Fitzgerald: Senate Republicans didn't use redistricting talking points

JS Online ^ | 2-7-12 | Patrick Marley & Jason Stein

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Madison - Republicans in the state Senate did not use talking points that told lawmakers to ignore public comments about new election maps, their leader said Tuesday.

"I've never seen that and no other member of my caucus has seen that," Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said Tuesday when shown a copy of the talking points. "It wasn't put together for me."

The talking points appear to have been produced in June by Adam Foltz, an aide to Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) who helped draw new election maps. The talking points said Republican lawmakers should ignore comments other than those made by leaders during private meetings.

"Public comments on this map may be different than what you hear in this room. Ignore the public comments," the memo said.

Jeff Fitzgerald so far has declined requests for an interview. His spokesman, John Jagler, would not say why the memo was created or explain the reference to ignoring public comments.

Jagler said Tuesday that copies of the memo were not given to GOP lawmakers but said he couldn't say whether the talking points were passed along to the legislators verbally.

Every 10 years, states have to draw new election district maps for legislators and members of Congress to account for population changes.

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Other documents released Monday show nearly all Republican lawmakers had to sign confidentiality agreements with an attorney from the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich, hired by lawmakers as the maps were developed last year.

Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) said he had never before seen lawmakers in the state sign confidentiality agreements about legislation. Barca said the secrecy was "simply scandalous" and ran against the state's values of open government.

"It's so outside the tradition of Wisconsin," Barca said.

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Wisconsin Redistricting Nitty Gritty Ping

If you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list, pease FReep Mail me.

For those who are unaware of the details of Wis poics, may I poit out the the leader of the Senate and the leader of the Assembly are brothers. You've got to keep your Fitzgeralds straight to understand all this insider business.

Also, Peter Barca and Jon Erpenbach (the Democrats in high dudgeoun over the redistricting maps) should also note that it is very un-Wisconsin for the entire delegation of one party to run away to another state to avaid taking a vote! Fleebaggers!

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If you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list, just FReep Mail me.

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Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, Senate majority leader -- facing recall

Speaker of the Assembly, Jeff Fitzgerald.

To make it even more confusing, Jeff Fitzgerald, Speaker of the Assembly, is also a candidate for the US Senate from WI.

[afraidfortherepublic]

For those who are unaware of the details of Wis poics, may I poit out the the leader of the Senate... should say:

For those who are unaware of the details of Wis politics, may I point out the the leader of the Senate...