Awaiting @ScottWalker at Milwaukee police union headquarters. His campaign has brought out some props blasting Democratic candidates for their plans to reduce the prison population. pic.twitter.com/CX8wQX61Lt
— Theo Keith (@TheoKeith) August 7, 2018
Milwaukee police union head Mike Crivello, referencing two @MilwaukeePolice deaths this summer: “We certainly should not make it easier for criminals.” pic.twitter.com/KhFncTPAEU
— Theo Keith (@TheoKeith) August 7, 2018
Niiice, bring out the union chief of a Police Department that's being sued for jumping Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown in a parking lot, and last month made taxpayers shell out $3.4 million for unlawfully profiling people of color at traffic stops over several years.
Disgusting enough, but then Scotty openened up his mouth even more.
Walker, who has not visited a Wisconsin prison during his time as governor, says he will not do so: “To me, there’s no value to me visiting.”
— Theo Keith (@TheoKeith) August 7, 2018
In addition to the obvious dog-whistle from Walker that implies people in prison are subhuman and not worthy of attention, it's also a major dereliction of duty. Because an allegedly "frugal, fiscal conservative" like Walker should care deeply about what's happening at the prisons, and not just because the state had to settle a lawsuit of their own for nearly $19 million earlier this year due to negligence at the Copper Hills juvenile facility.
Even reporters in the state's usually pro-Walker media gave Walker's "no value" response a "WTF?"
Wisconsin has the highest black incarceration rate in the country, and prisons cost state taxpayers $1 billion per year. Recent lawsuits over the state's youth prison cost taxpayers another $20 million. https://t.co/YyZQn7kJYy
— Molly Beck (@MollyBeck) August 7, 2018
To be precise, Wisconsin's Corrections system will cost state taxpayers more than $1.2 billion in this fiscal year. It's truly amazing that Walker doesn't seem to care about what's going on in a department that big. And if you look at information in the state's Annual Fiscal Report and the amounts allocated for similar programs in the 2017-19 state budget, you'll see that the amount spent on corrections keeps going up. To the point that what Wisconsin taxpayers pay for our prisons is now significantly more than what we pay for the UW System.
Also notice that what we pay for a handful of property credits also has surpassed the taxpayer investment in the UW System. Nice priorities, ain't it?
And instead of dragging down Democratic candidates with his stunt today, Walker seemed to unite them and give them a chance to call out Walker's expensive and failed policies in Corrections.
.@ScottWalker once again showed that he will place his own political career before what’s best for our state. How can the governor - who oversees a billion dollars a year in Corrections funding - refuse to visit a corrections facility?
— Tony Evers (@Tony4WI) August 7, 2018
Walker never once visited Lincoln Hills, despite the horrendous allegations of child abuse there, and he also allowed our prisons to become massively overcrowded, putting both incarcerated people and corrections staff in jeopardy.
— Kelda Roys (@keldahelenroys) August 7, 2018
.@ForwardWFlynn blasts Walker for not visiting a prison, says he "wants to turn a blind eye to problems"
— Scott Bauer (@sbauerAP) August 7, 2018
Flynn calls it "criminal negligence on the part of the governor" and a "cold-hearted approach to human beings" more akin to leaders in China or Russia
And perhaps this statement sums it up best.
.@MahlonMitchell on @ScottWalker refusing to visit a Wisconsin prison:
— Scott Bauer (@sbauerAP) August 7, 2018
"Refusing to step foot in any prison that is costing the Wisconsin taxpayers over $1 billion each year is proof Scott Walker is unfit to lead and will be replaced in November."
Yep, and today's epically failed attempt at a fear-mongering dog whistle is the mark of a losing GOP candidate like Scott Walker in 2018.
Of course there's no value to visiting prisons for Walker, felons can't vote.
ReplyDeleteThey don't give campaign donations, either. But the private prison industry sure does, and they will gladky step in to handle any "overflow" at taxpayer expense.
DeleteEverything about that event was 100% pure, unadulterated Scott Walker: calling a press conference which is really nothing more than a free political campaign ad...posting big, scary mug shots...and telling voters “If you vote for my Democratic opponent, they will unleash murderers and rapists to run rampant in the streets” has been par for the course for Walker for more than two decades. Not surprising in the least.
ReplyDeleteWhat breaks my heart, though, is that standing next to him was a man who is not only a police officer but a union president saying basically, “Yes, that’s true. Trust this man. Be scared.”
I know the Milwaukee Police Department has a bad track record with minorities, but do they really endorse having Mr. Crivello, one of their leaders, nodding as the governor proclaims that prisoners are worthless and unworthy of attention?
And yes, the police union was purposely spared from the union-busting Governor’s wrecking ball...but how can the president of ANY union stand there next to that heartless, soulless slime ball who gutted the incomes of hard-working middle class public servants like them? It just sickens me.