Posted on 05/23/2004 11:30:39 AM PDT by Indy Pendance
When an intoxicated Peg Lautenschlager drove her state car into a ditch in February, she damaged more than her credibility and political future.
She also did quite a number on Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the group that leads the charge against drunken drivers.
In the three months since Lautenschlager failed to walk a straight line for the cops, fund-raising has dried up for MADD Wisconsin. Many supporters have quit giving because of the group's namby-pamby statement declining to call for the first-term attorney general to resign after she pleaded guilty to drunken driving in late February.
MADD's statement instead said the group was "disappointed" with the state's top cop.
"It's had quite a huge impact on us, both financially and with our members," said Kari Kinnard, head of MADD Wisconsin. "People have actually withdrawn their donations."
In January, a month before Lautenschlager's troubles, the state chapter of MADD received better than $5,300 in donations. But that figure dropped to 20 bucks in March and was down to a stunning $5 last month.
Kinnard said the contributions have picked up only slightly this month. If contributions continue at this snail's pace, the non-profit group will have to cut educational programs and victim services, Kinnard said.
"We probably will break $20 in May," said Kinnard, noting that her group was advised by lawyers with the national office that officially calling for Lautenschlager's resignation would threaten MADD's tax-exempt status.
"It's down pretty far. We've gotten a number of letters saying specifically, 'You're not getting any more money.' "
Want a taste of the type of messages flooding MADD's offices?
"After you basically dismissed what . . . Lautenschlager did, you will never get a nickel from me," wrote one person who signed herself Mad in Wisconsin.
"Because of the lack of action from MADD regarding Peg Lautenschlager, please accept my resignation from the organization," wrote June Lang, of Oak Creek, a member since 1980. "MADD should demonstrate at any location in which Lautenschlager speaks."
Added one east side woman: "Let's face it . . . She is the TOP official in the State of Wisconsin. Driving a state vehicle continually. Driving from Madison to Fond du Lac in that condition. PLEASE give me a break. She should resign her position or be recalled. It's as simple as that."
What's more, Kinnard has been less than impressed with Lautenschlager's efforts to shine a light on the problem of drunken driving, despite her pledges to do just that.
In a press conference in which the attorney general tearfully apologized, she said, "We - I - must work to educate our citizens on the incredible dangers that come with drinking and driving, the responsibilities that come with getting behind the wheel of a car."
Those words must have been music to the ears of the MADD bosses.
But much of what the AG has done - or not done - since then has raised doubts in Kinnard's mind about Lautenschlager's sincerity.
First, there's the Lautenschlager e-mail to her staff the morning after her arrest.
Kinnard's summary of it: "I fell asleep at the wheel, yada, yada, yada, and, by the way, I was cited for OWI."
Then there's the fact that Lautenschlager did not call MADD until Kinnard contacted her.
Contrast that with John Evans, the state highways honcho who played a key role in lowering the blood-alcohol threshold for an OWI conviction to 0.08. He called MADD the morning after his drunken-driving arrest last year.
"He said, 'I made a very bad choice; please extend my apologies to your members,' " Kinnard said. "Peg never reached out - we had to contact her."
And then after Lautenschlager did finally meet with Kinnard in late March - about a month after the MADD boss wrote her - there has been little follow-up.
MADD asked for money from Lautenschlager's office to fund a media campaign and a couple of other programs, but those pleas were summarily rejected. The only substantive offer that Lautenschlager made to the state MADD group was to help out at a youth camp. Kinnard and others, however, felt having her there would be inappropriate.
"In general, we have a lot of members who object to her speaking," Kinnard said. "I'm one of those people."
One thing that has changed since Lautenschlager's arrest is the tenor of Kinnard's public statements about the attorney general.
In a brief statement faxed to us Friday, Kinnard came oh-so-close to saying it's time for the AG to go.
"It isn't unreasonable to expect the state Attorney General to resign after receiving an OWI," Kinnard wrote. "She represents the Department of Justice, the people, and the state of Wisconsin.
"Because of her actions, the credibility and respect of that position has been compromised."
True to form, Lautenschlager did not return calls for comment.
Lesson? MADD is a group of angry liberal soccer moms who won't take to task one of their own.
"It isn't unreasonable to expect the state Attorney General to resign after receiving an OWI," Kinnard wrote. "She represents the Department of Justice, the people, and the state of Wisconsin.
"
I agree with this 100%. As the state's Attorney General, she can no longer effectively enforce the laws of that state, since she flouted them herself, and while driving a state vehicle.
Personally, I believe that any state employee, while driving a state car, who is convicted of DUI, should be summarily dismissed.
Does not the founding soccer mom of MADD, now work as a pitch-lady for Philip Morris?
Oh, the hypocrisy of it all! Couldn't happen to a better buch of nanny-state harpies.
Click here, here, and here to learn more about MADD's real agenda: Virtual Prohibition.
Just thought you'd enjoy seeing a little "Cheesehead style" *cannibalism* this fine day.
By none other than??
...one of the 'Rat's very own Frankenstein monsters. :o)
Wisconsin's MADD is little more than a mouthpiece for Democrat special interests. Why would anyone expect them to criticize Lautenschliquor?
The problem here? Look at the number of times the word LAWYER or ATTORNEY appears --- and you will see the one of the biggest enemies this country has.
Lawyers - (most)Politicians - Judges ---- what do they have in common? Allegiance to the Bar NOT to the USA.
That bears saying again.
Oh, the hypocrisy of it all! Couldn't happen to a better buch of nanny-state harpies.
Now that that is out of the way ... let's continue to mutilate the genitals of all smokers.
There's no reason for MADD to still exist. They pointed out that people who have a .15 BAC(14+ beers) shouldn't drive drunk. We already knew that. The drunks continue to drive anyway.
MADD hasn't stopped crime, they've created millions of criminals. DUI laws today are about money. Period.
Stupid is as stupid does.
First, the Brady Bunch lays off 80% of their workforce, and now this!
The control freaks seem to be losing some ground. Maybe there is hope for this country yet.
It's funny, but just from the fact that the political affiliation of Lautenschlager was not mentioned, I figured she must be a democrat. LOL!
Don't know about that, but I seem to recall her being nailed for DUI a few years back.
Almost as good as the story of one of the founders of the MMM getting nailed for shooting someone a few years back. ;-)
"As the state's Attorney General, she can no longer effectively enforce the laws of that state, since she flouted them herself, and while driving a state vehicle."
Of course she can. She may not but there isn't any reason why she can't enforce the laws of the state. I am not willing to lynch someone, no matter their position, because of a first DWI. Just about anything that gets MADD members in a snit is a good thing.
By the way, I haven't had a drink in thirty years but MADD isn't about making our roads safer, it's about power.
I am no supporter of MADD, but they brought this on themselves. The State AD was given a pass mainly BECAUSE she is a woman.
Also, she was in a state vehicle. She should be removed from office. Don't know about where you work, but any job I have ever had in my 42 years would have most certainly have fired me for driving drunk.
Maybe the local chapter of MADD will go belly up, them and their stupid laws.
Lautenschlager is corrupt. She was in Green Bay for a speech on Internet predators. The contemptuous looks from the other officers to her could have sliced stainless steel.
I wonder what would happen if someone caught Jim Robinson voting Democrat? :)
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