DOA RECORDS SHOW (WI) AG HAD TWO HIT-AND-RUNS WITH STATE CAR

WISPOLITICS ^ | 04/21/2004 | MELANIE FONDER

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

WisPolitics: DOA Records Show AG Had Two Hit-and-Runs with State Car

4/21/2004

April 21, 2004

By Melanie Fonder

WisPolitics.com Associate Editor

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager's state car was twice damaged last year before her February drunken driving accident -- incidents described as being hit and runs, records from the state Department of Administration released today.

Repairs to the 1999 Buick Park Avenue as a result of those accidents were nearly $2,000 and were charged to the state. The manner in which they were reported may be a violation of state procedure regarding the use of fleet vehicles, DOA memos suggest. In addition, Lautenschlager's husband, Bill Rippl, signed receipts for car washes and some detail work for Lautenschlager's vehicle, but was not registered as a driver of the vehicle.

Documents detailing the accidents, gas receipts and other related items were released by the DOA today in response to media open records requests. DOA expanded its search of records related to Lautenschlager's use of her state car after additional receipts were uncovered by the Wisconsin State Journal last week.

One incident occurred on April 14, 2003 at 80 University Ave. in Madison. That location is in the University Square area on campus, site of movie theaters and restaurants. The accident description says it occurred at "question mark PM." There was a dent in the driver's side door. The claim for damages to the vehicle totaling $746.99 was submitted June 4, 2003. A vehicle accident/incident report does not contain many details.

"In that document the driver description of the incident says that it was a hit and run in a parking lot, vehicle was unattended and there were no witnesses to vehicle causing damage," a DOA memo says. "There was no police report attached to the document and the dates are inconsistent with the accord provided by Automotive Resources International ..."

The second incident was on Oct. 27 or 28, 2003 between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. In this case, the front right-hand side of the vehicle was damaged and "headlights cracked," with the damages claim totaling $1,231.91. The accident/incident report in this case says the location of the accident was "likely in Fond du Lac, WI at home" with details unknown.

According to the state fleet policy and procedures manual: "You must report immediately by telephone if: you are involved in an accident with ... any damage greater than $500." State vehicles "have an Auto Accident Kit in the glove compartment which contains forms and instructions for reporting any accident."

Lautenschlager explained the incidents to reporters in the Capitol press room earlier in the day. Lautenschlager told reporters she came to work this morning and was greeted with this comment from her aide: "They want to know how you can be a victim of a hit-and-run in your own driveway."

The comment prompted her to walk up a floor toward the Capitol's Press room. "So I'm drawing you all a picture," she said as she held a short drawing lesson in the hallway for five Capitol press corps reporters.

"My driveway comes here, and the neighbor's driveway here," she said as she sketched upon the pad of The Capital Times reporter as reporters from the Associated Press, WisPolitics.com and Appleton Post Crescent looked on. "The driveways connect down here... this is the street. These are the garages... and my car was parked here... my neighbor's driveway is right next to it," she said as she drew. "It sounds ludicrous when you say she was a victim of hit and run in her own driveway, I guess."

Lautenschlager said her home street is narrow, and a hospital is nearby. But what adds to the confusion is her neighbor's also were having a roof project completed at the time and a dumpster was parked in the immediate vicinity. "There were construction vehicles going in and out," she said, adding the placement of the dumpster required some of those construction vehicles to use the Lautenschlager driveway.

She said there were two hit and runs, but referred reporters seeking specifics to view the actual documents. Her recollection was the one incident in her driveway was reported to Fond du Lac police and the other was reported through the state government. "The Fond du Lac police were called, and the other one we did through work," she said.

Regarding receipts signed by her husband, she said it was not a case of him using the state car but more a case of her possibly being in a gas station bathroom and he taking it upon himself to take care of the bill.

DOA Chief Legal Counsel John Rothschild said in a memo accompanying the documents that they were discovered in the last week and a half following the Wisconsin State Journal article. "The search turned up additional records contained both at Fleet and State Risk Management indicating that the vehicle used by Attorney General Lautenschlager had been repaired on several occasions. Further searching found records that there had been two accidents reported by Attorney General Lautenschlager...," Rothschild wrote.

Jeff Knight, director of the Bureau of General Services, wrote in another memo released by DOA that Rippl had signed for several car washes and some detailing work. On one occasion, the cost was $65.95 and was signed by Rippl.

"After following up we determined that four times the vehicle was assigned to the Attorney General was washed at a vendor (Jet Stream Car Wash) in Fond du Lac. As that vendor wasn't on the Wright Express account, they billed DOA direct. Upon further review of invoices submitted, it does appear that Attorney General Lautenschlager's husband signed receipts for work performed on the vehicle," Knight wrote.

