five other people hired by Walker were also convicted. Several others resigned. Walker refuses to answer any questions.
A second secret John Doe investigation is underway at the present time. This second John Doe involves illegal campaign spending and fundraising during the 2012 recall elections. Under investigation are Friends of Scott Walker and conservative groups. In an unusual set of circumstances that resulted in documents and statements leaked to the media, Walker is one of the subjects of the investigation. Conservative groups, such as Wisconsin’s Club for Growth, have tried to block the second John Doe investigation.
Walker is the only Wisconsin governor to set up a legal defense fund, spending $650,000 as of April 2013. These John Doe investigations bring into question the integrity of the Walker Administration and the people he hires, his control over every facet of his campaign even when it was done illegally by his staff, and his silence.
Sources:
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/02/12377/walker-campaign-finance-probe-court-docs-show