Walker Pranked(Prank call to Gov Walker -pretending to be David Koch)

Politico ^ | 23 February 2011 | Ben Smith

[SE Mom]

Not since those Montreal comedians got through to Sarah Palin has a stunt like this worked, but a reporter from the Buffalo Beast, posing as David Koch, appears to have managed to get Scott Walker on the line.

The alt-weekly's site is down, but you can hear the recording at Mother Jones.

But they didn't actually get much from Walker, other than his assent to bizarre "Koch" statements. He does give a glimpse of his -- utterly reasonable -- strategy, including courting an independent-minded Senate Democrat who he describes as "pretty reasonable, but he's not one of us." He also tips his hand to an attempt to lure Democrats back to the state for a meeting that, even if they fled again, would allow Republicans to pass his bill.

"I'm not negotiating," he said.

He also clearly believes that time is on his side, and that Democrats are desperate to get out of the fix.

Walker said his administration is looking into the question of whether legislators can be charged with a felony if unions are paying them "to keep them from doing their job."

The call is worth a listen though, for the candid glimpse it offers at the suddenly-prominent Walker. It's also typical in that it reflects politicians willingness to give large amounts of time to rich guys whose obvious weirdness and terrible ideas are to be tolerated for the cash they put up.

One other interesting bit: Walker says he talks to Ohio's John Kasich "every day."

[balch3]

Governor Walker ought to sue for invasion of privacy, and Mr Koch should sue for defamation of character. That would teach these lowlifes a lesson.

[SkyPilot]

have no problem with anything Walker said- but it’s kind of incredible to watch the desperate tactics being played out by the left.

In an era when cops can arrest you in many states for recording them on a smart phone and prosecutors can threaten you with multiple years in prison, it seems to me that a possible crime has been committed here (not sure what state law is in Wisconsin).

The New York Times reports on the Illinois eavesdropping law, which allows for a felony charge and up to 15 years of prison for people who record police officers on the job. In addition to artist Christopher Drew—whom I've written about before and who goes to trial in April—the article finds another person currently being charged under the law. Tiawanda Moore, 20, goes to trial next month. She too could face 15 years in prison, in her case for using her Blackberry to record her conversation with internal affairs officers at Chicago PD about an alleged sexual assault by a police officer.

________________________________________________

Simon Glik, a lawyer, was walking down Tremont Street in Boston when he saw three police officers struggling to extract a plastic bag from a teenager’s mouth. Thinking their force seemed excessive for a drug arrest, Glik pulled out his cellphone and began recording. Within minutes, Glik said, he was in handcuffs. “One of the officers asked me whether my phone had audio recording capabilities,’’ Glik, 33, said recently of the incident, which took place in October 2007. Glik acknowledged that it did, and then, he said, “my phone was seized, and I was arrested.’’ The charge? Illegal electronic surveillance.

_______________________________________________________

Moreover, this was "intel gathering" on the part of the MSM and the Demoncrats. It isn't an "amusing" incident. They now know that Gov Walker will attempt to have the legislators who fled charged.

[Longbow1969]

Governor Walker ought to sue for invasion of privacy, and Mr Koch should sue for defamation of character. That would teach these lowlifes a lesson.

At some later date possibly. Doing that during this budget battle would only serve to draw the public's attention to a somewhat embarrassing phone call.

For now, it is probably best to laugh it off and correctly point out that there is really nothing damaging in this call. Walker says essentially the same thing on the phone that he does during a press conference or interview. Even when baited by the caller, he is calm and reasonably and doesn't say anything outrageous, illegal or otherwise unseemly.

[sbMKE]

That’s 1,000% Walker.

[sbMKE]

I read the exchange about “disruptors” meaning counter-protestors. It’s nothing, and in the end Walker opts vocally for keeping the peace above countering the din.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I’m thinking it should be illegal to appropriate another person’s identity. “Identity theft”? SOmeone pretended to be another person to get access to things that other person had (in this case, a line to a governor). If you or I pretended to be someone else so we could enter the White House and talk to the PResident, I’m pretty sure we would be in jail now.

[SE Mom]

See post #31 - the governor’s office issued a statement about the prank.

[CharlesWayneCT]

You would if you falsified information to pretend to be someone who is allowed to call the Governor.

Just like people make fake IDs and get served beer, and we don’t attack the bartenders for it.

[Marty62]

Apparently Politico picks and chooses which comments they allow. (nothing dirty,obscene)

But as someone else posted. Isn’t this illegal!

However I find it rather poetic the Dummies are using NIXON tactics.

[Ballygrl]

Revolution over at ConservativeCave posted this response from Walker's spokesman, I think it's a great response:

The governor takes many calls everyday," spokesman Cullen Werwie said. "Throughout this call the governor maintained his appreciation for and commitment to civil discourse. He continued to say that the budget repair bill is about the budget. The phone call shows that the governor says the same thing in private as he does in public and the lengths that others will go to disrupt the civil debate Wisconsin is having."

[Ballygrl]

Who is David Koch?

He's the current orgasm for the left.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

"Who is David Koch?"

Among other things, he is a large contibutor to important causes such as cancer research. This is the David Koch Institute for Cancer Research:



He and his brother (Koch Industries, largest privately held company) held a conference which was themed around non-leftist ideals recently, so the left are demonizing them.

[reasonisfaith]

“Kinda like George Soros, but on the other side of the aisle.”

There’s no such thing.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Ian Murphy is the disgusting creep who pulled this stunt I believe.

[SE Mom]

Yss! That’s his name. I still can’t get the site to come up- but just read somewhere there’s a bogus “transcript” going around where “Koch” says Mika at MSNBC is a ‘piece of a$$” and Walker says “Oh yeah”...

That is NOT on the taped conversation- but it’s making the rounds.

Creeps.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

I hope Walker goes after him.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Here's the POS:

[Jedidah]

This is one dirty trick that the perps probably wish they could take back.

Walker comes across as resolute and in control. Just a terrific leader.

[Qbert]

“Among other things, he is a large contibutor to important causes such as cancer research. This is the David Koch Institute for Cancer Research:”

Boy, he sounds like an evil person. (/sarc)

[Jedidah]

No. Walker has his hands full.

Let Koch and his millions go after the dweeb. LOL.