When DOA staff tried to find out why cost was so high, they discovered there was "no record of the driver." After talking to the attorney general's staff about Rippl, "We then OK'd the charge but informed them that her husband could not drive or charge for repairs and that charges of this type needed advance approval."

-- Joanne M. Haas contributed to this report.

[Oblongata]

"It sounds like peg lautensaucer (glug glug glug) has a hard time keeping control of her car. Maybe she needs her own state provided driver as well."

The favorite nickname of madison talk radio is "Keg Goldschlager" :)

[republicandiva]

Banish the bum BUMP!

[republicandiva]

Could you ping that list - this post contains the entire article...good stuff! LOL

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Speaking of infamous attorney generals, did anyone know that Janet 'Burn Em' All" Reno was coming to Madison today? That would have been a great Freep.

[brewcrew]

Speaking of infamous attorney generals, did anyone know that Janet 'Burn Em' All" Reno was coming to Madison today?

I heard on the news tonight that ol' Shake 'n' Bake was participating in the forum in Madistan tomorrow, Thursday April 22. There's still time....

[xm177e2]

Where is the word "Democrat" in the article? I couldn't find it anywhere. (or is she a Republican? Doubtful, because no party affiliation was mentioned)

[Diddle E. Squat]

LOL

[steveegg]

Hey, I live in New Jersey, I'm sure it's worse here.

Got money <G>? Let's see if I can nail the recent crimes of Wisconsin's pols (I will ignore most of the Legislative Caucus scandal, which involves use of state employees on political campaigns, as that was a naked attempt by Madison Democrats to run out their competition both from the Republicans and Milwaukee Democrats):

• Former State Senate Democratic leader Chuck Chvala is facing multiple charges of soliciting bribes.
• Three former Milwaukee aldermen were sent up the fed river on various corruption charges.
• Former Milwaukee acting mayor Marvin Pratt was fined $2,500 for campaign finance "irregularities" (since it was the local DA E. Michael (McCan't) McCann that did this instead of the feds, it was a civil forfeiture).
• A fourth Milwaukee alderman is under federal investigation for bribery to keep a troubled tavern open.
• Former state Senator Gary George (D-Milwaukee) is under federal indictment for several money-skimming schemes.

That's just the elected officials; I could break out, for example 2000's smokes-for-votes, 2002's kringles-for-votes, SDC, CYD, etc.

[steveegg]

Guess someone needs to cross-reference things with the city of Fond du Lac (there would need to be a permit for that neighbor's "roof repair") and the Fond du Lac police department. Knowing Keg Goldschlager (thanks for the proper name, diva), at least one of those will prove to be wholly inconsistent with this latest tall tale.

[tractorman]

Bartender! I’ll have an ice cold Lautenschlager with a frosty mug.

Seriously, does anyone think she’d still be in office if she were a Republican?
It would also be nice to know how much of our taxes goes for car washes and detailing of the state’s bloated fleet.

[wisconsinconservative]

Is there a Keg Goldschlager pint list? If so, add me! Thanks!

[wisconsinconservative]

Is there a Keg Goldschlager pint ping list? If so, add me! Thanks!

Oops! Fruedian slip perhaps

[cpprfld]

I wonder if she has a drinking problem.

[steveegg]

Belated "Blizzard/Keg Goldschlager pint" ping (guess the old "Blizzard of Recall" ping list just got morphed and bigger :-)

If someone wants to get the ball rolling, CRG will support it.

[steveegg]

"It sounds like peg lautensaucer (glug glug glug) has a hard time keeping control of her car. Maybe she needs her own state provided driver as well."

The favorite nickname of madison talk radio is "Keg Goldschlager" :)

Let's see; we have Peg Lautensaucer, Keg Goldschlager (BTW, the Goldschlager part originated on the Bob and Brian morning show right after the news she got busted for DUI got out), Peg Lautenliar (Belling). Any others?

As for whether she needs a state driver (which I'm sure she has now that she doesn't have a license), T'wit has the best answer; Taycheedah.

[spunkets]

Who's CRG? Is there a candidate to run? Biskupic?

[steveegg]

CRG is Citizens for Responsible Government, the guys behind the Ament recall.

As for who would run, whether it is a recall or special election, it would be a partisan one. I wonder if we could get Jeff Wagner back out of radio and into politics if we can't get a Bskupic.

[spunkets]

Thanks! I don't know Wagner. He's an atty, I presume?

[steveegg]

Thanks! I don't know Wagner. He's an atty, I presume?

Recovering lawyer. He served in the Milwaukee US Attorney's office in the '80s, ran for AG in '94. He's the early-afternoon guy over on WTMJ (Mon-Sat, pending sports play-by-play).

[ninenot]

She's not a crook. To be a criminal you have to KNOW what you're doing.

She's too drunk to know what she's doing. (That's an actual valid and legitimate criminal defense.)

Feel better?